We used to have a nearby tire dealer that had a rig that trued up out of round tires. It was kind of like a lathe/sanding contraption. It left the tread shallower at the former high spots, but it did improve the ride of the tires.
I've added a 3.5" axle lift on my 2018 13' which has ST175/80R13 tires. I plan to replace the tires with D rated at the end of this next season. Is it better to go up in wheel size to 14", or stay with the 13" wheel and increase tire sidewall height? I welcome comments.
Thank you to everyone who posted to my request for tire recommendations. In the process of reading your comments and looking up tire info, it became apparent that I need to do some work on my wheel bearings too. I'm guessing they haven't been serviced in a number of years. So bearings and tires are in order before we put the Scamp on the road this spring.
From what I've heard, it's generally a good idea to avoid going for the cheapest option you can find. You want something that's going to last you a while and not give out on you unexpectedly. I haven't personally bought tires for a camper or trailer before, but I know that there are specific types of tires made just for those purposes that you might want to look into. One site I stumbled across that seems to specialize in custom trailer tires is corwheels.com. They offer a variety of options and can customize the tires to fit your specific needs.
Picked up my 16 ft Deluxe on May 1st of this year (2023). The factory tires were the ST175/80R13. The 'R' here (vs'D') is radial (instead of ply). They are 'D' load rated; 'M' speed rated for 81 mph; Travelstar brand... these are the commonly recommended tires in this thread and others... The 16 foot Deluxes run 2000 to 2500 pounds, much heavier than 13s and the Standards.
Thanks Carl, and everyone else who commented. We ended up with Towmax Vanguard by Power King tires. And the spare is a Dynatrail. We are finishing our renovations on our 16 ft-er, and planning a short maiden trip next week. Ken
In a previous thread, Mr T noted this resource. Trailer tire speed ratings are not tested the same way passenger tires are. I found his articles very informative and helpful. You can search for tires and find the whole thread.
We used to have a nearby tire dealer that had a rig that trued up out of round tires. It was kind of like a lathe/sanding contraption. It left the tread shallower at the former high spots, but it did improve the ride of the tires.
Dave
Bridget
Thank you to everyone who posted to my request for tire recommendations. In the process of reading your comments and looking up tire info, it became apparent that I need to do some work on my wheel bearings too. I'm guessing they haven't been serviced in a number of years. So bearings and tires are in order before we put the Scamp on the road this spring.
From what I've heard, it's generally a good idea to avoid going for the cheapest option you can find. You want something that's going to last you a while and not give out on you unexpectedly. I haven't personally bought tires for a camper or trailer before, but I know that there are specific types of tires made just for those purposes that you might want to look into. One site I stumbled across that seems to specialize in custom trailer tires is corwheels.com. They offer a variety of options and can customize the tires to fit your specific needs.
Picked up my 16 ft Deluxe on May 1st of this year (2023). The factory tires were the ST175/80R13. The 'R' here (vs'D') is radial (instead of ply). They are 'D' load rated; 'M' speed rated for 81 mph; Travelstar brand... these are the commonly recommended tires in this thread and others... The 16 foot Deluxes run 2000 to 2500 pounds, much heavier than 13s and the Standards.
Carl
Thanks Carl, and everyone else who commented. We ended up with Towmax Vanguard by Power King tires. And the spare is a Dynatrail. We are finishing our renovations on our 16 ft-er, and planning a short maiden trip next week. Ken
In a previous thread, Mr T noted this resource. Trailer tire speed ratings are not tested the same way passenger tires are. I found his articles very informative and helpful. You can search for tires and find the whole thread.
"Retired tire engineer Roger Marble has written extensively on this, see https://www.rvtiresafety.net/search/label/ST%20tire%20Speed%20rating(link is external) for an example. There's much more on his website."
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