For the towing newbies...

[Sherman Bird]

It should have come with one originally. My '17 has one, it stays in the little slot in the glove box that is, imagine this, the PERFECT size for just the owner's manual!

But I echo the statements, I have bought SO MANY used cars that just...don't have an owner's manual. Both from private party and dealers. I don't know if people just throw them away, or if dealers toss them out when they detail a car, or what...but there's a LOT of important info in those that apparently a wide swath of owners just don't care about.

It should have come with one originally. My '17 has one, it stays in the little slot in the glove box that is, imagine this, the PERFECT size for just the owner's manual!

But I echo the statements, I have bought SO MANY used cars that just...don't have an owner's manual. Both from private party and dealers. I don't know if people just throw them away, or if dealers toss them out when they detail a car, or what...but there's a LOT of important info in those that apparently a wide swath of owners just don't care about.

People as a larger base, just do not read instructions as a general rule. Then, they get their proverbial buttock in a sling and cry foul!

 

[TomB 1269]

Another trick for securing the rear of the car on a uhual is to run straps thru rim or to do a loop around the upper 1/3 of the tire with a froward pithc and pull the strap down over the rear similar fashion to the way the front works. I find trying to strap axle and other places not as easy as you'd think due to brake lines, etc. And lot of frames require the special keyed hooks to get a good bite.

 

[62Blazer]

Eh I don't know.... .... every fifth wheel camper I've owned in the past 10 years has had a 65 mph speed rating from the factory. Even the larger fifth wheels. This is something that a lot of folks assume without actually taking the time to look at it.

I just double-checked eTrailer and every 15" or 16" trailer tire they offer is either a 75 mph or 81 mph rated tire. Goodyear has 15" trailer tires rated up to 87 mph. Carlisle also shows all of it's trailer tires at least 75 mph rated.
I know not that long ago it was common to see trailer tires only rated for 65 mph, but not nowadays. Can't imagine that a tire manufacturer would want to offer a tire only rated for only 65 mph when it's common to have speed limits greater than that on freeways. If anything the liability associated with this. Regardless of any warnings or rating they would post on the trailer tire you know somebody would have a wreck and try to sue the company even if they were running 90 mph on a 65 mph rated tire!

 

[nlambert182]

I just double-checked eTrailer and every 15" or 16" trailer tire they offer is either a 75 mph or 81 mph rated tire. Goodyear has 15" trailer tires rated up to 87 mph. Carlisle also shows all of it's trailer tires at least 75 mph rated.
I know not that long ago it was common to see trailer tires only rated for 65 mph, but not nowadays. Can't imagine that a tire manufacturer would want to offer a tire only rated for only 65 mph when it's common to have speed limits greater than that on freeways. If anything the liability associated with this. Regardless of any warnings or rating they would post on the trailer tire you know somebody would have a wreck and try to sue the company even if they were running 90 mph on a 65 mph rated tire!

Check RV tires.

Most are knock off brands with 65mph ratings. It has always been the very first thing that I change when I buy a trailer (fifth wheel or any RV trailer).

 

[62Blazer]

Check RV tires.

Most are knock off brands with 65mph ratings. It has always been the very first thing that I change when I buy a trailer (fifth wheel or any RV trailer).

Not sure what "RV" tires are.....have never heard of an RV specific tire, but guess that doesn't mean they don't exist?
I'm not saying that 65 mph rated trailer tires have never existed, but just not very common today. Again, not saying you are lying or anything but would be curios if you could link any sites to a normal size trailer rated tire (15" or larger rim size) currently produced that were only rated for 65 mph. Agree that a lot of people don't pay any attention to the load or speed ratings on a trailer tire and they should, and knowing which brands have a lower speed rating would be helpful.

 

[Dan Topp]

I have the weigh safe too real good engineering,but still wish I had a 3/4 ton or one ton my wife didn’t like how tall they were then oks me doing a 4” lift Great thread excellent work.

 

[Dan Topp]

screwed up somehow deleted the duplicate

 

[nlambert182]

Not sure what "RV" tires are.....have never heard of an RV specific tire, but guess that doesn't mean they don't exist?
I'm not saying that 65 mph rated trailer tires have never existed, but just not very common today. Again, not saying you are lying or anything but would be curios if you could link any sites to a normal size trailer rated tire (15" or larger rim size) currently produced that were only rated for 65 mph. Agree that a lot of people don't pay any attention to the load or speed ratings on a trailer tire and they should, and knowing which brands have a lower speed rating would be helpful.

Sure. They're primarily an "ST" tire. Most RV manufacturers used them for decades. You can sometimes find that some are beginning to use Goodyear Endurance (Jayco) or Sailun (what I ran on all mine) but many still come with the cheap no-name tires. And most were rated for 65mph (at least up until 2021, when we got out of it).

Some of the most common that I've seen/experienced:

Trailer King
Mastertrack
Lionhart (was on my last fiver)
Westlake
Goodride
Arisun
Provider
National Roadmax

Most are very thin. 8-10 ply is pretty standard. I was able to fold the Lionhart tires in half when they were removed.

 

[62Blazer]

Sure. They're primarily an "ST" tire. Most RV manufacturers used them for decades. You can sometimes find that some are beginning to use Goodyear Endurance (Jayco) or Sailun (what I ran on all mine) but many still come with the cheap no-name tires. And most were rated for 65mph (at least up until 2021, when we got out of it).

Some of the most common that I've seen/experienced:

Trailer King
Mastertrack
Lionhart (was on my last fiver)
Westlake
Goodride
Arisun
Provider
National Roadmax

Most are very thin. 8-10 ply is pretty standard. I was able to fold the Lionhart tires in half when they were removed.

I looked up several of the brands listed above and all were either an L (75 mph) or M (81 mph) speed rating........
Agree these can all be cheap and generic tires with questionable durability and quality control, but the point on my comment was about the speed rating...and just hate seeing misinformation being spread around. If you can provide an actual link that shows a normal size trailer tire currently available that is only rated for 65 mph than post it!

 

[nlambert182]

It looks like a lot of manufacturers are indeed increasing their speed ratings in the past few years. However, that does not mean that it isn't true. Tell you what..... drive down to your local RV store and look at the speed ratings on some of the tires on their fifth wheels (or travel trailers). You'll see what I mean.

There's no misinformation here. I've been towing fifth wheels for the better part of a decade, have gone through the same issues as every other rv'er. More than likely there are quite a few in here that know exactly what I am talking about.

What is the difference between ST and LT tires? - Venture Trailers

Comparing ST and LT Tires: Understanding the Variances Special Trailer (ST) tires are purpose-built for trailer axle applications, catering to the specific demands of towing without consideration for passenger comfort. Unlike Light Truck (LT) tires, ST tires are engineered to endure heavy loads...

venturetrailers.com

"Tires on boat trailers have to be ST tires which stands for Special Tire. ST tires are designed specifically for boat, car and utility trailers. They are built to carry heavy loads on non-powered axles and are rated for a maximum speed of 65mph. Their stiff sidewalls help prevent your boat/trailer towing package from swaying. All ST tires feature materials and construction designed to meet the higher load requirements and demands trailer towing presents. ST tires have some of the highest load ratings. This is one of the reasons they are designated for use on trailers. Truck and automobile tires do not have to withstand the weight and stress that is put on trailer tires."

https://www.etrailer.com/question-152234.html

Special trailer tires have a maximum speed rating, just like passenger car and truck tires. Older tires have no special marking to designate a limit. Their maximum speed is 65 mph. Newer tires, those manufactured in 2015 and later, should have one of the following codes on the sidewall to show their rating:
(Note that I DID say that they may have changed that rating since I last had one...)

"Point of clarification. The Tire and Rim Association load formula used by the industry for ST-type tires is based on a 65 mph max operating speed. They even identified inflation increase and load capability reductions necessary to operate up to 75 mph. Neither P- nor LT-type tires have stated max speed associated with their load formula or calculation, as far as I can find. P-type do have the stated 1.10 “derating” of load capacity when used on a trailer or pickup."

ST tire speed rating, and why you should stay under 65 mph

RV Tire Safety with RV tire expert Roger Marble Point of clarification. The Tire and Rim Association load formula used by the industry for ST-type tires is

www.rvtravel.com

Hope this helps.

 

[Random_Walk]

Some of the most common that I've seen/experienced:

Trailer King
Mastertrack
Lionhart (was on my last fiver)
Westlake
Goodride
Arisun
Provider
National Roadmax

Most are very thin. 8-10 ply is pretty standard. I was able to fold the Lionhart tires in half when they were removed.

Yipe... I lucked out (sorta) when I found a set of Goodyear Wrangler A/Ts on mine (no kidding - 225/75R16, even the spare.) Helps that the trailer was built with the clearance and off road torsion axles, though.

 

[gfh77665]

Over 90% of the heat in an automatic transmission is from a combination of transient heat from the engine (very little). The remaining heat is from embroiling the trans fluid inside the torque converter. THAT is the chief culprit of the heat. The friction caused by shear forces inside the stator is incredible! I can remember pulling a GMC/ Chevy truck or Suburban in from the parking lot at the dealer.... after it was stone cold from all night sitting; knowing I needed to pull the unit to fix it. I'd pull it 150 or so feet into the bay and shut off the engine. The torque converter would be hot enough from that bit of operation so as I'd need gloves to handle it!

Today's transmissions have been very much improved since my transmission specialty days.

These new cars/ trucks have radiator cooling fans that are electric and move WAY more air volume than the old style clutch mechanical ones. Also, the fluids are chiefly synthetic.

Q for SB: How bad is burnouts on a trans? I have a 2004 Chevy Avalanche with the 5.3. Everyone please relax, its near the end of its life, with 265K. The engine performs like day 1 but the rest of the truck is falling apart. We have fun in it. I do an occasional burnout on pavement, but I really like to "mud" off road and on the beaches here. When I am mudding, I rev it up and sling mud everywhere. On the beach I cut high rpm "donuts" in the sand repetitively.

OK I totally get that none of this is good for the truck or its trans, but I am trying to roughly quantify how bad it really is. I was thinking that although the wheels spin out furiously (the odometer can easily get to 70+ mph) there is little load on the trans like towing or hauling exerts. I limit the true pavement burnouts to a few times a month. Does spinning out in sand or mud really hurt? Thanks.

 

[62Blazer]

It looks like a lot of manufacturers are indeed increasing their speed ratings in the past few years. However, that does not mean that it isn't true. Tell you what..... drive down to your local RV store and look at the speed ratings on some of the tires on their fifth wheels (or travel trailers). You'll see what I mean.

There's no misinformation here. I've been towing fifth wheels for the better part of a decade, have gone through the same issues as every other rv'er. More than likely there are quite a few in here that know exactly what I am talking about.

What is the difference between ST and LT tires? - Venture Trailers

Comparing ST and LT Tires: Understanding the Variances Special Trailer (ST) tires are purpose-built for trailer axle applications, catering to the specific demands of towing without consideration for passenger comfort. Unlike Light Truck (LT) tires, ST tires are engineered to endure heavy loads...

venturetrailers.com

"Tires on boat trailers have to be ST tires which stands for Special Tire. ST tires are designed specifically for boat, car and utility trailers. They are built to carry heavy loads on non-powered axles and are rated for a maximum speed of 65mph. Their stiff sidewalls help prevent your boat/trailer towing package from swaying. All ST tires feature materials and construction designed to meet the higher load requirements and demands trailer towing presents. ST tires have some of the highest load ratings. This is one of the reasons they are designated for use on trailers. Truck and automobile tires do not have to withstand the weight and stress that is put on trailer tires."

https://www.etrailer.com/question-152234.html

Special trailer tires have a maximum speed rating, just like passenger car and truck tires. Older tires have no special marking to designate a limit. Their maximum speed is 65 mph. Newer tires, those manufactured in 2015 and later, should have one of the following codes on the sidewall to show their rating:
(Note that I DID say that they may have changed that rating since I last had one...)

"Point of clarification. The Tire and Rim Association load formula used by the industry for ST-type tires is based on a 65 mph max operating speed. They even identified inflation increase and load capability reductions necessary to operate up to 75 mph. Neither P- nor LT-type tires have stated max speed associated with their load formula or calculation, as far as I can find. P-type do have the stated 1.10 “derating” of load capacity when used on a trailer or pickup."

ST tire speed rating, and why you should stay under 65 mph

RV Tire Safety with RV tire expert Roger Marble Point of clarification. The Tire and Rim Association load formula used by the industry for ST-type tires is

www.rvtravel.com

Hope this helps.

Again, add a link to any tire manufactures website or tire dealer that shows an ST tire in a 15" or 16" rim diameter size with only a 65 mph speed rating. And no, tire manufacturers are not somehow lying on the speed rating as the liability associated with doing that is huge. I agree that many years ago there were a lot of ST tires with 65 mph ratings but that has been a long time ago and not common today. No offense, but eTrailer is the Jiffy Lube and Walmart of the trailer industry and who knows how old that article is. The fact that they quote that all ST tires are only rated at 65 mph shows the article is old....also states that ST trailer tires have had specific speed ratings on them since 2015 which is 8 years ago.
Sorry, but just get tired of every time somebody asks about trailer tires and speeds you always get the comments "trailer/ST tires are only rated for 65 mph" which simply has not been true for quite awhile.
Yes, you should check the speed rating on your tires. There is a chance they are only rated at 65 mph....but if that is true I would also be concerned about how hold the tires are.

 

[CROYCO]

How can tell if I have a brake controller built into my tow package? 2014 Ram 1500

 

[62Blazer]

How can tell if I have a brake controller built into my tow package? 2014 Ram 1500

I would recommend starting a new thread versus adding onto an old thread....you have a better chance of getting an answer.
If you are wanting to know if the truck as a factory installed trailer brake controller it should be very obvious as there are buttons and controls on the dash specific for it. It's not like a trailer brake controller is just something in the ECM or hidden under the hood that requires no input from the driver. You typically always have a gain adjustment (how much brake force is applied), and a slide that let's you manually engage the brakes.....so again, you should be able to easily see it if it is there.

 

[2020PW]

Again, add a link to any tire manufactures website or tire dealer that shows an ST tire in a 15" or 16" rim diameter size with only a 65 mph speed rating. And no, tire manufacturers are not somehow lying on the speed rating as the liability associated with doing that is huge. I agree that many years ago there were a lot of ST tires with 65 mph ratings but that has been a long time ago and not common today. No offense, but eTrailer is the Jiffy Lube and Walmart of the trailer industry and who knows how old that article is. The fact that they quote that all ST tires are only rated at 65 mph shows the article is old....also states that ST trailer tires have had specific speed ratings on them since 2015 which is 8 years ago.
Sorry, but just get tired of every time somebody asks about trailer tires and speeds you always get the comments "trailer/ST tires are only rated for 65 mph" which simply has not been true for quite awhile.
Yes, you should check the speed rating on your tires. There is a chance they are only rated at 65 mph....but if that is true I would also be concerned about how hold the tires are.

LMAO….wrong…

Here you go, there are more tires rated at 65 or below than you think.

Ultra Sport RH

The Ultra Sport RH tire offers a low profile design with a high performance look.

www.carlislebrandtires.com

https://americanatire.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Kenda-ATW-Catalog-2023.pdf

Then again why drive fast towing a trailer????