Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Travel trailer tire questions

We have just picked up a pretty slick, new to us, Thor Skamper 235T Travel Trailer.

The tires look pretty decent, but I have a hard time trusting tires that have sat for too long and a long tow. (South Dakota to Fairbanks, soon!)

Looking at tires, I am thinking I want some 8-ply D load rated tires, more for extra rigidity than carrying capacity (dry weight is only 4075, so let's say 7000 loaded)

What is the difference or reason behind bias-ply and radial variants? Any advantage with one or the other?

I have even seen some recommend LT tires for their ruggedness and use. What width are trailer rims, typically, and do LT tires fit them? I am also considering some junk-yard pulls for wheels to be able to run LT tires. (5-4.5 pattern)

Open to your advice! Thanks!

There are a lot of junk trailer tires on the market. I have read a lot of good things about the latest Goodyear Endurance trailer tires. https://www.goodyear.com/en-US/tires/endurance/reviews

A lot of people scoff at the notion of LT tires on a trailer. They will swear up and down they are constructed differently. When asked specifically how they are constructed differently, they can't answer. People that are using LT tires on campers and boats seem universally satisfied.

Yup... just bought four of the Goodyear endurance for our tt.
Kind of messy when a tire comes apart under a light weight camper.

I just put 2 Goodyear Endurance on my Big Tex.....inflate to fit the load you need. Made in USA

Just bought 4 Goodyear endurance for my boat trailer so far so good but only put 50 miles on em. They ride nice and hardly any wheel weights were put on to balance them. I think the endurance are the only trailer tire made in the usa. They come standard with 8 ply load range d.

You want radials if you plan to pull any distance with them, radials last a lot more miles. Bias-ply are fine for a trailer that doesn't get many miles like my big gooseneck that I only pull about 300 miles a year.

One of the best trailer tires available is the Maxxis 8008. The Goodyear Endurance is a contender, but is still a new tire. I've been pulling on Maxxis at +10,000lbs for many years without a failure.

I have has Saluin 637s on two 5th wheels. They give good service for me.

I am running the Goodyear Endurance on my 33 foot fifth wheel and they were a noticable ugrade from the junk / china tires that came with the camper. .

I'd run the heaviest tire ply that I could buy. These tires won't blow out for a few years in harsh use.
https://simpletire.com/transeagle-all-steel-str-tires

Lol...pretty sure those would never wear out!! They're all too big for my trailer, though. I am looking at some TransEagle steel-belted 8 ply.

It was over 20 years ago, but a cousin and her husband turned into tumbleweeds when he retired. Sold their house in PA, bought a new Ford diesel crew cab dually and a fifth wheel RV. They had a son and a daughter out in CO; Another son near Nashville; Oldest son's family near Durham, NC. Traveled back and forth across the country for several years, often spent winters in FL, after being in NC for a few months each fall.

Mid to late 90s, bought a new fifth wheel RV, longest one available, when they were in FL Headed for PA that spring with it. Got up into GA and a trucker called them on the CB, told them they had a trailer tire coming apart. Put the spare on..Got most of the way thru SC, same thing happened to another of the six trailer tires. Replaced the OEM Goodyears with six new Michelins. One of our farmer relatives in PA, got the remaining 16" Goodyears for farm use.

Cousin said the Michelins lasted the rest of the time they moved that RV back and forth across the country, for another six or eight years.

We tow heavy and need the extra side wall strength, the side wall is where most blow outs occur. We replace trailer tires every few years because of the saltwater environment that we work in. As your towing your forever hitting sharp objects and if something sharp happens to cut the rubber to the steel belts, rust will begin immediately. Before long the steel belts will break and then usually a wobble in the tire will occur before the tire blows out. I've never had anything to heavy duty.

I understand all of that, but I am not towing anything nearing "heavy-duty." The tires you mentioned won't even fit under the trailer I am asking about.

Maxxis M8008 by far!

I believe that age not road hazards or wear is the most common reason trailer tires fail. I would advise you to first check the date code that is on your side wall. If the tires are more than six years old, you really need to change them out. I have a 30 ft. 4 season fifth wheel (8500 lbs. dry weight) on which I run 16” Hankook light truck tires on truck wheels. From my experience of dragging these damn travel trailers around North America, good LT tires and wheels work. CP.

I've been hauling travel trailers since I was 15 years old and have had exactly one blowout and that was my fault for putting off new tires...Always from Lee Schwabs and there recomendation for my use on washbordy/rough roads for my work....All ST tires and never an issue.....Keep the tires new and covered from the sun and they will last a long time...ST tires are made for the different characteristics a trailer has over a pickup..They work well if you take care of them and keep them covered when not in tow.

What ever the trailer tire. I catty two spares.

Stay away from Chinese tires and step up a load range from what is required for the trailer. Also when making a long haul like your doing leave home with a minimum of 2 spares mounted on rims.

That is what I am running. These tires are 14 ply tires. Plus I also run tire monitors. I would say that no matter what tire you decide to run invest in tire monitors.