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Post by navylcdr on Oct 10, 2021 22:14:29 GMT -5
First question, do you have a Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)?
The Maxxis 6 ply tire is a Load Range C tire. Do not replace the factory Load Range D tires with a Load Range C tire. The Carlisle Radial Trail HD seem to be good tires with good reviews. Maxxis Load Range D has a good reputation as well.
Personally, I've been happy with the Trailer King RSTs on my Sonic. I do a quick 1 minute visual and feel inspection at every stop and have a TPMS system. I'm keeping them until there are signs of a problem, or will replace them at 4 to 6 years old. I keep covers on them when parked.
My old trailer came with china bomb castle rocks. I replaced those with Greenball Tow Master Radials from Costco and had no issues. It's generally a bad idea to put LT tires on a dual axle trailer because Special Trailer (ST) tires have sidewalls reinforced to handle the extra side forces placed on the tires when making tight radius turns.
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Post by mattman555 on Oct 11, 2021 15:30:02 GMT -5
Thanks for the comments.
RE:TPMS System
Don't have it but that's a great idea might look into that.
RE: Maxxis Load Range
Could not agree with you more around replacing Load Range D with a Load Range C tire. However, the Maxxis does come in a Load range D, just have to choose the correct option which I believe is TL12460100, but with everything you read always double check it.
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Post by mattman555 on Oct 13, 2021 14:51:15 GMT -5
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marjim
Weekender RV’er
Retired EE, Vietnam Vet, God, Faith, Family & Flag. St. Louis area
Posts: 99
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Post by marjim on Oct 13, 2021 22:05:59 GMT -5
You didn't specify if your tow behind was a single or dual axle. Getting trailer tires as mentioned by Weekender, is needed for dual axle. Both axles do not articulate like steering tires, hence the added sidewall stress when making tight turns, as well as in storage.
For single axle it is not as important, but still common sense to get a trailing tire. After all, your risk factor rises greatly, using sub-standard tires, if you have a problem while towing. If you don't like tires from Kenda (China/Taiwan - Etrailer) then you can look at Carlisle (Walmart) or for better variety go to TrailerTire.com
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Post by mattman555 on Oct 18, 2021 8:58:30 GMT -5
You didn't specify if your tow behind was a single or dual axle. Getting trailer tires as mentioned by Weekender, is needed for dual axle. Both axles do not articulate like steering tires, hence the added sidewall stress when making tight turns, as well as in storage. For single axle it is not as important, but still common sense to get a trailing tire. After all, your risk factor rises greatly, using sub-standard tires, if you have a problem while towing. If you don't like tires from Kenda (China/Taiwan - Etrailer) then you can look at Carlisle (Walmart) or for better variety go to TrailerTire.com Thanks for the input. Yes I do have a dual axle setup. RE: If you don't like tires from Kenda (China/Taiwan - Etrailer) then you can look at Carlisle (Walmart) or for better variety go to TrailerTire.comNot sure if there was a typo in this comment but I did buy Carlisle from Walmart which are made in China. Also, looks like TrailerTire.com is just an add page for other places that sell tires. RE: After all, your risk factor rises greatly, using sub-standard tiresI did a lot of looking for a "quality tire" that were specific to my application. As of this writing there seem to be shortages with the tire options and brands that fit my application. Would have loved to go with name brand USA tire but they were impossible to find. |
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B&N
Seasonal RV’er
2021 272VRK
Posts: 229
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Post by B&N on Oct 18, 2021 20:49:00 GMT -5
Just adding to the tire discussion... We've added a Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS). With all the posts online of tire blow outs etc and we are now taking much longer trips. We manage our tires.. checking pressure, check tread, store in a barn, set tires on a rubber mat and watch date on tires but it's a challenge to monitor heat or loss in pressure without a TPMS while driving. So definitely add a TPMS. Get the one with caps as the value stems on our TT are rubber (I thought they were metal until I looked at pictures comparing the 2 styles). I'm learning the pass through caps can cut the rubber.
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Post by mattman555 on Oct 18, 2021 21:25:16 GMT -5
Thanks B&N great post! We are about to do a 2200 mile trip and I found this device to try out. I like it because is uses my phone vs. separate console. I'll post up how it works out. www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B08PD7ZQVN |
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dlakeman
Weekender RV’er
Please delete my account. I have sold my Stratus.
Posts: 75
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Post by dlakeman on Oct 18, 2021 21:27:30 GMT -5
On of the first things I did when I purchased my first travel trailer (my Stratus is my 2nd) was get a TPMS, and an expensive one at that (Truck Systems Technology, aka TST). I purchased Sensors for my 4 truck tires, my 4 travel trailer tires, and the spare tires on both my truck and travel trailer. Like B&N I read about the horror stories of people having blowouts, and sometimes totally their TV and RV. TST makes 2 types of Sensors; Cap and Flow Thru. I put the Cap Sensors on all truck and trailer valve stems (mine are rubber). I put the Flow Thru on the spare tires (notwithstanding Flow Thru Sensors should only be used on metal valve stems). If I needed to use a spare tire I'd take the Flow Thru Sensor off. TST makes what they call a Spare Air Kit. The kit consists of a hose assembly which one end is connected to a Flow Thru Sensor (not part of kit, and sold separately) mounted on a spare tire, and the other end connected to an air chuck and bracket attached to anywhere on your vehicle where you can easily access it to put air into the chuck, thereby adding air to your spare tire. With the exception of my current Tow Vehicle, every spare tire has had the valve stem facing up (toward the underside of the vehicle) so I'd have to lower the spare tire to add air. I no longer have to do that. Additionally, I purchased a Power Booster from TST, and mounted it inside my travel trailer. The Booster amplifies the signal from the Sensors to the display unit in my tow vehicle. I could read the trailer tire pressure and temperature intermittently on the display unit because of the distance between the trailer sensors and the display unit. The TST system is not cheap, however "you get what you pay for!" Compared to the complete loss of my tow vehicle/trailer, and possibly my life; I figured the cost was worth it.
While we are on the subject of tires; I get really upset when I see someone pass me at ~80MPH towing a travel trailer with 15" tires (or fifth wheel for that matter). When it's 105-110 degrees where I live, what's the temperature of the blacktop or asphalt and therefore the tire temperature! To what PSI did they service their "cold tires" (if at all) and now the tires are higher in PSI (maybe over the tire's rating) and temperature. A blowout waiting to happen!
I applaud B&N for what he does to ensure his tires are "roadworthy"! I do the same. When I service my tires to the max cold PSI at 1350 feet above sea level, then I drive to 7500 feet above sea level, sleep overnight, and check the tire pressure in the morning, it's not the pressure that's recommended by Venture for my trailer.
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B&N
Seasonal RV’er
2021 272VRK
Posts: 229
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Post by B&N on Oct 19, 2021 10:25:49 GMT -5
dlakeman thanks for the information on the spare tire kit as we were just going to add the sensors to the spare tires. We did get the TST TPMS too. The 272VRK is 31 foot and we've not put on the repeater yet (hoping we won't need to). I did notice the first time it look about 20 minutes for the sensors to be read and the second time it took under 5 minutes. We're taking an 8 hour drive this weekend so we'll see how it goes.
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B&N
Seasonal RV’er
2021 272VRK
Posts: 229
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Post by B&N on Oct 19, 2021 10:27:32 GMT -5
Thanks B&N great post! We are about to do a 2200 mile trip and I found this device to try out. I like it because is uses my phone vs. separate console. I'll post up how it works out. www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B08PD7ZQVNThanks but we already purchased the TST TPMS. |
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B&N
Seasonal RV’er
2021 272VRK
Posts: 229
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Post by B&N on Oct 19, 2021 18:56:17 GMT -5
On the Spare Tire kit, I found what I think is it... around $134? Higher than I would think for a spare tire connection. Am I looking at the wrong item? tsttruck.com/spare-airtmtst-sa-6.html |
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Post by navylcdr on Oct 19, 2021 22:30:32 GMT -5
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B&N
Seasonal RV’er
2021 272VRK
Posts: 229
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Post by B&N on Oct 20, 2021 6:38:17 GMT -5
Thanks... $43 is much better than $134.... still thinking about it. We may put the sensor on the spare and see just how often we need to put in air and then decide. Any experience with how often one needs to add air to the spare? I hate to admit we've not paid to much attention to the spare. |
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Post by thewolfgang on Oct 20, 2021 9:12:30 GMT -5
Thanks... $43 is much better than $134.... still thinking about it. We may put the sensor on the spare and see just how often we need to put in air and then decide. Any experience with how often one needs to add air to the spare? I hate to admit we've not paid to much attention to the spare. You might want to consider investing in a portable air pump, instead. Just make sure it can handle the pressure. Something like the VIAIR 450P-RV Silver Automatic Portable Compressor Kit. I bought the slightly less expensive VIAIR RV-Safe 300P-RVS Portable Tire Inflator and a hose extension. The 450 I believe has an automatic shut-off, which would be really nice. So you can air up from anywhere, and don't have to find a gas station with a pump. You also don't need to worry about the spare, and pump it up when you need it. |
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dlakeman
Weekender RV’er
Please delete my account. I have sold my Stratus.
Posts: 75
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Post by dlakeman on Oct 20, 2021 9:52:12 GMT -5
I carry a portable compressor because if I travel up in altitude (e.g. 1500 feet to 5000+ feet) the cold air pressure in all my tires will be less than when I started. Stratus manual says to inflate tires to 65PSI. That's the max cold tire inflation pressure of the Stratus tires per text on the sidewall. So, if I'll be traveling at 5000+ feet I air up all my tires, including the spare to 65psi after the tires have sat for at least three hours (in the morning) at altitude. If I have to travel to a gas station to fill up my tires then they won't be "cold".
I've driven for 55 years and never worried about tire pressure, however now that I'm towing a trailer I pay close attention to tire pressure especially since the max cold pressure of the 15" Stratus tires is the recommended inflation pressure. There's zero room for error!
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