Komet trailer tires

I want to replace the tires on my Komet trailer. The original tire
size is P165/80 R13, which is now hard to find.

The choice seems to be either a Firestone passenger car radial in the
correct size or a slightly taller Towmaster made by Greenball. The
trailer tire will have a taller but stiffer sidewall. It will come a
little closer to the fender, but my mechanic says less than half an
inch closer. The size is 175/80 R13.

I plan to tow about 75 mph most of the time. I really want to avoid
sway.

Any experience with these tires out there?

Thanks,
Robin RF

On Feb 22, 5:12*pm, Robin wrote:
I want to replace the tires on my Komet trailer. The original tire
size is P165/80 R13, which is now hard to find.

The choice seems to be either a Firestone passenger car radial in the
correct size or a slightly taller Towmaster made by Greenball. *The
trailer tire will have a taller but stiffer sidewall. It will come a
little closer to the fender, but my mechanic says less than half an
inch closer. The size is 175/80 R13.

*I plan to tow about 75 mph most of the time. I really want to avoid
sway.

Any experience with these tires out there?

Thanks,
Robin RF

I use 185/70R 13 tires on my Komet. They are the same diameter as
your 165/80R 13 (within 1/4") but 2cm wider.

-T8

Truck or trailer tires will be more stable than car tires. If you're
concerned with clearance, then first try sticking 1" blocks of
styrofoam inside the fenders. Drive around with your existing tires
and see if they rub on or damage the blocks.
The trailer tires are only one part of the equation. Keep the proper
weight and balance on the trailer. Maintain the tow vehicle's shock
absorbers, tires and wheel alignment.
Jim

RF

A number of us have switched to Maxxis, which makes a radial trailer tire.
(www.maxxis.com ST8008). All of MGSA's trailers and a number of private
owners have these tires, with no sway issues reported.

Here in Atlanta they are easy to get from their regional warehouse. I
suspect in JAX, they should be readily available.

I switched from a 165/80 14 to 175/80 14 which gave a slightly taller tire
and better ground clearance. I have Maxxis for about six years, and just
replaced my first set last month with a new set, obeying the John Murray
"five year" rule.



"Robin" wrote in message
...
I want to replace the tires on my Komet trailer. The original tire
size is P165/80 R13, which is now hard to find.

The choice seems to be either a Firestone passenger car radial in the
correct size or a slightly taller Towmaster made by Greenball. The
trailer tire will have a taller but stiffer sidewall. It will come a
little closer to the fender, but my mechanic says less than half an
inch closer. The size is 175/80 R13.

I plan to tow about 75 mph most of the time. I really want to avoid
sway.

Any experience with these tires out there?

Thanks,
Robin RF

Robin---
I'll second Mitch's vote!
I'm happy with the Maxxis.
Sway is more a function of the tow vehicle than anything else. Demonstrated
by towing same trailer, same road, same day, same speed--two different
vehicles, vastly different result. (as closely controlled experiment as we
could). Replaced poor performing vehicle with different vehicle--marked
improvement.
--
Hartley Falbaum
"KF" USA

"Mitch Deutsch" wrote in message
m...
RF

A number of us have switched to Maxxis, which makes a radial trailer tire.
(www.maxxis.com ST8008). All of MGSA's trailers and a number of private
owners have these tires, with no sway issues reported.

Here in Atlanta they are easy to get from their regional warehouse. I
suspect in JAX, they should be readily available.

I switched from a 165/80 14 to 175/80 14 which gave a slightly taller tire
and better ground clearance. I have Maxxis for about six years, and just
replaced my first set last month with a new set, obeying the John Murray
"five year" rule.



"Robin" wrote in message
...
I want to replace the tires on my Komet trailer. The original tire
size is P165/80 R13, which is now hard to find.

The choice seems to be either a Firestone passenger car radial in the
correct size or a slightly taller Towmaster made by Greenball. The
trailer tire will have a taller but stiffer sidewall. It will come a
little closer to the fender, but my mechanic says less than half an
inch closer. The size is 175/80 R13.

I plan to tow about 75 mph most of the time. I really want to avoid
sway.

Any experience with these tires out there?

Thanks,
Robin RF

"HL Falbaum" wrote

Sway is more a function of the tow vehicle than anything else.
Demonstrated by towing same trailer, same road, same day, same speed--two
different vehicles, vastly different result.

If you don't believe that, try towing ANY trailer with an uber short
wheelbase, low overhang vehicle, like a Jeep. A Jeep CJ vehicle will make
ANY trailer sway, with any trailer weight and balance.
--
Jim in NC

On Feb 23, 5:57*am, "Morgans" wrote:
"HL Falbaum" wrote

Sway is more a function of the tow vehicle than anything else.
Demonstrated by towing same trailer, same road, same day, same speed--two
different vehicles, vastly different result.

If you don't believe that, try towing ANY trailer with an uber short
wheelbase, low overhang vehicle, like a Jeep. *A Jeep CJ vehicle will make
ANY trailer sway, with any trailer weight and balance.
--
Jim in NC

That may be true for the CJ but I owned a 2-door Dodge 'Raider' aka
Mitsubishi 'Pajero'. This car had about the same dimensions as the CJ
but I towed my trailer from PA to CA and back without any sway
whatsoever. Good trailer tires and a good weight distribution in the
trailer plus the proper tounge weight are the key to happy trailering.
Uli

"GM" wrote in message
...
On Feb 23, 5:57 am, "Morgans" wrote:
"HL Falbaum" wrote

Sway is more a function of the tow vehicle than anything else.
Demonstrated by towing same trailer, same road, same day, same
speed--two
different vehicles, vastly different result.

If you don't believe that, try towing ANY trailer with an uber short
wheelbase, low overhang vehicle, like a Jeep. A Jeep CJ vehicle will make
ANY trailer sway, with any trailer weight and balance.
--
Jim in NC

That may be true for the CJ but I owned a 2-door Dodge 'Raider' aka
Mitsubishi 'Pajero'. This car had about the same dimensions as the CJ
but I towed my trailer from PA to CA and back without any sway
whatsoever. Good trailer tires and a good weight distribution in the
trailer plus the proper tounge weight are the key to happy trailering.
Uli

Not to belabor the point, but the two vehicles in my experiment were similar
size, weight, overhang. The real difference was suspension stiffness. A soft
'98 Chevrolet Tahoe, and a (about same year) Ford Expedition. The Ford had a
stiffer suspension and more precise steering. The Chev was soft and more
"loose", the sway always started at about 70mph. The Tahoe was replaced with
a '03 Avalanche---stiffer suspension, tighter steering. Same trailer was
then towed without sway at any speed.

Hartley Falbaum
"KF" USA

On Feb 22, 5:12*pm, Robin wrote:
I want to replace the tires on my Komet trailer. The original tire
size is P165/80 R13, which is now hard to find.

The choice seems to be either a Firestone passenger car radial in the
correct size or a slightly taller Towmaster made by Greenball. *The
trailer tire will have a taller but stiffer sidewall. It will come a
little closer to the fender, but my mechanic says less than half an
inch closer. The size is 175/80 R13.

*I plan to tow about 75 mph most of the time. I really want to avoid
sway.

Any experience with these tires out there?

Thanks,
Robin RF

Robin,
Bought tires from a trailer repair place on W. Beaver.
Normandy to Chaffee, Chaffee across I10, across rr tracks, turn
right, just down the road on the right.
They mounted them for me. I had the trailer on blocks in Shawns
hangar.
I was advised to stay away from radials because they create sway.

r/Jim
LS-1f/N20GA/1J

wrote:
Robin,
Bought tires from a trailer repair place on W. Beaver.
Normandy to Chaffee, Chaffee across I10, across rr tracks, turn
right, just down the road on the right.
They mounted them for me. I had the trailer on blocks in Shawns
hangar.
I was advised to stay away from radials because they create sway.

Bad advice. ST tires come in both bias-belted and radial construction.
The only advantage to a bias-belted trailer tire is it's cheaper. Cobra
trailers have come with radials for decades; also, wander through a new
travel trailer lot, and notice how they all have radials. Also, last
time I looked, there was very little choice in non-radial sizes. Some
major companies don't even sell them.

--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA (netto to net to email me)

- "Transponders in Sailplanes - Feb/2010" also ADS-B, PCAS, Flarm http://tinyurl.com/yb3xywl

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