Another.15" trailer tire question
 

We have a 24' enclosed trailer with 5200 lb. axles and 15" 6-lug wheels. It came new with 8-ply bias ply tires. Saturday we blew a tire on Interstate 20 east of Dallas and had the pleasure of changing a tire in the 95 degree heat with semis whizzing by at 75 mph.

Goodyear Endurance makes a 225/75/15 radial that's E rated at 2830 lbs IIRC. Our car and trailer are around 7500. Should I just go with these or look into 16"? I'll have to put the car back in the trailer to measure the clearance between the tire and bottom of the fender. All older posts I've read about going to 16" wheels talked about no one making a good 15" trailer tire. If I'm not mistaken this 15" Endurance is fairly new.

We only tow a few times a year and the trailer is stored inside out of the weather and sun.

Re: Another.15" trailer tire question
 

I've used MAXXIS tires with success...after changing blown Goodyears on the side of I-75 I threw the GY's in the trash...nothing but headaches with the GY's on my motorhome as well. I've run mine easily 20,000 miles with no issues, going to change them out only because they're now past 5 years old. Also insist on recent date codes on whatever you buy. Prepare for getting lots of "change to 16 " feedback.

Here's the MAXXIS 10 ply trailer info that's rated for the same load as the GY you referenced :

TL15713000 225/75R15

Re: Another.15" trailer tire question
 

Did you run the Goodyear Endurance radials? Just curious. I could be mistaken but I believe that's a fairly new tire. I looked up specs on the Endurance and the Maxxis and if my research was correct the GY has a higher weight rating. Just trying to compare apples to apples before I make an informed purchsse. Thank you for the reply.

Re: Another.15" trailer tire question
 

No experience with the Endurance model. Perhaps they're an improvement over the old marathon model which gave me fits. Other than race tires I've just had multiple bad luck with GY sidewalls distortion, difficult to balance, etc.

Re: Another.15" trailer tire question
 

Thank you Jim. I sincerely appreciate the feedback.

Scott

Re: Another.15" trailer tire question
 

I have not heard anything bad about the new Goodyear radials yet, but I don't think they have been on the market that long and I don't know how many folks who have blown up the old tires would buy the new.

I have load range E, fifteen inch tires on my 24ft enclosed and have not had any problems yet, but they have not been tested in the heat that much.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

That all being said, from what I have heard the 16":rims are really the ultimate solution to the problem.

Good luck and keep us posted.

Bill

Re: Another.15" trailer tire question
 

If you are replacing the tires anyway. Stop and change them to the 16" wheels and at least a Load Range E, "trailer rated" tire.
Dan

Re: Another.15" trailer tire question
 

Also agree w/16" but I blew 2 of them this year, then went with a truck trailer tire load G 110#s air.
Ok if you stick with the 15" I suggest LT tires instead. real world, I had a triple axle trailer w/ 15" E's. would always blow the tread off. lots of damage and some were like new. 2 year old or less. I switched to light truck tires and never had that happen again, had some flats but never blew tread off.... sidewalls are not as stiff but the weight rating was right and I felt safer at 65+mph...

Re: Another.15" trailer tire question
 

I think my next trailer tires will be "G" rated. FYI, if you buy your tires at Discount Tire, buy the replacement certificate. That is the best package going for blown tires.
Dan

Re: Another.15" trailer tire question
 

In your same situation and replaced with the Multi-Mile Towmax STR ST225/75R-15.

They are a 10 ply, load range E, 2830 lb. rating. Have put about 2,000 miles on them so far and they are doing a great job so far. The trailer is more stable at speed and changing lanes than the 8 ply Goodyears that were on it. In all fairness, the Goodyears I replaced had given pretty good service for a number of years.

The Multi Mile tires are very reasonable priced, as well. -Al

Re: Another.15" trailer tire question
 

Thanks guys for all of the input. To begin with, I called the dealer where I bought my trailer and asked them their real-world experience with adding 235/80/16 tires and wheels to a trailer specifically like ours. He said there wasn't room for it to happen. I measured the distance between the top of the 15" tires and the bottom of the fender and I felt he was giving me good information.

So ... I did order the Goodyear Endurance 225/75/15s which are 10-ply, E rated and rated to 2830. Boy, just from first impressions they are heavy-duty quality tires! Discount Tire always takes care of us and they did a nice job mounting and balancing them. When I took the old bias ply tires off I noticed they weren't even balanced and we bought the trailer new. I haven't towed with it yet but I'm looking forward to it.

Regarding the Discount warranty program I didn't buy it at the time but they said I could come back in and get it (which I still may). I didn't ask them but I wonder if I had a blow-out are the tires prorated or do you just automatically get a new one no matter how old the tires are? If that is the case I might get it but if they are prorated, and the tires are only $131 each, might not make sense to purchase it.

Re: Another.15" trailer tire question
 

I bought a set of those Goodyear Endurance tires in April. 15" E rated and have them on my 26' trailer.

I also put new rear tires on my motorhome as my Michelins were dry rot cracked.

Handling feels better to me for sure......

I had Goodyear Marathons previously and never had a failure.
They were just about ready to come apart though when I replaced them with treads separating and uneven tread surfaces.....
They were at least 5 years old

Motorhome tires were 6-7 years old......

Re: Another.15" trailer tire question
 

After I had a freeway trailer tire blowout on my 24 foot Wells Cargo trailer last summer, I looked into upgrading to 16" wheels & tires, but like TarHeel said, there is not sufficent clearance for them on my trailer. There looks like enough room between the tires, but not between the top of the tires and top of fenders. So I did a fair bit of research, and installed 4 new 10 PR, LR E Maxxis ST tires, which seemed to have consistently good ratings. So far so good. I just completed a 800 mile (all freeway) trip to Oregon and back with no issues. Not anywhere near as far as many of you guys go, but a decent haul for me. A buddys Pace trailer came with the Maxxis tires, and he replaced them this year, over 10 years of service from them. I hope I am so lucky.

Re: Another.15" trailer tire question
 

We have 16 on our small trailer, and my last trailer came with 15" which we changed to 16. Just get the rims and get the same diameter tire in 16. We have used Firestone Transport E rated for several applications. Alcoa makes a direct bolt on rim for the 8 hole wheels in a 17.5, then you are done for life.

Re: Another.15" trailer tire question
 

I'm not aware of a quality 16" trailer tire comparable to size with a 225/75/15. To my knowledge the next size is 235/80/16 which is almost 2" taller and we simply don't have the room to run that size. Wish I did.

Also, our 5200 lb. axles are 6-lug.

Re: Another.15" trailer tire question
 

My experience with the Maxiss is the same as Rory's....you might get lucky with Marathons or a newer Goodyear version but have NEVER had good luck with GY so will never go there again...their customer service is lacking as well. Last week the sidewall blew out of my GY motorhome tire (on the steer axle no less). Took it in for an adjustment (properly inflated and cared for tire with less than 20K miles should NOT puke the sidewall) and they just kind of chuckled at me. Michelins next week, gulp$$$.

Re: Another.15" trailer tire question
 

I switched to LT tire in 16". The key I believe is to get the tires off the ground during the 6 months your not using it. I put mine on jack stands over the winter. I ordered a set of trailer legs for this winter, should be much easier then the stands.

Re: Another.15" trailer tire question
 

Most trailer manufacturers including us do not make fender high enough
for the 235/16s in 80 or 85 unless you special order the trailer fenders that way.

A quality 225/15 radial is a big improvement over bias ply!

Re: Another.15" trailer tire question
 

The new Goodyear endurance is the only trailer tire I know of thats made in the USA.