Tire Questions

[happyhiker]

It is that time of year again when I start worrying about my trailer tires in contemplation of my upcoming summer travels.  As an aside, I hate that BF Goodrich doesn't make those 14" off road tires.  I originally got the "off road" package and those 14" BF Goodrich AT tires were sweet.  I didn't realize at the time that it was a gimmick because Livin Lite must have got a specific contract with BF Goodrich to acquire those 14" AT tires for the "look" on the new units.  To my knowledge, they (BF Goodrich) never offered the 14" for sale generally.

So, (unless you change rims) the options (for a 14 inch tire) appear to be:  (1) Endurance" (2) Maxxis and (3)  Carlisle.

I put the Endurance on in 2020 and have barely 6000 miles on them and parts of the tire went from the original 8/32 down to 4/32 on the front inside corners (dual axle).  Other places measure around 5-6/32.  (I realize they need rotated and I may have had an inflation issue, but I doubt it) .  I doubt I would buy another Endurance.  Yes, they ride and corner nicely and are very stable, but starting with 8/32 of original tread should have been a red flag.  Losing almost 1/2 of the original tread in 6000 miles is also ridiculous. Truthfully, I never liked the Endurance because of the skimpy tread, but nothing really could compare to the 15/32 of the BF Goodrich AT.  The Endurance also had visible belt bulges on the sidewall when they were brand new!

My local tire guy gave me a spec sheet for a "105 CAR RADIAL TRAIL USA", product 6H1483 which has excellent specs:  (a) 8 ply; (b) 1820 lb (dual) at 65 psi; (c) a load speed rating of 105N; and (d) supposedly made in USA.  Original tread is 9/32.  I went to look more closely at the tire at the Carlisle site and they weren't listed and so I called Carlisle and they told me they discontinued that one.  I am not sure what the replacement is, perhaps Carlisle 6H04561?  Contains similar specs, also 8 ply, load 2040 per tire.

So here are my general questions:

1.  I am taking a 6000 mile trip this year.  Should I replace the 14" which have as low as 4/32 but averaging slightly over 5/32 tread?  Does tread matter that much on a 14" wheel if the wheel is in good shape (and assuming it is over the legal limit of 2/32)?  My Endurance tires still look great.  They have been covered, dressed and cared for, but still show high tread wear given the low mileage.

2. Anybody have Carlisle or Maxxis?  Thoughts?  Opinions?  Problems?  Are Maxxis and/or Carlisle "Radial Trail HD" made in US?

Thank for reading this and giving me any feedback.  I am leaning in favor of replacement for peace of mind and will likely go with the Carlisle tires unless I am persuaded otherwise.

[Merlin]

Good work carefully considering tires. Here are some random thoughts.

I would not head out on a 6000 mile trip with tires that wore 1/2 down in that distance previously. I would also not go too far with only 4/32 tread. The tread on trailer tires is critical to effective braking. So, get new ones.

With that rapid of wear, you may want to check axle alignment. If they are even a little crooked, you'll get fast tire wear. Also make the brakes are adjusted right. Too much trailer braking will also cause fast tire wear.

Since you don't want Endurance again, I think either the Carlisle Radial Trail HD or the Maxxis 8008 Plus would be fine. I know other members on here run the Carlisle and I run the Maxxis. I replaced the Maxxis last year because they aged out, but had most of their original tread left.

If you are concerned about where they are made (and you should be), the Maxxis are made in Thailand and as of a year ago the Carlisle Trail series were made in China. Companies move manufacturing around, so double check with reliable sources.

[happyhiker]

Thank you for those excellent comments and suggestions and for confirming my concern about replacement.

I am not entirely sure how to check axle alignment, but the reason I discounted the axle alignment problem was that:  (a) I had gotten 50k miles on the BF Goodrich with no unusual wear; and (b) the inside wear was only on the front and not the rear axle tires.  I also have convinced myself that inside tires on a small dual axle will show more wear because of the dragging which can occur when turning.  Is that correct?  I have attached a picture of the one of the front tires.  I always use a TPMS system when traveling and try to run around 55-57 lbs. (cold pressure) in the tires because I never have close to the max load on the tires @65 psi.  That could be an entire lengthy discussion:  Proper tire inflation.


It is a little disturbing that someone can sell a product labeled "RADIAL TRAIL USA" when it is made in China.  I have attached a couple of things for reference.  Firstly, the quote from the dealer where you can see the title in the document "RADIAL TRAIL USA".  The product quoted is 6H1483.  Apparently, this was a discontinued Radial Trail HD, although my tire dealer could care less when I told him it was discontinued.  His response was that it would be no older than 2021 and was still in stock.  Is that really acceptable?  If tires last 5-6 years before the rubber starts breaking down, is it a good idea to buy 2 year old tires?  I see those complaints on Amazon all of the time (tires being old) and the only way to know is to inspect the tire in person.  Apparently the date code for every tire is on the sidewall, likely represented by some confusing numeric sequencing. 


For reference, I have attached the pages from the Carlisle website (https://www.carlislebrandtires.com/our-products/product-detail/radial-trail-hd/) regarding the Radial Trail and the USA Trail, along with specs about the Maxxis product from their website (https://www.maxxis.com/us/tire/m8008-plus-st-radial/). 


Carlisle Replacement.    It looks like the replacement for the tire quoted by my dealer would be 6H04561 which is a load range D 14" tire.  The specs are not indentical and it looks like the major difference is a slightly lower speed rating.    Curiously, the Carlisle catalogue does not say they are made in USA except for the page entitled "USA Trail" (which is a separate line of tires) but even that appears deceiving since if you read the notes carefully only a couple of tires "have the Sure Trail Pattern.  Made in the USA".  None of Carlisle "USA Trail" tires look like they were designed for higher heat because of the lower speed ratings.

Maxxis.  Truthfully, the Maxxis specs for their model TL00097500 (14" load range D) appears like the best choice, but since you can't get those from any local dealers I was reluctant to order those online.

Thank you for suffering through my ramblings.  I think the issue now is which tire.  I am now leaning toward the Maxxis just because I grow weary dealing with my local dealer who apparently has no issues selling me a 2 year old discontinued tire as new.  Any further thoughts on Maxxis and ordering from them would be welcome. 

[Merlin]

So a few additional ideas.

-Don't buy a tire that's already 2 years old, buy only fresh tires at most a few months old
-Don't buy a bias ply tire, buy only radials.
-The date codes are easy to read, use this reference from the Tire Rack:

https://www.tirerack.com/upgrade-garage/how-do-i-read-a-dot-tire-identification-number-tin

-The wear on the front axle tires sure looks like an alignment issue with that axle. You can't check it yourself, you would need a good RV shop.
-My dual axle 16TBS wears all 4 tires evenly.
-I'm not impressed that your tire dealer would try to sell you discontinued, 2 year old tires.
-Order the Maxxis from the Tire Rack and have them mounted and balanced at a local Discount Tire (or other good tire place locally). The Tire Rack has lists of reliable installers for pretty much everywhere. I buy all my tires, including vehicle tires, from the Tire Rack and have them installed at Discount Tire. Discount tire also sells Maxxis directly, but the Tire Rack has excellent prices and free shipping.

https://www.tirerack.com/tires/maxxis-m8008-plus

[djsamuel]

I had Carlisle Radial Trail RH tires (predecessor to the Radial Trail HD tires) and they were very good.  I then install Goodyear Endurance tires last spring and they've been excellent.  I have about 5,000 miles on them right now with little perceptible wear.  Before you get any tire, I would be sure to get the alignment of the axles checked.  That wear you encountered seems excessive.  The tires are installed on a 2013 21BHS.

[happyhiker]

Thank you gentlemen for the helpful information.  I am going to get the axles checked and will let you know what I found out.  I really think every RV owner should have a tread depth gauge and measure all of the tires, all the way across.  You could look at my tires and think they are fine, but unless you took the gauge and measured, you may not have seen it. 


Merlin, thanks for the information and links regarding Tirerack.  I was unaware how easy it appears to get tires delivered and installed through them. That certainly solves my local dealer issue.  Thank you.

I have attached some other pictures so you can see what I mean about the look. 

[GoElectric]

We have the Maxxis on our 16DBS and have been pleased.  It's been a couple years, but instead of ordering directly on line, I called and placed the order asking the date codes.  He was very helpful, and put his hands on them with the newest date codes and marked them for me. He told me the codes and they were very recent.

[happyhiker]

Quick update:  After having it inspected by a trailer repair service, they diagnosed it as a slightly bent front axle (either bent spindle or torsion bar).  Apparently the Dexter Torsion axle system cannot be adjusted or serviced.  After talking to Dexter I learned that these axles have about a 10 year life cycle.  I am going to replace both axles.

[Merlin]

Thanks for the update. Good info.