Replace Brand New Tires?
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Forum Name: Podmods, Maintenance, Tips and Tricks
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URL: http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=14451
Printed Date: 14 Jun 2024 at 9:02am
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Topic: Replace Brand New Tires?
Posted By: Hardwear Hank
Subject: Replace Brand New Tires?
Date Posted: 10 Mar 2021 at 2:54pm
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I just purchased a 2021 R-192, should I replace the tires with a better brand? My has 235/75R15's should be easy to find a goodyear or other name brand.
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Replies:
Posted By: Pod_Geek
Date Posted: 10 Mar 2021 at 3:48pm
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Are they these Westlakes? If so mine have gone > 10,000 miles with zero issues. https://www.etrailer.com/Trailer-Tires-and-Wheels/Westlake/WST94FR.html ------------- 2020.5 R-Pod 195 Hood River 2018 RAM 2500 6.4L |
Posted By: mcarter
Date Posted: 10 Mar 2021 at 4:09pm
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I drove my original tires for almost 4 years before upgrading to a Load Range D tire. I wouldn't advise switching out brand new tires. What load range are your tires? ------------- Mike Carter 2015 178 " I had the right to remain silent, I just didn't have the ability." |
Posted By: offgrid
Date Posted: 10 Mar 2021 at 4:41pm
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+2. I wouldn’t change tires because of brand. I would if they aren’t adequate in their load rating. By adequate I mean having a load capacity with a minimum safety factor of 10-20% higher than half the load rating of the trailer axle. Your trailer’s axle capacity is 4400 lbs so each tire needs to be able to carry 2200 lbs. With a 10% safety factor that is 2420 lbs. So look up the load capacity of your Westlakes. If it’s >2420 lbs I’d leave them and see how they do. Do keep whatever tires you have on there inflated to the listed pressure when cold. Check them every morning or install a TPMS. There’s nothing worse for trailer tires than to underinflate them., ------------- 1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold |
Posted By: lostagain
Date Posted: 10 Mar 2021 at 4:43pm
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+1 to others above. ------------- Never leave footprints behind. Fred & Maria Kearney Sonoma 167RB Our Pod 172 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost |
Posted By: jato
Date Posted: 10 Mar 2021 at 6:23pm
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+2 Proper inflation is key to reduce blowouts. On the FB site there have been a number of individuals who have had blowouts so I ask: "What was the tire pressure last time you checked and did you check it BEFORE going out that day?" Funny thing is that rarely has any ever answered back. We have friends last year that had 6 month old gye (seems to be the mantra for many pod owners) that blew out on them, like nearly brand new tires! I asked him if he had the tires at 65 psi (they were "D" range) and he replied he didn't check. Told him to check the other one next day when it had time to cool down. He did - it was 40 psi. He thought it was ok by looking at it. Problem is when you get 8 ply or more tires it takes a fair amount of weight to make any kind of bulge on it visually. Now on my "C" tires there is a slight bulge all the time - even at the recommended 50 psi.
------------- 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." |
Posted By: mcarter
Date Posted: 10 Mar 2021 at 6:37pm
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I never start a trip without checking inflation, along trip I use a TPMS, an infrared gun and a check of inflation on way back. It is very important. I have never had a trailer blow out (knock on wood), I don't buy cheap and I don't ignore tires and brakes. ------------- Mike Carter 2015 178 " I had the right to remain silent, I just didn't have the ability." |
Posted By: lostagain
Date Posted: 10 Mar 2021 at 7:44pm
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We always check torque and pressure right before we leave. On the trip we take along a little 2 cylinder 12v compressor to top off the tires as needed and torque the lug nuts with each departure. It's all part of the pre-drive check list. ------------- Never leave footprints behind. Fred & Maria Kearney Sonoma 167RB Our Pod 172 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost |
Posted By: Colonel Podder
Date Posted: 10 Mar 2021 at 9:41pm
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We just purchased our pod in February, and I made the choice to change mine out. It's probably a 98% chance that one of the Westlakes would not fail due to a manufacturing defect. But I just felt better changing them out. I was already spending $20k+, so another $300 was not a huge deal. Any tire can fail for a number of reasons, but peace of mind was worth it for me to make the change. I purchased the Goodyear tire. ------------- 2021 R-pod 196 |
Posted By: StephenH
Date Posted: 11 Mar 2021 at 10:52am
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We ran with the original tires for quite a while. When I had a flat from a puncture, I got it patched. After that though, I started looking for new tires and replaced them with Carlisle LR-D tires. I've been happy with them. I've worn out some of those, some from an axle problem (lost camber so wearing excessively on the inside edge), and another that just must have been out of balance or round and was wearing in a way I did not like. We are good to go for this year's expected travels.
I also check the tire pressure and lug nuts regularly. The LR-D takes a higher pressure than the LR-C tires that came with the 179. I'm glad I upgraded them. ------------- StephenH Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,... http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7712 - ouR escaPOD mods Former RPod 179 Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS |
Posted By: Cjommh
Date Posted: 11 Mar 2021 at 11:56am
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+1 to stay with your tires. I have the same R Pod 192, have ~5,000 miles on it, check pressure and torque before each trip. No issues so far. I did install a TPMS sensor on each tire, highly recommend that! It has a small monitor on my dash and I can see tire pressure and temperature in real time. |
Posted By: jato
Date Posted: 11 Mar 2021 at 2:15pm
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Today our 177 got new shoes. Carlisle Radial Trail HD load range "D", 8 ply, tire pressure is 65 psi. On the way in to Discount tire (35 miles) we experienced some breezy conditions 40-45 mph cross winds. With the existing Hartland tires (load range "C" at 50 psi) I experienced some sway as well as a lot of bulging on the sidewalls of the tires as we were traveling at 55 mph. On the way home, night and day difference. Same 'breezy' crosswinds, even seeing a couple trees blown over up to the road, yet the Carlisle tires did not bulge at all on the sidewalls and the pod seemed to track better as well. The guy at Discount Tire said he was amazed at how good our spare looked, a Tire King (that is what ours came with January 2011) that was in pristine condition and still had all the nubbins on it. However the build date was 03/10, I wasn't going to trust it if we ever get in the situation where we need it. Fortunately for the 36,000+ miles we have driven so far with our two previous sets of tires over some horrible road conditions we have never had tire issues; pray that record continues. ------------- 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." |
Posted By: JR
Date Posted: 11 Mar 2021 at 3:08pm
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Well my story is a little different I have a 2019 179 we picked up in 2018 and the tires had a manufacturing date of 5117 figuring they should be good until the end of the 2022 season. Looked over both tires, checked the lug nuts, adjusted the air pressure when we got the trailer out of storage and shortly after we left for Florida and got here safely. We had a fellow Poder stop over to look at our solar system. In the process of checking out our trailer, he had just put new Goodyear's on his 2021 180 wanting to get away from those china bombs, so he gave our tires a once over and guess what we found cracks in the side walls closed to the rims on both tires. They are being replaced tomorrow with Carlisle st 225/75r15 load range D. The tires have about 18,000 miles on them and have had 65 lbs in them from the get go. Boy these fellow podders are wonderful to have around. We still have both fenders attached to the trailer!! Do we feel blessed. ------------- Jay 179/2019 |
Posted By: GlueGuy
Date Posted: 11 Mar 2021 at 3:09pm
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Those Westlake 235/75R15 tires are special for Hood River R-pods and are rated for 2340 lbs each (4680 lb per axle). They are what we've had on our RP179 since 2017, and they will probably age out before they wear out. ------------- bp 2017 R-Pod 179 Hood River 2015 Ford F150 SuperCrew 4WD 3.5L Ecoboost |
Posted By: mcarter
Date Posted: 11 Mar 2021 at 4:06pm
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+1, I've heard they are stout. ------------- Mike Carter 2015 178 " I had the right to remain silent, I just didn't have the ability." |
Posted By: lostagain
Date Posted: 11 Mar 2021 at 7:59pm
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Remember, if you're worried about "China bombs" that some Carlyles are made in China. ------------- Never leave footprints behind. Fred & Maria Kearney Sonoma 167RB Our Pod 172 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost |
Posted By: offgrid
Date Posted: 12 Mar 2021 at 7:31am
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My 2015 179 came with 14 inch load range C tires rated at only 1750 lbs. Since my axle is 3500 lbs rated (and I run near that load) those tires provided no safety factor at all. I replaced them with 15 inch LRD’s rated at 2500 lbs. So, a lot depends on what FR in its infinite wisdom happened to put on your trailer.
It’s not as simple as just changing brands. So if you personally choose to prefer one brand or country of origin over another that’s fine, but please do be sure you also buy something with a good load safety factor (several sources recommend actual load not be more than 85% of rated tire load), maintain proper tire pressure, and check tire temperatures at your fuel stops. ------------- 1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold |
Posted By: mjlrpod
Date Posted: 12 Mar 2021 at 8:06am
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Yes Carlisle tires are (atleast some) made in china. But they have a long history of being the best trailer tire on the market. Go to any tire shop and they all recommend them. Now that goodyear makes the endurance, some prefer those, but I like old reliable. (plus i've had bad luck with goodyear tires in the past) As an added bonus, Carlisle Radial trail HD tires are a better price. Should you change out new tires??? Only you can answer that question, peace of mind comes from feeling you are not taking a chance. For me, the right answer was changing out my brand new tires. I never felt I made a bad decision. ------------- 2017.5 Rp-172 2020 R-pod 195 2015 Frontier sv 4.0L 6cyl I'll be rpodding |
Posted By: GlueGuy
Date Posted: 12 Mar 2021 at 10:10am
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Many "name brand" tires have had issues off and on. Some more than others. As one tire dealer explained to me, "All tires look similar on the outside, but it's what's inside that counts, and you can't see it.". I know there have been issues with Firestone, BF Goodrich, and Goodyear, and probably others. The bad apples usually get found out, and it is wise to pay attention to the ones that float to the top (err, bottom?). ------------- bp 2017 R-Pod 179 Hood River 2015 Ford F150 SuperCrew 4WD 3.5L Ecoboost |