RE: [SilverStreak] Trailer tires

["Ralph Cooke" <rcooke@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Unfortunately the Goodyear "Blurb" is wrong, I have blown their ST
Marathon tires at 50-55 MPH, the tires blew through the sidewall.  I
have also lost treads on several of the ST Marathon tires where the
tires were never run over 55 MPH, NOT 65 MPH.  I have 8 trailers in
daily use and two others in weekly or monthly use.  Each trailer has
the tire pressure checked daily, or when taken out for use.  The tire
pressure gauges are calibrated monthly.  We always run the maximum
pressure listed on the sidewall, and NEVER over load the tires.  We
have tried several brands of ST tires, and all of the results were
similar, Goodyear was no better or worse than the others.  I guess it
will take a fatal accident due to a blown ST tire or separated tread,
and a lawsuit with a multi million $ judgment to force the MFG's to
make improvement in the ST tires.  Fortunately for me, I am a
currently active, very competitive Stock Car Race Driver and have been
able to maintain or regain control in every case of a blown tire,
though some of the cases things were a bit exciting for a few seconds.


I am not nearly as concerned about "tread life" as I am about TREAD
LOSS.  I am especially concerned about sudden blowouts through the
sidewall of nearly new UNDAMAGED tires being utilized well under their
rated load rating, and speed, on a well balanced, level trailer.  If
it were only a rare occurrence, I would pass it off as unseen damage
to the tire, but it has not been a rare occurrence.  Now that I have
switched to Light Truck tires with a speed rating of 85 MPH or higher,
and priced in the mid to higher price range, I have had NO separated
treads or tires blown through the sidewalls(for that matter no
blowouts at all.)

All of the tire dealers and mfg. that I talked to about the problem
have tried to spin the problem and make excuses, but I am ONLY
interested in results NOT platitudes, "spin" or excuses.

There IS a price to be paid for utilizing the LOW COST  products on
the market.  There is a reason the pricing on some of the ST tires is
so low.  The real disappointment for me was that even utilizing the
"High End" ST tires did not improve the situation.

Ralph