Tire Recommendation?

[csevel]

The time is long overdue to replace my '17 ILOVHER tires.   I haven't traveled more than 2500 miles in the last year and have put this off long enough.  I have the original discontinued Michelins LTX MS2s in the 225/75/16 size.  I will not be buying new wheels so what are my options?  I know I put Goodyear Endurance STs on my Casita but I don' think they come in a 16s.  Thank you in advance for any help and recommendations!

[routlaw]

I installed Vredestein Pinza AT LT's on my Oliver last year, love 'em. Also put a set on my truck as well. Amazingly quiet ride for an aggressive all terrain tread. Can't recommend them enough so far. Hope this helps

[Ray Kimsey]

In 2020 when Oliver could no longer get the MIchelins they switched to Cooper Discoverer HT3 LT225/75R16.  They have held up well for us. I am not sure what they are using today.

 

Edited June 9 by Ray Kimsey
added a sentence

[rideandfly]

We installed the same tires as Ray, Cooper Discoverer HT3 LT225/75R16.

https://www.discounttire.com/fitmentresult/tires/size/225-75-16?q=%3Aprice-asc%3Abrands%3Abrand-COP&sort=price-asc&page=0

Goodyear Endurance does not come in ST225/75R/16.

https://www.goodyear.com/en_US/tires/endurance-trailer-tire/24464.html

When visiting local Discount tire within the last 30 days they said they would mount LT tires on a trailer if you can show them the LE2 7000 pound GVW, it's on the VIN tag on the front street side of Ollie. They said the total weight capacity combining 4 LT tires has to meet or exceed the trailer's GVW.  Some folks here had Discount Tire to refuse mounting LT tires on a trailer, that's why I asked our local store recently, they price match, too.

Edited June 9 by rideandfly

[Patriot]

3 hours ago, Ray Kimsey said:

In 2020 when Oliver could no longer get the MIchelins they switched to Cooper Discoverer HT3 LT225/75R16.  They have held up well for us. I am not sure what they are using today.

 

Agree with Ray, 

We will likely replace with Cooper Discoverer HT3 LT225/75R16 if they are still available when we are due. We will likely replace our original tires next Spring. Our current set has served us well.

Edited June 9 by Patriot

[Galway Girl]

We put New tires on our 2019 EII in Jan 2024 after 50K miles of use, and the tires were about to age out. (Still had a lot of tread.)
We went to Discount Tire (also called America's Tire) and we put on new Michelin's.

Tire Selected:
Michelin Agilis Cross Climate - LT225/75 R16  Load Range E1 Black Sidewalls

Discount Tire had no issue with these on our trailer.  
The tires are great so far.  We run them at 55PSI and they have plenty of load capacity.

\

 

 

[gbergh]

MICHELIN AGILIS CROSSCLIMATE - 225/75R16 C  

Tread depth	12 32nds / 9.1 mm
Max Speed	106 mph / 171 kph
Max Load per Tire Single	3195 lbs / 1450 kg   I also have Agilis CrossClimate on my Navion 24V and they have been an excellent performer...

Edited June 10 by gbergh

[jd1923]

8 hours ago, Galway Girl said:

Michelin Agilis Cross Climate - LT225/75 R16 Load Range E1 Black Sidewalls

These same tires were mounted by a prior owner 3 years ago on ours. They are a commercial grade Michelin and don't look like they have worn one bit on ours.

6 hours ago, gbergh said:

MICHELIN AGILIS CROSSCLIMATE - 225/75R16 C  

Is there a LT missing in from of this tire size? Do they make this brand in passenger car tires? I see the 'C' likely meaning Load C tires with is a LT load rating.

You do not want P225/75R16 tires, but given these are LT225/... tires Load C is just fine for 7000 GTWR on 4 tires, and would produce a softer ride than Load Range E, less bounce on interior storage, etc. Load C LT tires have 1-2 less ply and are often marked with 54 PSI max vs. the 80 PSI of load E. 54 PSI MAX is more than enough as for 7000 GTWR, 45 PSI is the correct PSI (check the load table above). 

[Geronimo John]

Our OE2 Michelin Defenders are still doing well with 40,000 miles.  But somewhere down the road I'll need to replace them, as will we all.  When that happens, my criterion for our next set of Ollie tires will be based upon the following criterion:

• Toughness for sure.  As such, they will be E1 rated.
• Long life.
• Wet and dry road traction.  (During our ownership, our OE2 has & never will see snow or ice.)
• Having a tread that will not toss rocks and harm Ollie.

Not off road traction in mud or on hard rock or scree. Why not put such a tire on Ollie as I have on my TV?  Because the TV's job is to tow, and the trailer's job is to follow.  I don't want my TV following or my Ollie leading.  

Of all the tires I have researched this past year, I have t agree that the Agiliss Cross Climate Light Truck E1 rated seems to be to be a great option at this point in time.

However:  Accoring to the above posted tire / load chart:  

I have to wonder why 55 PSI is suggested as appropriate?

Lets assume we have an average 6000 pound ollie with 10% tongue weight.  We have 5400 pounds on four tires = 1350 pounds per tire.  

Would therefore the Michelin chart for these tires recommend a PSI of 40 PSI?  

Kindly explan why we would want to punish our poor tralier with 55 PSI in the tires.

GJ

 

[gbergh]

5 hours ago, jd1923 said:

These same tires were mounted by a prior owner 3 years ago on ours. They are a commercial grade Michelin and don't look like they have worn one bit on ours.

Is there a LT missing in from of this tire size? Do they make this brand in passenger car tires? I see the 'C' likely meaning Load C tires with is a LT load rating.

You do not want P225/75R16 tires, but given these are LT225/... tires Load C is just fine for 7000 GTWR on 4 tires, and would produce a softer ride than Load Range E, less bounce on interior storage, etc. Load C LT tires have 1-2 less ply and are often marked with 54 PSI max vs. the 80 PSI of load E. 54 PSI MAX is more than enough as for 7000 GTWR, 45 PSI is the correct PSI (check the load table above). 

The "C" designates Metric..  There is no LT in front of the tire size numbers.  The Load Range is E

Technical Specifications

Product	MICHELIN AGILIS CROSSCLIMATE C-Metric - 225/75R16
Overall Diameter

744 mm / 29.3 inch
Recommended Wheels	6
Approved Wheels	7
Min Dual Spacing

256.0 mm / 10.1 inch
Tread depth	12 32nds / 9.1 mm
Max Speed	106 mph / 171 kmh
Max Load per Tire Single	3195 lbs / 1450 kg
Loaded Radius

347.4 mm / 13.7 inch
Seat diameter	16
Suitable for RV	Yes

Edited June 10 by gbergh

[Galway Girl]

8 hours ago, Geronimo John said:

Kindly explan why we would want to punish our poor tralier with 55 PSI in the tires.

 

We just picked a mid point on the chart as a starting point.  

What would you run them at?

I may lower the pressure on the next run, but expect some extra heating effects on the tires at that lower psi.

 

 

[jd1923]

4 hours ago, gbergh said:

The "C" designates Metric.  There is no LT in front of the tire size numbers.

Actually, the number 225 in 225/75R16 is metric, meaning 225 mm. The 75 means the profile (height) is 75% of the width on a 16" rim. Standard sizes are all in inches and are today less common ever since Michelin came to the US in the 80s.

With some research I found out that Michelin has created a new tire category. This C tire (Commercial) is more expensive than their LT, has a higher load rating (not needed for the EII 7000 GTWR) and is not snow rated (also not necessary for a trailer). Question, is it worth $54 plus tax more per tire? No, the LT model on our Oliver is fine for almost $240 less.

Turns out Michelin has created a new tire category; I had not seen before. The following copied from Tyre markings explained: How to read a tyre? | MICHELIN

• P: Passenger Car
• LT: Light Truck
• C : Van commercial tyre
• XL, HL or Reinforced : Tyres with a higher load capacity...
• T: Temporary (spare wheels)

 

[jd1923]

17 minutes ago, Galway Girl said:

We just picked a mid point on the chart as a starting point.  

What would you run them at?

I may lower the pressure on the next run, but expect some extra heating effects on the tires at that lower psi.

 

 

Look at your table above, at 45 PSI the tire holds 1790 LBS x 4 = 7,160 LBS. Our Oliver ready to camp under 6600 LBS, so we could be at 40 PSI, but since that is the lowest number on the chart, I bump it up to 45 PSI. Ran my tires at 46 last time I checked since they were all just a hair above that number. @John E Davies ran his Mouse at 42 PSI for years which you can see in his posts.

If you have upgraded to 5200 LB axles and higher rated leaf springs and carry over 8000 LBS total, then 55 PSI would be the right number. The right pressure for the load should not create excessive heat.

[rideandfly]

When we purchased our LE2 Ollie used during 2016 the original owner was running 50 PSI, eventually we dropped to 45PSI and right now we're running 40PSI cold. When we tow on the highway we always tow with empty black, grey, and fresh water tanks. The combined LT225/75R/16E dual capacities on the above Michelin chart at 40PSI are well above our actual LE2 ready to camp weight.

Edited June 10 by rideandfly

[Galway Girl]

I'll drop it to 40-45 then for the next trip and see how it feels.  

I know the original ride home when when we picked up New was very bumpy as they had 65 psi in those original Michelin's.

[gbergh]

2 hours ago, jd1923 said:

Actually, the number 225 in 225/75R16 is metric, meaning 225 mm. The 75 means the profile (height) is 75% of the width on a 16" rim. Standard sizes are all in inches and are today less common ever since Michelin came to the US in the 80s.

With some research I found out that Michelin has created a new tire category. This C tire (Commercial) is more expensive than their LT, has a higher load rating (not needed for the EII 7000 GTWR) and is not snow rated (also not necessary for a trailer). Question, is it worth $54 plus tax more per tire? No, the LT model on our Oliver is fine for almost $240 less.

Turns out Michelin has created a new tire category; I had not seen before. The following copied from Tyre markings explained: How to read a tyre? | MICHELIN

• P: Passenger Car
• LT: Light Truck
• C : Van commercial tyre
• XL, HL or Reinforced : Tyres with a higher load capacity...
• T: Temporary (spare wheels)

 

I purchased the Michelin CrossClimate 225/75R16 C tires in Sarasota this past winter.  They were on sale for $185 as the person who ordered the tires did not want them opted to have a different tire.  They were an exceptional buy...

[jd1923]

Great price indeed! Do that again in a heartbeat! Our Oliver was delivered used with 80 PSI! I dropped immediately to 60, not knowing our weight. Then lower after reading more info here and weighing the Oliver and TV. 

[Geronimo John]

5 hours ago, Galway Girl said:

We just picked a mid point on the chart as a starting point.  

What would you run them at?

I may lower the pressure on the next run, but expect some extra heating effects on the tires at that lower psi.

I would consider the MFG recommended pressure chart.  For our OE2's at 6,000 pounds less tongue weight divided by 4 OE2 tires the weight is below the chart.  That means Michelin is saying use the minimum number listed or 40 PSI. 

However if you are running TMPS, and you want a bit more warning time and a tad firmer ride, then I would go with 45 PSI as a Max. 

The same logic line for the Defender tires.  Here is the Michelin tire pressure chart for ours:

One would deducet using the same logic that 35 psi is their recommended pressure for the Defenders, 40 if you want more TMPS head room.  Less off road like going to Tec at Denali AK.

GJ  

 

Edited June 10 by Geronimo John
Added Michelin Chart For Defenders

[gbergh]

1 hour ago, jd1923 said:

Great price indeed! Do that again in a heartbeat! Our Oliver was delivered used with 80 PSI! I dropped immediately to 60, not knowing our weight. Then lower after reading more info here and weighing the Oliver and TV. 

John Davis reported long ago that 45 psi to 50 psi was optimal for our tires in that size range.  He had that right!!  i use 50 PSI to give a bit of a Head Room for monitoring.

[GraniteStaters]

When I think about tire manufacture's recommendation for tire pressure, I always consider tire failure.  I know that if I have sufficient air in my remaining tire on the same side to support half of the trailer's weight, then I have n+1 redundancy.  I consider that pretty important when towing.

[jd1923]

1 hour ago, GraniteStaters said:

When I think about tire manufacture's recommendation for tire pressure, I always consider tire failure.  I know that if I have sufficient air in my remaining tire on the same side to support half of the trailer's weight, then I have n+1 redundancy.  I consider that pretty important when towing.

Honestly, you cannot have enough pressure, meaning load carrying capacity in a second axle/tire to cover the GTWR load upon tire failure (unless you want 80 PSI, the reason why legal depts of RV manufactures suggest this crazy number on your trailer sticker). Either you have muscle memory from 30-40 years or more driving old trucks and towing dozens of cargo and flatbed trailers, or you need to rely on a TPMS (check it often).

Yes, redundancy is one of the key factors in mitigating risk. For this reason, the idea of an Elite I (a single axle trailer) is not for me. Having owned horse trailers, farm stock trailers, car haulers, cargo and flatbed trailers, certainly a dozen trailers over a lifetime, and by my choice they are ALL dual-axle trailers.

I've had blowouts on desert roads at 70 MPH. The tire tread rips the fender off a car-hauler. I realize it in milliseconds and (btw don't hit the brakes) coast nicely to the shoulder.

Run you tire pressure per the load charts and add 5 PSI for a safety of margin. Additional PSI will cause your belongings to suffer, cause your leaf springs to failure (see the threads here) and just more bad stuff! Trust me (and many others here with considerable lifetime experience).

[rideadeuce]

The Falken Wildpeak line is hard to beat for price and durability. 

 

https://www.falkentire.com/wildpeak/ht02

The WILDPEAK H/T02 redefines the Highway Terrain tire, delivering industry-leading performance and durability all year long. Featuring rigid tread blocks and a rugged upper sidewall, the H/T02 is built to meet and exceed the demands of today’s pickup truck drivers, from construction site activities to towing and hauling duties. Advanced 4D Nano Design and 3D Canyon Sipe Technology demonstrate Falken’s commitment to excellence, and provide the H/T02 with enhanced all-season drivability. After rigorous tests using the latest ¾-ton diesel pickups, all LT-size offerings of the WILDPEAK H/T02 earned an “HD” badge on the tire’s sidewall, highlighting the Heavy Duty construction with which these tires were built. For those demanding durability and longevity from their truck tires, the H/T02 is in a class of its own.

[topgun2]

I like the look of those Wildpeak's but I'd imagine that keeping those sidewalls clean would be a bit of a chore.

Bill

[Patriot]

1 hour ago, topgun2 said:

I like the look of those Wildpeak's but I'd imagine that keeping those sidewalls clean would be a bit of a chore.

Bill

Easy peasy Bill, a little pressure washing keeps tires looking great. 👍🏻 My TV 35” Nitto Ridge Graplers clean up nicely. 

Edited June 11 by Patriot

[rideadeuce]

The Wildpeaks don't just look tough, they are tough. If anyone has the rare opportunity to plug one I want to hear about their wrists and forearms afterwards. No comparison between my old beloved Michelins and the Falkens. I think I have said this before but I thought I was going to have to get the drill out after battling to get the professional sized T-handle reamer through the tire. Finally, after a good bit of sweat with all 200 lbs of me jumping up and down and around the tire I got it through. I could plug a Michelin LTX A/T without taking it off the truck. Just sayin'. I guess I should clarify that was the Falken Wildpeak A/Ts that I was working on, not the H/Ts. But the same HD badging is on both. Although the Wildpeak A/T 35s on the Tundra have the added Duraspec, which is 3-ply sidewall construction. There is a reason they have a huge following in the overland crowd. Next set on the Tundra will be the R/Ts and I will have tried the whole Wildpeak line. I paid $764 for (4) H/Ts shipped off of eBay.