Towmax SIR Premium trailer tire
- Thread starter Frogeye
- Start date
Aaron Johnson
Well-known member
i just bought one for my spare tire. looks pretty much like every trailer tire i've ever bought....
all made in china, all the same. i've had much better luck since i started balancing them
aaron
all made in china, all the same. i've had much better luck since i started balancing them
aaron
Matt Blehm
Moderator
Doesn't matter what brand they sell.. if you can buy it from Discount tire and it's a 15", I've blown it up in the last 5 years. Marathon, Tow Max, Cooper, Greenball, etc.. all the same ilk since they're all Chinese quality now.
kruck
Well-known member
:lol: What did you use from Cooper? We/Cooper specifically make only passenger vehicle tires. Cooper does own Hercules Tire though, who makes several trailer tires, and in my time here (only 10 months) I've been pretty impressed by what I've seen and read about them. They do seem to review well too. In a 15", I'd suggest the "Hercules Ironman ST-SVP" or the "Hercules Power STR", both available in the "ST225/75R15/10 117/112L" size. Those numbers mean it has a Load Range of 10 (also known as E), and a Load Index of 117, which is good for 2833lbs per tire. So on a standard dual axle trailer, that's 11,322lbs of total capacity! Get that load rating up, have at least two layers of steel belts, a jointless/seamless Nylon cap, and continuous center ribs, and you'll have a trailer tire that'll last longer, have a smoother, more stable, and more comfortable tow, and won't hurt fuel mileage quite as bad.Matt93SE":3no0nyze said:
Ever since I went to Load Range 10/E tires (Carlisle) on my enclosed years ago, I haven't had any problems with them.
(If anyone is wondering what that last number is above, the 112L, that means it has a Load Index of 112 (2469lbs) when used on a dually axle.)
Matt Blehm
Moderator
Oops.. Cooper, Carlisle.. same thing..kruck":6ridt9t2 said:
(I knew you would call me out on that one!)I had a set of Carlisle on mine about 3 years ago. lost 3 of the 4 within 1000 miles and 12 months. paid more to go to Greenballs and they didn't last another 1500 miles before I lost another 3 tires on a single 250 mile trip.. When I threw them back at Discount, they put another set of Carlisles on the trailer. That was last summer sometime and I haven't had another blowout on the trailer since. *knocking on wood*
And yes, ALL tires on my trailer are E load. They were Goodyear Marathon D load when I bought it, and they lasted less than 6 months before turning into shrapnel.
Gordon Jones
Well-known member
I purchased a set of Towmax tires for my trailer in 2013. Of that set, I had 3 out of 4 go bad. G
Matt Blehm
Moderator
kruck":7ulgdcje said:
I've been trying to figure out what's wrong as well. forutnately I haben't had another blowout since last summer, but that doesn't mean a ton..
Trailer is parked on flat paving blocks, and I have vinyl RV cover thingies over the tires when it's parked for more than a few days. that reminds me that I need to put 'em back on after last weekend.
Steve Eckerich
Well-known member
Helping you out Kevin. 4 brand new Hercules for equipment trailer today.
The RV forums are filled with tire threads. When I bought new tires last year, my research lead me to Maxxis.
If I were going through tires often, I'd check tire temps, axle alignment (toe , thrust, etc), axle loads (with scales), tongue weight, etc.
I agree that covering them helps them live longer.
Kyle
If I were going through tires often, I'd check tire temps, axle alignment (toe , thrust, etc), axle loads (with scales), tongue weight, etc.
I agree that covering them helps them live longer.
Kyle
Steve Eckerich
Well-known member
Hercules Hercules Hercules!! Insert bad memory of Eddie Murphy now.
Goodyear Wrangler. Made in Ohio. Come in trailer sizes in D and E load range. Have them on our 20ft Box with about 7,000 lb on them. Keep the trailer on blocks when not on the track. Tire covers are good, but not in the sun. Like putting pork in a slow cooker. We use the tire covers to keep the cat pee off and hang small tarps loosely over them. Did cook two left side tires with just the tire covers. Would appreciate any further comments on the Hercules... we just put four of them on our open trailer.
Bob
Bob
Aaron Johnson
Well-known member
my trailer came with Carlisle. just replaced the spare with a Towmax...same tread and casing as the Carlisle which isn't available any more that i could find.
the hercules looks exactly like the both of them. maybe kevin can shed some light on where they actually are made, not just where the company is based out of ?
i've heard good things about maxxis tires from the RV crowd...
I guess what i've found that they seem to last longer by getting them balanced, which most places don't do on trailers...the other key factor, keeping the speed under 65. there are a few reports on trailer tires and speed...
the hercules looks exactly like the both of them. maybe kevin can shed some light on where they actually are made, not just where the company is based out of
?i've heard good things about maxxis tires from the RV crowd...
I guess what i've found that they seem to last longer by getting them balanced, which most places don't do on trailers...the other key factor, keeping the speed under 65. there are a few reports on trailer tires and speed...
Curtis
Well-known member
Bob, Those are truck tires, right? That's what I like to run on a lighter high speed trailer. I am not an expert like Kevin, far from it, but I have never had a trailer tire live at sustained speeds of 75 and above no matter what load it was rated for. On my big enclosed trailer I run 10 pounds over max pressure (trucker friend advice) in trailer tires and try to keep it mostly under 75 when loaded and hot. Am I right that speed is the main issue with tires designated as "trailer"?
R. J. Sorensen
Well-known member
Was always told heat generated by sidewall flex was the culprit. Several dealers told me to run at or above maximum pressures. High pressure/low speed = less sidewall flex?
RJS
RJS
Protech Racing
Well-known member
All of the Goodyear trailer tires that I have had broke belts and got lumpy.
I now have 2 sets of Chinese E rated Trailer tires- Ebay. I was hesitant but checked the ebay ratings, and bought 2 nice looking tires. tried to buy 2 more but now have 2 sets of 2. , @ about 70# cold, tow at 72-80MPH and try to tow at night. Gas mileage and tire life is much better at night.Cooler air, cooler road.,fewer idiots.
I balance on the trailer, jack up ands spin. add weights until the tire stops finding the heavy spot. . Try to keep out of sun. My ramps act as fenders in travel mode. WFM
MM
If Hercules is made by anyone I know. we should use them..
The tire I have are these. 20K later look like new.
Just like these. http://www.ebay.com/itm/2-New-205-75R15 ... 3c&vxp=mtr
I now have 2 sets of Chinese E rated Trailer tires- Ebay. I was hesitant but checked the ebay ratings, and bought 2 nice looking tires. tried to buy 2 more but now have 2 sets of 2. , @ about 70# cold, tow at 72-80MPH and try to tow at night. Gas mileage and tire life is much better at night.Cooler air, cooler road.,fewer idiots.
I balance on the trailer, jack up ands spin. add weights until the tire stops finding the heavy spot. . Try to keep out of sun. My ramps act as fenders in travel mode. WFM
MM
If Hercules is made by anyone I know. we should use them..
The tire I have are these. 20K later look like new.
Just like these. http://www.ebay.com/itm/2-New-205-75R15 ... 3c&vxp=mtr
Curtis... We used to carry one of our racecars on a single axle trailer with Firestone light truck tires on it. Bought the trailer in 1989 and sold it in 2007 with well over 100K on it. It had the second set of Firestones on it and still does. Not sure why it took me so long to get back to the truck tires for the 20 ft unit but I'm glad to be there. Yes, they are Goodyear Wrangler HT 15in truck tires and they are sized about 3/8 inches less diameter than the 225 Marathons. We are running 70 lb, 5 over the 65 load rating recommendation. We do run both trailers up to 75mph on long runs when possible.
We are presently at Sebring. Miata driver down the way blew 2 tires on the way in and one of the Tech guys blew three, put his car back on the trailer (after arriving 6 hours late) and just went home.
Bob
We are presently at Sebring. Miata driver down the way blew 2 tires on the way in and one of the Tech guys blew three, put his car back on the trailer (after arriving 6 hours late) and just went home.
Bob
JohnMcNaughton
Well-known member
For my 24' enclosed trailers, with GT1 or E/P cars, and spare everything, I always used Michelin radial light truck tires, E rated, max pressure plus 5 - 10 psi. Always found they failed when used over 5 years past the date code on the tire.
Stored in the sun, on a concrete driveway. Drove 70 - 75 mph on the interstates from Texas and thru out the southeast.
I think the major cause of failure was the hard 90 degree turn backing into my drive. It caused the tire to sometimes pivot in place, heavily stressing the tread and sidewall.
On one race weekend had a blowout, on the way. Couldn't find the right size and type replacement and chanced the 100 mile return trip home without a spare. Twenty miles from home, I looked in the side view mirror and watched the trailer tire tread. It stepped out to the left side of the trailer about a foot, squatted and quickly proceeded to pass me. Pulled over, looked at the exposed shiny steel cord and drove the rest of the way home. Was very apprehensive turning and backing into the drive.
Stored in the sun, on a concrete driveway. Drove 70 - 75 mph on the interstates from Texas and thru out the southeast.
I think the major cause of failure was the hard 90 degree turn backing into my drive. It caused the tire to sometimes pivot in place, heavily stressing the tread and sidewall.
On one race weekend had a blowout, on the way. Couldn't find the right size and type replacement and chanced the 100 mile return trip home without a spare. Twenty miles from home, I looked in the side view mirror and watched the trailer tire tread. It stepped out to the left side of the trailer about a foot, squatted and quickly proceeded to pass me. Pulled over, looked at the exposed shiny steel cord and drove the rest of the way home. Was very apprehensive turning and backing into the drive.