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Car Forum / Driving, Maintenance, Tuning / RVs / September 2006Popup Tires
Hello, I have a popup with one tire that is beginning to show minor cracks. The date on the tire says it is 9 years old. The other tire looks fine on the outside and has plenty of tread, even though it is the same age. Based on this, should I replace both wheels or just the bad one? If I do replace just 1, do both tires have to have the exact same specs? I saw some good deals on tires/wheels at Wal-Mart (Carlisle, Load class B). Any thoughts on buying tires at Wal-Mart? Finally, do these tires need to be balanced? Thanks, Dan Greetings, It has always been my personal preference to replace tires in pairs. You may not see the same outward signs on one tire as the other, but you can't really get a good look at the inside sidewall or have any sure way of measuring the ability of the tire to continue to do it's job other than visual clues and tread depth. If you do replace only one then you should make sure that is the exact same size and load capacity as the original, as well as the same construction (don't have a bias ply on one side and a radial on the other). This can be especially important if you have brakes on your trailer as you want the braking ability to be the same from side-to-side to help prevent lock-up or side-sliding on low traction surfaces. Carlisle makes a reasonable tire - just make sure that the load range is adequate for your camper. Wally Mart is as good a place as any to buy tires. And Yes, these tires should be balanced. An un-balanced tire can give you accelerated wear, a poor riding/handling trailer, and increase heat generation. Cheers - Jonathan > Hello, > [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > Thanks, > Dan > Hello, > [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > Thanks, > Dan Just make sure the tires are ST for trailer use. I had a tire replaced at WalMart and I asked for a trailer tire but they put on a trailer tire. I didn't realize it until we got home and I dont feel like driving 200 miles to get them to change it back. It's the spare so it won't have to get us far if we have another blowout but the next time I will make sure they put an ST on the hib. > Just make sure the tires are ST for trailer use. I had a tire replaced > at WalMart and I asked for a trailer tire but they put on a trailer > tire. Sounds to me like you got what you asked for. What exactly is wrong with that? >>Just make sure the tires are ST for trailer use. I had a tire replaced >>at WalMart and I asked for a trailer tire but they put on a trailer >>tire. > > Sounds to me like you got what you asked for. What exactly is > wrong with that? DOH!!!! They put on a passenger tire. LOL Too early for me to be posting. > I have a popup with one tire that is beginning to show minor cracks. > The date on the tire says it is 9 years old. The other tire looks fine > on the outside and has plenty of tread, even though it is the same age. > > Based on this, should I replace both wheels or just the bad one? I agree with other posters, except that I would add that you should probably replace your spare at the same time. Tires wear out even without use, and 9 years is getting 'oldish' for a tire. Of course, if you only camp occasionally, and within a reasonable distance of home, the old spare would probably be sufficient for the trip home. Thanks for all the responses. Now I have to decide on the tires to buy. My Coleman Santa Fe weighs 1900 lbs dry and has a GVWR of 2550 lbs.. Can I get by with load class B tires that each support 1045 lbs max, or is it worth the extra $50 for load class C? I am pretty sure I don't get too close to the GVWR with all the camping gear on board. Thanks, Dan > > I have a popup with one tire that is beginning to show minor cracks. > > The date on the tire says it is 9 years old. The other tire looks fine [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > occasionally, and within a reasonable distance of home, the old spare would > probably be sufficient for the trip home. >Thanks for all the responses. Now I have to decide on the tires to >buy. My Coleman Santa Fe weighs 1900 lbs dry and has a GVWR of 2550 >lbs.. Can I get by with load class B tires that each support 1045 lbs >max, or is it worth the extra $50 for load class C? I am pretty sure I >don't get too close to the GVWR with all the camping gear on board. America's Tire Company states on their website that tire age, not mileage is the determining factor in replacing ST tires. Tires over 5 years of age should be replaced, according to them. I happen to agree with this--and will be replacing mine next year. I would spring for the Class C tires. Just to be on the safe side. Mark 2004 Homestead Settler 255RS 1999 Chevrolet Suburban 2500 2000 Dodge Ram 1500 > Thanks for all the responses. Now I have to decide on the tires to > buy. My Coleman Santa Fe weighs 1900 lbs dry and has a GVWR of 2550 > lbs.. Can I get by with load class B tires that each support 1045 lbs > max, or is it worth the extra $50 for load class C? I am pretty sure I > don't get too close to the GVWR with all the camping gear on board. My experience and impression is that pop-up designers use items at just about the top of the specifications, with little room for error. I wouldn't be surprised if your axle is rated at under 2550 pounds, for example. When replacing items, I think it safe and prudent to upgrade to the next highest level, if cost is not outrageous. I would go with the Class C tires. HTH tobe Hi Dan, I would go for an even higher load range, and get them both. Keep the best one for a spare. I did this on my old Coleman popup some time ago and it made a world of difference in how it handled behind me. It just 'held the road' better. I don't remember what the load range was (I have since sold that trailer and have another one now... H comes to mind but I am not sure and that seems a bit high), but I asked for the highest load range that would fit on that rim and still be a trailer tire, bought from a tire house. Man, what a difference. As soon as I get around to changing out the ones on the Coachmen Clipper that I have had for this one past season and am a bit disappointed in its trailerablility, I will do so with the same strategy. Tomes > Thanks for all the responses. Now I have to decide on the tires to > buy. My Coleman Santa Fe weighs 1900 lbs dry and has a GVWR of 2550 [quoted text clipped - 20 lines] >> would >> probably be sufficient for the trip home. > Thanks for all the responses. Now I have to decide on the tires to > buy. My Coleman Santa Fe weighs 1900 lbs dry and has a GVWR of 2550 > lbs.. Can I get by with ..... Re-read your post. You're driving down the road - family along. And you want to 'get by' on a matter of safety? Maybe you figure the trailer will swing into the other lane and hurt some other poor soul and not you and yours? Never compromise on safety. At the firehouse we used to get a lot of laughs over people who tried to get by....how did we know and what we were laughing about? Guess... john I'd go for the higher-rated ones. $50 total isn't a lot more for the peace of mind...you're only 190lbs from dry to the tire limits... I guess it also depends on where you go...if you're never more than 15 minutes down the road, you can always leave it sit and go buy another tire... :-) I'm looking at an 85 model trailer on ebay that needs some work - mainly to get some of the appliances out of it...wondering if I can bring it 50 miles down the road with 21 year old tires... It's cooler out these days, so I'll probably try it (if I can get it for a good price) as long as they aren't hideously bad. Wesley > Thanks for all the responses. Now I have to decide on the tires to > buy. My Coleman Santa Fe weighs 1900 lbs dry and has a GVWR of 2550 > lbs.. Can I get by with load class B tires that each support 1045 lbs > max, or is it worth the extra $50 for load class C? I am pretty sure I > don't get too close to the GVWR with all the camping gear on board. I'll never forget coming back from the beach 5-10 years ago or so with my parents. They've got an 18' 1971 Terry travel trailer with a single axle. It was a very hot July afternoon and it blew a tire on the interstate...a little over an hour from home. We went for the spare...it had to have been the original from 1971. Low on pressure and deeper dryrot cracks in the tread than I think I've ever seen. Wouldn't have been a big deal if we were closer to home. Fortunately we had an air compressor along, so we got the pressure up and prayed that we could find some place to get something better to limp home on. I'll never forget the guy who was putting the used tire onto the rim of the blown tire... "Got your money's worth out of that one, eh?" I've never seen a tire so shredded! The rest of the story... The tires on the trailer were used car tires. Not only were they who knows how old (didn't look bad at a glance, but looking closer they were starting to crack), they were barely rated for the load...2700lbs empty...remember this is a single axle. Dad replaced them with 6-ply trailer tires...one of which is rated sufficiently to carry the load of the whole trailer. The other advantage is the 6-ply tire has a much stiffer sidewall and made the trailer ride nicer - not so much side to side wobbling. I've got an 83 Prowler 18' with little 13" tires...and no spare. I'm not sure even where I could find an extra wheel for it...it's the odd 4-bolt type wheel - I think maybe something to do with the type of axle (Dexter?)? I bought a new set of tires several years ago as it still had the originals on it (not in bad shape, but worrisome for a 350-mile one-way trip to the beach in July). Then a year or so later I realized one of them had a slit in the sidewall that was a little too deep for comfort. And of course I couldn't find any in that size new (ST185/70 D13?? or something like that), so I ended up getting one somebody had in a warehouse that I'm pretty sure is a fair amount older. :-( Oh well... Anybody know if a tandem-axle trailer will go a short distance slowly while missing a wheel in case of emergency? Wesley > > I have a popup with one tire that is beginning to show minor cracks. > > The date on the tire says it is 9 years old. The other tire looks fine [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > occasionally, and within a reasonable distance of home, the old spare would > probably be sufficient for the trip home. > I've got an 83 Prowler 18' with little 13" tires...and no spare. I'm not > sure even where I could find an extra wheel for it...it's the odd 4-bolt [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > so I ended up getting one somebody had in a warehouse that I'm pretty sure > is a fair amount older. :-( Oh well... You can find 13 inch trailer wheels with the 4 bolt pattern at easternmarine: http://shop.easternmarine.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=catalog.catalog&categoryID=158 Also Northern tool: http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_31992_31992 Ditto here: http://www.tiresunlimited.com/trailer_wheels.htm Those are all circular holes in the middle. Mine has that odd plus-sign-shaped hole in the middle... Thanks, Wesley > You can find 13 inch trailer wheels with the 4 bolt pattern at > easternmarine: http://shop.easternmarine.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=catalog.catalog&categoryID=158 > Also Northern tool: http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_31992_31992 > Ditto here: > http://www.tiresunlimited.com/trailer_wheels.htm > Those are all circular holes in the middle. Mine has that odd > plus-sign-shaped hole in the middle... An easy fix. Have your hubs replaced. Just had an emergency replacement done on mine while travelling. Labour, hubs, bearings, seals, dust caps; taxes in $74. You can pick whatever bolt pattern you like. "Wesley" > Anybody know if a tandem-axle trailer will go a short distance slowly > while > missing a wheel in case of emergency? > > Wesley Mine went far enough for me to find a place to pull over..... john
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