www.iFourWinns.com

Thanks Wet Doggg for being our test subject. I hope to get positive reports back over the next few years

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2005 Horizon 250

For anyone needing tires right now, I have had good service from the Kenda Load Star bias tires on my trailer, they have been on there for 7 years without problems. You can get them from Eastern Marine in Delaware, and I have seen that they come standard on many new Venture and Load Rite trailers....

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88 Four Winns 200 Horizon
4.3 OMC Cobra-4bbl
2002 Walker Bay 10/2012 Suzuki 2.5
2008 Walker Bay 8

1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0/Selectrac
2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7 Hemi/Quadradrive II

Just talked to the place I've bought all my tires for 25 years. They sell Carlisle and the guy I spoke with knew about the redesign. He said at the moment they have the 8-ply tires (load range D) out in the new design, but not the 6-ply (LR C), yet, but they're working on those.

I also just became responsible for a 22' enclosed marching band utility trailer that's way overdue for new tires. It currently has 8 year old, load range C (i.e., running at the limit of their capacity), Canadian-built Marathons that are worn down almost to the carcasses, have been run on the highway for extended periods at 25% of proper pressure, have split sidewalls, never spent a day OUT of the sun, and have never caused a problem. Those days seem to be over.

I'm strongly considering putting new Carlisle D's on it. $608 out the door with balancing.

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Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

Not knocking your shop at all...my price that I paid from Discount Tire was just under $450 OTD with balancing and all.

I thought that seemed high too. As it happens there aren't many Carlisle dealers around here so I'd either have to have them shipped or pick a different brand.

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Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

if you have not bought your tires yet check out hercules tires I had the same issue with my travel trailer and boat trailer.I put the hercules tires on 2 years ago and I pull both trailers thousands of miles a year and I am very pleased with the weathering and road wear. the tires cost about 75.00 a piece.

Much thanks to Bill Kruger at FW. I received my replacement tire today (Greenball Towmaster), came with a rim too. I'll use it as my spare, I'm getting some Hercules trailer tires to replace the Freeway brand which my trailer came with. I've googled this brand, and I couldn't find any information on it, so I suspect its an offbrand chinese made tire.

I've run Hercules tires before on my car without issues, so I'll give their trailer tires a try.

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2011 SL242 5.7 VP GXi - 320 HP Dual Prop

I'm having a set of the new Carlisles (plus the spare) put on our marching band trailer this afternoon. We've got a bit of an odd size, especially when combined with the need for an 8-ply tire, so it basically came down to the Carlisle or the Maxxis. Frankly I would've gone with the Maxxis just based on more real world history and price, but that size/load range is on national backorder right now. I talked to the Maxxis USA HQ and was told there isn't a single one of those tires in North America at the moment.

So "new Carlisle" it is. I've brought the Director of Bands up to speed on the issues surrounding trailer tire maintenance and the importance of keeping the pressure topped off. That'll be my job for the next (probably) 2 years; after that it'll be up to him to make sure someone continues it. The current tires are 8-year-old Canadian Marathons which have been run on half (or less) of rated pressure for most of their lives due to sheer negligence. They went from Kansas to Florida and back twice that way, loaded to the limit. Not one blowout. Hopefully I've impressed on him the fact that he'll never have that kind of performance out of his trailers again.

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Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

RANT ON
Why is it so hard to get good quality North American built trailer tires?
There must be a billion trailer tires that need replacing. The RV trailer market must experience the same thing.
Buying decent tires for a car or light truck is simple. I have always subscribed to the theory of proper trailer tires for a trailer and not LT tires. But now I'm not so sure...
RANT OFF

I too need to replace the 4 year old Carlisle's on my trailer. 1 sidewall cracked at last count, less than 3000miles.

Greg

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2008 210SS 6.2L DTS Bravo 1 Now featuring MercMonitor w/SmartTow

I did not know that the Load Star was imported!! Thanks!!

Yep they are made by Kenda, a company that has factories throughout South East Asia, I think. Most people who have them at least from reports on the 'net think well of them.
If you want decent quality, not made in the Far East, to me there are a couple of choices in LT tires, in a 15" size..
Goodyear Wrangler ATS, LT 235/75-15 D rated

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp ... &tab=Sizes


Pirelli Scorpion ATR, LT 235/75-75 D rated.

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp ... mpare1=yes

the Goodyear is made in the US, the Pirelli in South America, both are rated at 2335 lbs at 65 psi. About as high as you can find for a 15" wheel.
The GY is cheaper, at 105 each the Pirelli is a lot more, 153 each.
I'd say given the poor quality of trailer tires, if I had 15" rims I'd go with the GY.

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88 Four Winns 200 Horizon
4.3 OMC Cobra-4bbl
2002 Walker Bay 10/2012 Suzuki 2.5
2008 Walker Bay 8

1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0/Selectrac
2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7 Hemi/Quadradrive II

Same reason it's so hard to get good quality North American built anything these days. You're right, the RV crowd is scrambling for the new "go-to" tire too, probably more so than the boating community. You'd think the market is big enough to warrant someone making a really good tire. Who knows, maybe this new Carlisle will be it. Maybe not.

I will say, the Korean Hankooks I put on my wife's minivan a year ago may just be the best tires I've ever owned. They are by far the quietest and they're wearing beautifully. As I see it, the biggest problem at the moment is that trailer tires for the most part just aren't made by the major manufacturers. If Michelin or even BFG would make a trailer tire it would probably be decent. It's truly disgusting that GY took the Marathon and turned it into crap.

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Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic

Hercules trailer tires are installed. I got load range E for $120/tire installed. I'll post my review next weekend, I'm taking the boat to Crystal Beach on lake Erie, about 200km one way.

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2011 SL242 5.7 VP GXi - 320 HP Dual Prop

I put a set of Hankooks on my Armada about a year ago. They are more on the knobby side but still amazingly quiet on the highway. Best tires I have owned.

Well...over 600 miles put on the new Carlisles in the past week. Probably 1,200 since new. They are running great and holding 65 pounds.

Thanks for the update WD! Now that I've spent over $600 of band parent donation money (including the spare and a wheel repair), I'm glad to hear there's hope for them. Hope your big trip went great.

Next decision will be next year for me: Carlisle or Maxxis... I'm hoping the answer will come to me in a dream.

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Mike
2005 Four Winns 230/240
VP 5.7GXi/DP
1998 F-150 XLT
Boat Pic