Low profile Stepdeck and tires blowing up, what's the story???

I yank a Mac with 245/70R/17.5. I run Bridgestone’s on mine. The only issue I have with them and it seems common across the board, is the edges of the tire wear out. I run 100PSI in them as well. No Auto-Inflation system on it, haven’t had a blow out. I also run about 65-68.

When you call for a tire on the road and tell them you run a 17.5, they cuss you under their breathe. They are a pain to swap out using the spoons.

 

The only way to get even tire wear on a 17.5 is to run higher air pressure.

 

I ran a lo pro spread axle for 3 years on 17.5's without an issue. Most brand tires are rated at 62 mph, including Michelin and Bridgestone. Continental makes an awesome 17.5 rated at 75 mph. Keep them inflated to 120 psi and make sure shocks are in good condition. When I traded that trailer, the tires were 14 months old with over 100k on them and still about 10/32nds left.

 

The Bridgestone’s I run are rated at 68mph.

 

I understand the best tire in the 17.5 size is the Continental they are not cheap but there is a special dealer pricing program I'm on that brings them down to not much more than a lesser brand you can also save $ by running the 215 size vs the 235 size I don't remember the exact amount but about 50$ per tire saving. they put up with the curb jumping well, on my trailer with 16 tires we legal 60K but that is only 3750 lb's per tire and in Kali we are not running as fast as every one else

 

I’ve been running 17.5 trailers for 20 years, you’ll never get the tire life of 22.5, but there are things you can do to make the tires last decent.

First thing is to run Continental tires. I’ve tired them all, and Continental wins hands down. I know they are high, but what is the price of sitting on the shoulder with a blowout, waiting on the tire guy?

Second, stay below 65 mph when it’s hot and you are heavy.

Third, carry a mounted spare. Nobody stocks 17.5. I’ve carried 2 spares on extra long trips and needed both of them, but that was before we swapped to Continental.

Also, I’d stay with 235. You can get lower with 215, and they are cheaper to buy, but don’t hold up as well.

A couple of our trailers have auto tire inflation, I think that helps also. I’ll never buy another new trailer without it, with any size tires.

 

How do you run nitro tires and also auto tire inflation?

I’ve heard mixed reviews about if nitrogen works. I’ve seen “studies” that say it is God’s gift to tires, but they were put out by people selling nitrogen. I’ve seen others say it’s just a sales gimmick for dealers and tire shops to up charge you. I tend to agree with the latter, because the atmosphere is already made up with something like 78% nitrogen, and you’d have to pull a vacuum on the tire before you filled it to get all the atmosphere out and have 100% nitrogen.

 

Well I used to work at Mercedes and used to filled car tires up. U can fill with nitrogen and the auto inflation with adjust if need won’t hurt non. Still the nitrogen doesn’t heat up as fast as it would completely fill with regular air

 

If I can get my tires to 78% nitrogen, is that good enough?

 

Friend of mine looses a couple 17.5’s a month. All good quality brands and a sticker for psi and treadwear. He runs I-10 mostly. We think its the heat build up from axles and brakes. 17.5’s don’t have much space between wheel and drum for air flow to help stay cooler.

His 19.5 trailer didn’t have too many tire issues.