Tire replacement - Event Date: 18 Jan 2023

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   Looking to replace tires on our 2017 R Pod 179.  Suggestions?

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R Pod Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 13 Dec 2022 Location: WI Online Status: Offline Posts: 8	Post Options Post Reply Quote R Pod Report Post Quote Reply Calendar Event: Tire replacement Posted: 18 Jan 2023 at 5:02pm
	Looking to replace tires on our 2017 R Pod 179. Suggestions?

Winterpod Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 17 Oct 2015 Location: Ketchum Online Status: Offline Posts: 34	Post Options Post Reply Quote Winterpod Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 18 Jan 2023 at 6:50pm
	Many good choices out there. Searching a new trailer I see a lot of manufacturers are going with Goodyear endurance tires. I have been running them on my P- Pod the last four years with no issues. Mine are 225-75R-15 E rated
	Winter pod 2013 R-Pod 178 2007 Silverato 1500 LT. Trek Stash 8 29er hard tail Old Town Kayak

lostagain Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 06 Sep 2016 Location: Quaker Hill, CT Online Status: Offline Posts: 2587	Post Options Post Reply Quote lostagain Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 18 Jan 2023 at 7:26pm
	I tried to get Goodyear in late 2021, but there were none available, so I got Carlyles and have been happy with them. Either is a pretty good tire. Check out the archives. There have been a lot of discussion about tires over the last several years.
	Never leave footprints behind. Fred & Maria Kearney Sonoma 167RB Our Pod 172 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost

Pod People Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Visit Members Homepage Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 22 Sep 2011 Location: Chapel Hill,NC Online Status: Offline Posts: 1066	Post Options Post Reply Quote Pod People Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 19 Jan 2023 at 10:16am
	We have used Goodyear Endurance on our 179 for the past 3-4 seasons. Love them-they don't leak down, they are stiffer and bounce less, the ride seems stable. I will buy them again when these age out Travel often and safe Vann
	Vann & Laura 2015 RPod 179

gpokluda Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 11 Nov 2018 Location: NM Online Status: Offline Posts: 272	Post Options Post Reply Quote gpokluda Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 19 Jan 2023 at 10:42am
	Not sure what you had as the OEM tire. If you had the Westlake traction tires and are wanting to stay with the OEM size, then you will have a better selection by going to Light Truck (LT) tires. They are usually 10ply and up to the task. Check with a load range chart for the particular tire you choose to be sure. I went with Falken Wildpeak tires at 65psi and they worked out just fine. I did consult with a couple of tire shops that specialize in RVs as well as with Forest River.
	Gpokluda 2017 Rpod 179(sold 2023) 2022 Escape 5.0TA 2022 Ford F150 4X4 3.5EB Triumph T120

jato Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 23 Feb 2012 Location: Kewadin, MI Online Status: Offline Posts: 3219	Post Options Post Reply Quote jato Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 19 Jan 2023 at 2:03pm
	On our third set of tires on our 12 yr. old 177. First time going to a "D" load tire and the ride is dramatically better than the "C" rated tires we used previous. Went with Carlisle Radial Trail HD, IMHO equal in quality with the goodyears but for a lot less $$$.
	God's pod '11 model 177 '17 Ford F-150 4WD 3.5 Ecoboost Jim and Diane by beautiful Torch Lake "...and you will know the Truth and the Truth will set you free."

StephenH Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List podders Helping podders - pHp Joined: 29 Nov 2015 Location: Wake Forest, NC Online Status: Offline Posts: 6288	Post Options Post Reply Quote StephenH Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 19 Jan 2023 at 3:54pm
	Carlisle are what I am running. They are not immune from blowouts though as I found out last year.
	StephenH Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,... ouR escaPOD mods Former RPod 179 Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS

R Pod Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 13 Dec 2022 Location: WI Online Status: Offline Posts: 8	Post Options Post Reply Quote R Pod Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 19 Jan 2023 at 8:01pm
	Thanks everyone! Food for thought.

offgrid Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 23 Jul 2018 Online Status: Offline Posts: 5290	Post Options Post Reply Quote offgrid Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 20 Jan 2023 at 3:49am
	I bought premounted 15 inch Loadstar LRD tires and wheels from Eastern Trailer. That gave me a nice upgrade from 14 to 15 inches, 1750 lb load rating to 2150 (IIRC) for both the tires and wheels (yes wheels have load ratings too, and FRs 14 inch ones were also only 1750 lbs), and more ground clearance. You do need the lift kit on your trailer to have enough fender clearance for the larger diameter tires. If you upgrade wheels be sure to stay with the 5 on 4.5 bolt circle. And no mounting fees, I put them on myself for free. Then I sold my old 14 inch tires and wheels on Craigslist, came out less overall that what just new mounted tires alone would have cost. Mounted used trailer tires are easy to sell for someone who needs a set to put on an old boat or utility trailer. Unmounted used tires are worthless because of the remounting fees. BTW I don't subscribe to the "China bomb" theory or feel the need to buy "name brand" tires. Others may differ, not starting a debate here just my semi-educated opinion. By all means spend the money and get name brand tires if it makes you feel better. Just know there's more to selecting the proper tire for your application than just the brand. I think the China bomb reputation has resulted from FR and the other lower end trailer manufacturers' practice of using the absolute minimum load rated tires (1750 lbs on the 179) they could get away with. Running marginal tires, especially at less than recommended tire pressures, is a recipe for blowouts regardless of the tire brand. So be an educated consumer and get tires rated around 25% higher than 1/2 your axle rating (your choice as to brand) and keep them inflated at their rated pressure (cold). The approx 25% load safety factor is what tire engineers seem to typically recommend as a good balance between load capacity and ride stiffness. Look at the actual manufacturers' load ratings in lbs not the c,d,or e letter ratings. The letters don't correspond to specific load ratings in pounds, the latter vary with manufacturer and tire size. There is no benefit in under inflating ST trailer tires, all that does is produce more sidewall flex which can overheat the thick sidewalls of ST (special trailer) tires. Some folks buy LT (light truck) tires rather than STs. You can do that of course (just be sure you get a similar load capacity safety factor), but the disadvantage vs ST tires is higher rolling resistance. STs are designed for the high pressures and stiff sidewalls, as well as with non aggressive tread patterns, so that they have minimal rolling reistance. LT tires have to compromise that for better traction and unloaded ride stiffness, not things that need to concern you on a travel trailer.
	1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold

lostagain Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: 06 Sep 2016 Location: Quaker Hill, CT Online Status: Offline Posts: 2587	Post Options Post Reply Quote lostagain Report Post Quote Reply Posted: 20 Jan 2023 at 6:27am
	It isn't a question of "China bomb," but the quality of the components and manufacturing process. The Carlisle 205R/15 D range tires are made in China. I have only had one other brand of tires on either of our trailers: Westlake. They are of very poor quality. I had problems inexplicable air leakage, rapid tread wear, and separation of the tire carcass from the tread rubber on a tire that had less than 3000 miles on it. The rubber compounding is critical in tire quality. Cheap rubber compounds do not last and are more frequently found on low end tires. The tire construction is critical. The bonding of the rubber, especially the tread rubber to the carcass is critical. If it is not done correctly, you will get a dangerous tread separation. Though there are certainly exceptions, generally buying a well established brand name improves your odds of getting a better quality product. A knockoff fake Makita drill motor, though it looks almost identical to the real one, doesn't last as long. I am a fan of Harbor Freight for many tools, but there is a discernible difference in quality especially in some of their electric tools as compared to DeWalt or Bosch. My Tacklife laser measuring tool was 1/3rd the price of the Bosch I ended up replacing it with. The Tacklife couldn't measure consistently, and was garbage. Though there are bargains to be had, generally you pay for what you get. The only problem I've had with our Carlisle tires is I picked up a small nail right on the edge of the tread at the sidewall and the hole was not repairable due to the location. Thankfully, I discovered the problem while getting ready for a trip. I ordered a replacement tire. When I was getting ready to take it to a tire store for mounting, I started to mount the spare temporarily, but found the spare had a giant bubble in the side wall and tread. I ended up buying two more Carlisles.
	Never leave footprints behind. Fred & Maria Kearney Sonoma 167RB Our Pod 172 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost