Hello! We just bought our first PUP last week, and I have really appreciated all of the learning opportunities here! We are making a list of needs before taking her out, and tires are #1. The tires on it are the originals, manufactured in April 1997! Yikes! We aren't experienced in purchasing trailer tires and would REALLY appreciate your recommendations! Our PUP is a 1997 Coleman Fleetwood (yes ABS roof; already repaired). It weighs 2090 lb. and has a GVWR of 2390lb. Any recommendations on type, brand, place of purchase, etc? The current tires read: B78-13ST ST175/80D13 Load range c. Max load 1360lb Tread area 4 plies, side wall 2 plies nylon 50PSI MAX (rim and tire) Thank you all so much!
Believe it or not, you will find the best price at wallys, with free shipping, and myself I would replace with a load range D tire. Just a little extra insurance
Wal Mart, Tractor Supply, Northern Tool, etc. I bought mine from Northern Tool but that was mainly because I was in a pinch due to a blowout on a trip, and I couldn't be too choosey. Get radials if you can, and go up to the next load range (D) just to be safe. While you are at it check the hubs and axle bearings. If it has original tires on it there is a good chance the bearings need repacked. Congrats on the new pup!
Hello and welcome from Minnesota! Get radials and don't skimp. More is better. And like mentioned, bearings are next! Congrats on your NTU pup!
I don't remember where I read it, but it was recommended to have the tires balanced. I didn't know you could mount tires without them being balanced. I just got new tires for my truck, I know the ones on it had been on there since 2011, but I bought them from Walmart and had them shipped to Express Oil to be mounted. It wasn't cheaper, but EO is closer.
My choice would be the Carlisle Radial Trail HD. Good for 81mph and your size comes in a D load range which will give you an extra 420lbs of tire capacity. Or keep the load range C which is still more than your trailer is rated for. We ran these same tires on our Coleman and loved them. They towed great and never needed more than 2-3psi of air added no matter how long they sat between trips.
You can buy that size already mounted on new wheels shipped to your door for $110-$120 per pair from several eBay vendors.
Thank you! Yes, bearings are on the list. Just nervous as I've never undertaken a project like that! Neither of us are mechanic minded, but I'm sure we can find some helpful YouTube videos.
Thank you, everyone! I really appreciate your time and care in responding to my question. I feel much more confident now about making a prudent tire choice, and what things to be sure to include on my checklist.
I would seriously consider new wheels so I could up the size to a 205 -14" and then go with the Goodyear Endurance ST. May or may not be an option as it would be dependent on enough clearance, but they'e an awesome tire.
Be careful when buying tires off e-bay. Read the description close and pay attention to the production dates.
I have bought trailer/tire combos off of eBay. The tires were less than a year old. I have probably bought 30 tires online in the past 5 years. I haven't had any problem with getting old tires.
I second the notion to try to get something rated for 82 mph, if you can find them in your size for a reasonable price. I don’t tow my pup at 80 mph, but it’s really nice to be able to cruise at close to 70, which is the speed limit on the interstates around here. Even at that speed I feel like I’m getting run over, unless I can find a nice slow semi to tuck in behind. Plus it allows for a little extra margin if I need to speed up a bit to complete a pass of a semi before backing back down to a reasonable speed. Most trailer tires are only rated at 65 mph.
Carlisle has trailer tires with a speed rating of 87 mph. I have a set on my TT. Carlisle has tires rated for 81 mph in the OP's size. https://www.carlislebrandtires.com/our-products/product-detail/radial-trail-hd
I bought Kenda radials mounted on white spoke wheels at Wal-Mart for, if memory serves me correctly, about $65 each. I had them delivered to the store then paid a few bucks to have them balanced in the tire shop. I wouldn't worry too much about buying a high-dollar tire. On a boat or Pup, tires are most-likely going to rot before you wear them out.
Check the tire prices at Etrailer.com. They have your size already mounted on a new rim for $78. I recently bought two new entire wheels from Etrailer.com (tires already mounted to new rims) and they had the best prices. I went to Tractor Supply, Walmart, and my local tire stores and Etrailer.com was about $22 cheaper per wheel than the other stores. And you get free shipping on orders over $100. https://www.etrailer.com/dept-pg-Tires_and_Wheels-sf-Tire_with_Wheel-pc-13_Inch.aspx
Also check Eastern Marine and Wally. com. The stores can't get what Wally has online. They both have better pricing