All steel construction? Please elaborate. I have no experience with those Michelin's. Are you saying the sidewalls are belted in steel along with the tread? Nathan

 

That's correct. The Goodyear Wrangler HT has a fabric carcass with steel tread belts. The Michelin XPS Rib is all steel construction. You can get more information HERE.

Rusty

 

Thanks for posting that link, that's the same link I got by going to TireRack.com. But I'm still dubious of Michelin's "all-steel construction" claim. I looked at the link specifically at the cut-away pics in the PDF file and I'm wondering if one was to saw thru the tire across the tread, bead to bead, would the tire actually not have nylon radial plies in the sidewall? What does the side of the tire actually say about the sidewall plies? Then I'll hush up. Thanks, Nathan

 

I'll have to go to the RV storage facility and see. I wouldn't doubt the all-steel construction claim - that's standard fare with commercial tires. You can also check out the Goodyear G159 series (used to be the G614, I think) - it's an all-steel construction commercial-type tire that's available up to load range G in 16" sizes, I believe.

Rusty

 

Thanks for checking, I'll be standing by. Nat

 

I think the axles are usually adquate it's the wheels & tires that are always underrated unless you go with the high end 5th. wheels. Snowbird and Alfa have very good tires & axles on them. I didn't upgrade the wheels on mine but did the tires. Seems like the Big O's trailer tire is pretty good.

 

OK, here's the sidewall information off the Michelin XPS Ribs:

Tread - 4 steel plies

Sidewall - 1 steel ply

Rusty

 

Hi fellas,I thought I'd chime in here on the trailer weight ratings as they applied in Manitoba and Saskatchewan,Canada. I was a Rainbow Trailer(utility,flatdecks,goosenecks,etc.) dealer in Sask. for 6 years, and when I first started getting my trailers,the plate on the trailer was the same as the axle rating,even if the tires didn't add up to that max. weight. Then the Trasportation Board stepped in and forced the manufacturer to change the max. wt. rating to match the maximum of the tires. If the tires were rated higher than the axles,then the axle rating was again allowed on the tag. Bottom line,is no matter what the tag says, you can't overload the capacity of the tires.The mfg. then started using Marathon trailer radials on all of their trailers, and the problem was solved...but for a period of time, they had to de-rate their trailers.....rules may be different in other jurisdictions. Hope I wasn't rambling on...Mark.

 

thanks Rusty, That's good enough for me. I wonder if they can be plugged if one picks up a nail or a screw? Nat

 

I'm not sure about plugging, but they can certainly be patched from inside the tire.

Rusty