Will My Truck Tires Fit Fifth Wheel

[FlashG]

My truck has LT 265/75R16 Bridgestone tires.

Will my truck tires fit the Montana.

The Montana came with 235/80R16E Goodyear Marathon tires.

From what I have read on the forums the Marathons are not great tires.

I would buy new tires for the truck instead of the trailer.

Pardon my ignorance - as I know nothing about tires.

[racerjoe]

size wise they would fit, but load rateing, and tire type is more important I feel. trailer tires are rated to be used for that purpose, I believe sidewall rateing comes into play. You need to go to a good tire shop for expert advice.

[clutch]

You need to check the load rating of the tires. Also the 265's are not as tall as 235's.

[NCFischers]

LonnieB can answer your questions. So can some others that are tire knowledgable. We have some really good go to guys for tires on the forum.

[camper4]

You should never put truck tires on trailers or trailer tires on trucks. They are designed differently because of the different stresses they get. No way. Do not do it.

[stiles watson]

Tires should be replaced when they are 5 years old or less regardless of the apparent condition of the tread. Personally, I would not put any kind of used tires on my trailer. Blowouts can cause significant body damage to your RV and you may not even immediately realize that you are running on a flat.

On my 2003 Big Sky, we experienced 4 blowouts in a relatively short period of time, doing $5,000+ worth of damage to my rig. When I got really serious about tires, bought good tires for the Montana, and put in a pressure monitoring system, we have had good success in traveling extensively blowout free.

[8.1al]

The BFG 265/75/16 I looked at and the Marathon have 5 lbs. of the same load rating. Goodyear has one tire, the Wrangler HT that they recommend for trailers, how other truck tires would work? Don't know, I guess it would depend on tire construction. I do know Lonnie B. does have some truck tires he recommends for trailers

[scductman]

Lots of folks on here with LTs on there rvs. jmho LTs are alot better tire I have them and love them. the main reason is they are not made in china. again just my OP.
bobby

[8e3k0]

The 265 may be a bit wide for your RV wheel which reduces the flatness of the face of the tire required for good tread wear and stability. Also a 75 tire will be smaller in circumferance or in other words less sidewall height than a 80 or 85 tire.
You can use LT tires on a trailer with superior results but ST tires are recommended for trailers only and not for trucks do to safety requirements.

[Tom S.]

One other factoid about the tires. Tire manufactures recommend the 265's be mounted on a 7" to 8" rim (minimum width) and I believe the trailer rims are only 6" in width.

[LonnieB]

FlashG,

The short answer to your question is, maybe. The 265mm width, the age/condition, and the max load rating of the truck tires will be the deciding factors.

quote:By clutch

You need to check the load rating of the tires. Also the 265's are not as tall as 235's.

The LT265/75R16 is rated for a maximum load of 3415 pounds at 80 psi., giving a total load capacity of 13,660 pounds. If the trailer, fully loaded and hooked to the truck, weighs no more than 13660 at the axles, the tires will carry the load safely. The 265/75R16 is actually taller than the 235/80R16, as well as wider.
LT265/75R16 - 31.64 inches tall, and 10.43 inches wide.
ST235/80R16 - 30.8 inches tall, and 9.25 inches wide.

quote:By camper4

You should never put truck tires on trailers or trailer tires on trucks. They are designed differently because of the different stresses they get. No way. Do not do it.

Yes, ST (special trailer) and LT (light truck) tires are designed differently. Does this mean you should only use ST rated tires on your trailer? ABSOLUTELY NOT. As long as the LT rated tires have a load rating high enough to carry the weight, and there is enough clearance between the tires and the trailer, the LT would be my first choice. One of the first things I did when I bought the Montana new, was replace the ST rated tires with LT rated tires. Until they start building them to higher standards, I personally will not use ST rated tires unless there is no other choice.
I do agree with camper4 on one point. Never, ever, under any circumstance, use ST rated tires on ANY truck or other passenger vehicle. It is extremely unsafe, and very much against the law.

quote:By Tom S.

One other factoid about the tires. Tire manufactures recommend the 265's be mounted on a 7" to 8" rim (minimum width) and I believe the trailer rims are only 6" in width.

Absolutely correct Tom. The ideal wheel width for the 265/75R16 tire is 7.5 inches. I have installed them on stock GM wheels though that are only 6.5 inches wide, with no adverse effects.

[farmboy]

My 2005 2955 Monty came with LT tires on it from the factory. Very satisfied with them so far. In fact they are the same size tires that came on my 1999 1/2 ton truck. Just different brand.

[mlh]

I tried to put my 265 truck tires on my 2955 Monty. They would not fit. They were too wide and would have rubbed the plastic fenders. I have LT tires on my camper, work just fine. I try not to pull to fast almost never over 80 MPH. LT tires might be better for me because SP tires are rated for only 65 MPH, I think.
lynwood

[FlashG]

I talked to a mgr at a Les Schwab tire store today.

Their thoughts are the truck tires may work but they would have to do a test fit. Thanks for the replies and especially to one from Lonnie!