Fifth wheel tires

[Star Dreamer]

We have about 1 year and 10,000 miles on our 17.5" Sailuns and they still look great. We are moving them to our new trailer since they worked well on our old one.

[NDBirdman]

I run Michelin Ribs and love them.  Going on 2 seasons now, total appx 8k miles and have not had any problems, still look new and have not had to put any air in them.  Camper seems to ride great on them.  16 inch tires on mine.  They are a little spendy though but well worth it in my opinion.  Any recommendations for dually tires?  Need to do that soon, thinking AT as we get a lot of snow here.  I'm toying with putting the same tires on my pick-up.

[Second Chance]

On 8/29/2019 at 2:52 PM, Chad Heiser said:

I'll second the recommendation for Sailun Tires.  I have them on my current rig and also had them on my past rig.  Everyone I have ever seen or heard of who used them has been happy with them.  They are cheaper than the competition typically, as well.

Three years, four months and 24,000+ miles on our Sailuns without any issues. They are wearing well and perform very well. I will go Sailun again when replacement time comes.

Rob

Edited September 6, 2019 by Second Chance

[Danandfreda]

Thanks I will keep searching for sailun. Can’t find anybody in our area that has them. 

[chief916]

15 hours ago, Danandfreda said:

Thanks I will keep searching for sailun. Can’t find anybody in our area that has them. 

Go online and check Walmart.  I order my tires at the nearest Walmart and they send me a message when they're in and I go pick them up.  I don't know where you are physically but with so many stores in this company, surely there must be one near by.  Best of luck.

[Danandfreda]

Thanks we are near Springfield il. I haven’t been in a Walmart since the mid to late 90’s will do some more calling monday

[Garyp4951]

https://www.amazon.com/Sailun-Trailer-Radial-Tire-235-80R16/dp/B07DFQ6KZ3/ref=sr_1_1?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI3Ljn07S_5AIVZ_7jBx1wug6qEAMYASAAEgIwAfD_BwE&hvadid=267955324966&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9013505&hvnetw=g&hvpos=1o1&hvqmt=e&hvrand=6246949926649228764&hvtargid=aud-647006051489%3Akwd-295006802550&hydadcr=28779_11382335&keywords=sailun+tires&qid=1567883434&s=gateway&sr=8-1

[Danandfreda]

Thanks Gary I looked last week and the tire didn’t come up but when I went to the link you put in I found the right size mine are 23585r16. Found then for 142 and no shipping going to order and take a chance at the date code. 

[DesertMiner]

Double check you spacing between your tires. The GY 614’s are sized smaller than the Sailun S637T 235/85-16 by on inch. The size is the same if you go with the S637 in a 235/80-16 size. 

Edited September 7, 2019 by DesertMiner

[Danandfreda]

Ok thanks didn’t know that. Do you happen to know the minimum space it needs to be? I always thought the space was closer than I see on others

[Ray,IN]

On 8/30/2019 at 1:29 PM, WeBeFulltimers said:

I like the S637 Sailuns on our Montana so well that I put Sailun Terramax tires on my F350 4x2. Have about 20,000 on them and so far are great.

I installed Sailun tires on our 40' 5er, liked them so well, I installed them on our MH @ 1,280 for 6, 22.5" truck tires-final bill.

[chief916]

14 hours ago, Danandfreda said:

Ok thanks didn’t know that. Do you happen to know the minimum space it needs to be? I always thought the space was closer than I see on others

If you have 3 axles it might appear "crowded" if you put the 235/85 on.  I had them on my cyclone 4100 and they ran good but always concerned that something might get caught and stoveup between the tires so I went back to the 235/80 tires and it looks alot better and I can actually see the springs and shackles alot better.  On the  235/85's neither I nor the DW could get our hand between them.  And we don't have big hands.   That kind of closeness had us both concerned.

[Danandfreda]

I just measured the space between and it’s 4.750 so I think it should be ok , we don’t have i.s. Suspension so even if we lose an inch total between we should be ok. Thanks for all the info especially the tire size difference putting new ones on will be one less thing to worry about but 8 years out of the Goodyear tires are impressive maybe I can find someone who can use them on a reg trailer. 

[Ray,IN]

On 9/6/2019 at 7:43 PM, Danandfreda said:

Thanks I will keep searching for sailun. Can’t find anybody in our area that has them. 

Locate an independent tire shop that sells Cooper tires, they are likely to also sell Sailun tires.

When I had Sailun 16" tires installed on our last 5er, the truck tire shop told me most tires "grow" about 3/4" in diameter when hot. That left me with only 3/4" between tandem wheels when hot; I had the rear axle moved back 2" for that reason.

Edited September 9, 2019 by Ray,IN

[Danandfreda]

I ordered the sailun tires Saturday and got them today. 142 each no shipping they look good 2 were made mid March other 2 second and third week of April. No complaints here. Will take the wheels off fri and take to have tires swapped. 

[TireHobby]

I’ve read all the posts in this thread and because of them I've decided to start from scratch with this post.

Are your trailer axles described on the vehicle certification label 7000#? If so, the GY G614 tires are no longer considered to have enough load capacity for 7000# axles. Of course that info is not binding on you, it’s just info that nearly all RV trailer manufacturers must follow when installing Original Equipment tires (OE) on new trailers. About 98% of all USA trailer manufacturers are members of the RVIA origination. RVIA has mandated a recommendation that all members provide OE tire having a 10% load capacity reserve above the trailer’s certified GAWRs. For the 7000# axles that’s a minimum requirement of 3850# per tire which the G614 cannot provide.

Tires are fitted to RV trailers by designated size and the load range lettering system for ST/LT tires. Passenger tires use the load index number system.

Steel cased trailer tires are being manufactured by most of the major “off shore” trailer tire builders and some are more popular than others. GY was first with their G614 RST and quickly mimicked by Sailun. A few years ago Sailun started building a couple of LRG ST tires. They are ST235/80R16 rated at 4080# @ 110 PSI and ST235/85R16 rated at 4400# @ 110 PSI. Other than load capacity the tire height between the two can become critical for RV trailer fitments because of axle placements. Many trailers heavy enough to need those tires have 32” axle spacing and the 85 tire is too tall. 

Tire industry standards require replacement tires to have a load capacity equal to or greater than what the OE tires provide.

Your trailer’s owner’s manual is going to tell you to use replacements of the same designated size as the OE tires or others recommended by the vehicle manufacturer. Therefore, you can’t use a LT235/85R16 LRE to replace a ST235/85R16 because, 1  the designated sizes differ (ST-LT) and 2, because the ST provides 3640# of load capacity as opposed to the 3042# of load capacity provided by the LT.

Other well known brands building steel cased ST tires are Carlisle, Heartland & Greenball, just to name a few found at numerous retail outlets and big box stores. Greenball has already sent a new steel cased ST225/75R15 LRF to retailers. Load capacity, 3195 @ 95 PSI.

 

Oh, by the way. The GY Endurance ST trailer tire has a new designated size and is currently unique to that brand. it's the ST255/85R16 LRE with a load capacity of 4080# @ 80 PSI. But, it's tall, over 33". It's a polyester tire with 3 belts, nylon overlays and sidewall scuff guard which makes it heavier.   

 

Edited September 13, 2019 by TireHobby

[TXiceman]

G614 Specs

According to the GY spec sheets, the tire is rated at 3750 # in a single wheel location.  Two these on an axle will give you a load rating of 7500# at 110 psig air pressure..  This will easily support a 7000# rated axle.

Ken

[Randyretired]

13 hours ago, TireHobby said:

 

Your trailer’s owner’s manual is going to tell you to use replacements of the same designated size as the OE tires or others recommended by the vehicle manufacturer. Therefore, you can’t use a LT235/85R16 LRE to replace a ST235/85R16 because, 1  the designated sizes differ (ST-LT) and 2, because the ST provides 3640# of load capacity as opposed to the 3042# of load capacity provided by the LT.

 

 

When you say can't use the heavier tire, what does that mean.  Am I going to go to jail or invalidate my insurance?  My Teton has 7000 pound axles but came with LT tires.  I have been considering Sailun tires.  What authority says I can not do that?

Edited September 13, 2019 by Randyretired

[Second Chance]

21 minutes ago, Randyretired said:

When you say can't use the heavier tire, what does that mean.  Am I going to go to jail or invalidate my insurance?  My Teton has 7000 pound axles but came with LT tires.  I have been considering Sailun tires.  What authority says I can not do that?

None - and it would be a good move (going to the Sailuns) in my opinion.

Rob

[rpsinc]

I am not too sure that using ANY tire on a Teton will have ANY effect on the manufacturer, since they are out of business.  As a contractor, we often are faced with specs that call out a MINIMUM requirement but substitutes are allowed as long as they meet OR EXCEED the original design intent.  I ALWAYS use tires that exceed the manufacturers intent mostly because my experience has taught me that OEM tires fail more often than the replacements I choose, which are of higher spec'd capacity.  I prefer it that way.

1 hour ago, TXiceman said:

G614 Specs

According to the GY spec sheets, the tire is rated at 3750 # in a single wheel location.  Two these on an axle will give you a load rating of 7500# at 110 psig air pressure..  This will easily support a 7000# rated axle.

Ken

Isnt the quoted info related to a dually set up as opposed to an axle with 2 tires, 1 on each side/end??  I have operated on the premise that a single wheel location was a 1 tire per hub, whereas a dual set up is more of a 2 tires per hub, as in a dually pick up or in my case my Newmar Kountry Aire with the dually tires on 2 axles, using 8 total tires on 2 axles.

 

[TireHobby]

2 hours ago, Randyretired said:

When you say can't use the heavier tire, what does that mean.  Am I going to go to jail or invalidate my insurance?  My Teton has 7000 pound axles but came with LT tires.  I have been considering Sailun tires.  What authority says I can not do that?

Can't was a strong word. Not supposed to is a better fit. I know the heavy trailers like yours come with 7000# axles, but, what are they certified to carry. Their official load capacity, once they are fitted to the trailer will be listed on the vehicle certification label. Teton may have used heavier axles to provide better braking and just derated their load capacity to conform to vehicle certification regulations. The only LT tire with enough load capacity to satisfy the needs of 7000# axles was the GY G614. My regulations binding on the vehicle manufacturer the tires fitted to RV trailer axles MUST provide a load capacity equal to the axles maximum vehicle certified GAWRs.

I've been writing about tires for a long time and I try real hard to stick to industry facts rather than what "he said, she said talk".

Tire industry standards revolve around safety. If you add to them all is well. 

[TireHobby]

3 hours ago, TXiceman said:

G614 Specs

According to the GY spec sheets, the tire is rated at 3750 # in a single wheel location.  Two these on an axle will give you a load rating of 7500# at 110 psig air pressure..  This will easily support a 7000# rated axle.

Ken

A consumer is not in compliance with industry standards when they choose replacement tires with less load capacity than the Original Equipment tires.

The RVIA recommendation is just that, a recommendation. However, about 98% of all RV trailers built in the USA are manufactured by RVIA members and are already complying with the recommended 10% load capacity reserve above vehicle certified GAWRs.

Tire industry standards (USTMA) fully support the vehicle manufacturer's Original Equipment tire selections as a minimum requirement. They publish their support with a statement similar to this one; 

Never choose a tire that is smaller in size or has less load-carrying capacity than the tire that came with the vehicle.

Tires should always be replaced with the same size designation — or approved options — as recommended by the vehicle manufacturer.

The correct tire size designated for your vehicle should always be verified with the information in your vehicle owner’s /vehicle certification label.

That's a quote from the Michelin tire replacement SOP. Similar statements will be found at all retail outlets.

 

[TireHobby]

2 hours ago, Second Chance said:

None - and it would be a good move (going to the Sailuns) in my opinion.

Rob

It depends on where your rig is registered. Some states and provinces have periodic RV trailer inspections. Here in the USA there is a federal regulation outlining the minimum requirements for such inspections so that all DOT (NHTSA)  tire safety standards are met.

Here is a sample of one section of that regulation: https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/49/570.62

 

[Garyp4951]

Wow, I guess I really messed up putting 42" tires on my Jeep, that came with 15" tires. LOL

[Danandfreda]

I put the sailun son today, lifted the fifth wheel took all four tires off and went to get them mounted and balanced. The old tires Goodyear were not balanced from the factory. I have 8000 lb axles on the ms so the Goodyear tires were under rated but we were never close to gvwr. The sailun are an inch bigger diameter but I still have 3.750 between tires. That’s a work out putting 8 tires in the back of the truck then getting them back out to put back on. Greased the shackle bolts and bearings and checked brakes all looked good. The st 235/85r16 sailun tires have a 4400 lb weight rating so it should meet the standards now