AT Tires R Pod 171

Any recommendations for tire brand/model for 2014 R Pod 171, Hood River Edition?

An excellent choice, upgrading your tires. If I may add a few things that you can do to take care of your tires to get the most life out of them.

Balance them, just like your vehicle tires. Consider a TPMS system to live monitor your tire pressures and temperatures. We use a WASP TPMS system that I have enough sensors that screw onto the valves on our 2 192 tires as well as our F150's 4 tires.

Every am when travelling I go around,tap all 6 sensors and get my cold tire pressures.

You would need to set the temps and pressure alarms according to your particular needs, but once done it is easy.

Rhey can also help indicate if you have a hot brake or hot bearings as the heat can transfer to the tires and be indicated while you are driving.

Good luck,

Andy

Campman,

I agree with gpokluda and how they increased the pressure with the heavier load tires, but not excessively.

Your original tires needed to be at max pressure to support the trailer all up weight. With the new 10 ply tires I run at about 70 psi, not the 85 (I think) psi it is rated for.

Pressure should only be checked and adjusted when the tires are cold, I prefer early in the am when sun isn't shining on them...it makes a difference.

If you get a TPMS, you probably will be amazed at how warm they get when you are travelling on a hot day. This is normal, from the rolling resistance, braking hard etc. The pressure in them rises as well and that is normal. Just do your adjustments when they are cold except in an emergency...and then correct once they cool down.

I don't max out the tire pressures (as stated on the side of every tire) as I am not running at the new tires max weight,and no need to have too much air, as that can give a jarring/harsh ride to the trailer.

Hope this helps, ask away if needed!

Andy

I don't get it.  It seems like more trailer manufactures are using LT (light truck) tires on trailers that are of an all terrain design instead of ST (trailer tires) on their new trailers.  They sure look gnarly, but it appears more like a marketing strategy than something to truly enhance performance.  Ideally, a trailer tire should offer low rolling resistance with a relatively non-aggressive tread, and stiff sidewall construction to help stabilize the tendency of a trailer to fishtail or sway.  LT tires have flexible sidewalls, though somewhat stiffer than a passenger (P) tire to enhance cornering and directional control and the aggressive tread pattern helps the drive wheels with traction in soft dirt, snow, or mud.  Since a trailer tire only follows the TV, that sort of traction doesn't seem offer a benefit.