Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

I have a place I can pick up 4 "NEW" 205 75/D 15's on new white rims for my trailer for $350, ($87.50 each). I have 75/R 15's that look new now when I bought the trailer, but they were manufactured in '09?? So many thoughts on asking on forums about age of tires and the D=Bias and R=Radial. Looking around just for the Radial tires alone range from $60-$85.

What are some of your thoughts? TIA.


Bob

I'm trying to decide if I should get the bias tire for my spare, and save money. Or if I should just spend it and have all radial.

One forum said all radial or all bias, don't mix??

The spare for the tear is the one for the car with an adapter.

Padilen wrote:I'm trying to decide if I should get the bias tire for my spare, and save money. Or if I should just spend it and have all radial.

My thoughts are if it was simply going to be a spare, used sparingly if at all, then I might go with a bias ply or a cheap radial. Or try to find a used tire as long as it was only 2 - 3 years old. But if there might be a chance of it becoming a permanent running tire I'd match to the others.

I do subscribe to the belief that trailer tires should be changed on a time basis and not a worn out tread basis.

Do not mix bias with radial, go with one or the other. Personally I wouldn't waste money on the bias ply tires. After buying good radials for my ATV trailer I wouldn't ever go back to bias ply's. I paid the upcharge for radials on the new trailer on order as well. It really is a big difference when pulling.

I'm one that believes a spare if you have one is never needed. It's when you don't have one that you will. I know it's been said never to mix bias and radial but On drive axle on a car/truck. I had radial on the front of my one and only car and my winter rear tires were bias.

I'd stick with your old radials. I've never understood why trailer tires need to be replaced after 5 years when nobody thinks twice about an 8 year old set of tires on a car. As long as they have good tread and aren't cracked. I think it's like the "myth" of the 3,000 mile oil change.

You have a tandem axle, so if one blows out it won't be a trip to the rodeo. Carry a spare and save your money!

I had a van that I used as my Rv. I replaced all four tires due to aging . I think I went about 8 to 10 years. My advice, make sure you have a good spare and run them until they crack.
Tom

Padilen wrote:I'm one that believes a spare if you have one is never needed. It's when you don't have one that you will. I know it's been said never to mix bias and radial but On drive axle on a car/truck. I had radial on the front of my one and only car and my winter rear tires were bias.

I meant don't mix them on the same axle. You can mix them as you have on different axles but never use the bias on front with radials on the back in a car or truck. I had radials on the front of my pro street truck and Mickey Thompson Sportsmans on the rear and it moved around or wiggled something fierce. It is a phenomenon known in the car crowd as the Mickey Thompson shuffle. Much better with drag radials on the back.

On a motor driven vehicle radials on the rear and bias on the front is the only mixed combinations that tire companies like Michelin and Goodyear state is okay BUT not advised. Reason being that bias tires don't grip as well. Put bias on the rear and radials on the front and the vehicle oversteers. The bias ply on the back end passes the front when the rear end looses traction before the 'grippier' front radials. Put radials on the rear and bias on the front and the vehicle understeers which is generally the lesser evil compared to oversteer. Not ideal, but at least the rear end stays where it is supposed to be. Similarly it is best to install new tires on the rear axle, not the front. Reason again is to get the best gripping tires on the rear so the rear end stays where it is meant to be.



Word from Goodyear on this....

"When radial tires are used with bias or bias belted tires on the same car, the radials must always be placed on the rear axle. Never mix radial and bias-ply tires on the same axle. When you select a pair of replacement tires in the same size and construction as those on the car, we recommend you put them on the rear axle. A single new tire should be paired on the rear axle with the tire having the most tread depth of the other three."

You can find that quote on this page.


And since they adamantly state to not mix types on the same axle I guess I'd change my tune on my previous "maybe it is okay" on a trailer. I guess maybe okay at very low speeds in an absolute emergency. So I'd now say never cheap out and save a few bucks by purposely buying a bias for a spare tire.