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!! Towing Pictures !! *** Post Them Up ***

3M views 8K replies 2K participants last post by  jdwarren 
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#6,049 · (Edited)
Well broke the trucks towing cherry officially. (when I first got it I hooked up the travel trailer and drove around for a few minutes, and I've towed a log splitter but I don't think either of those really count)

Made a 4 1/2 hour run each way up to Tobyhanna Army Depot to pick up six Hotbox food warmers. Manufacturer web page says they weigh 800 lbs each. Got 14.5 mpg.

 
#6,052 ·


Ol jd 4520 14000 lbs
 
#6,055 ·
Here is mine on the old wheels and tires pullin the wheelers
 

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#6,059 · (Edited)
Kainedogg, Do you have a pintle syle hitch or regular? If regular ,looks like it would be hard on coupler unloading....
 
#6,060 ·
It is a regular hitch friend. Had no issues actually. Once the tractor was off, we used the lever and legs to raise it up just enough and we were good to go. I have had more issues using a regular U-haul car trailer...lol.
 
#6,064 · (Edited)
No Prob, I am High Voltage Lineman ,this is what we use at work with some heavy loads..Check for the biggest available.....with our job, Safety First.....Take Care...:D
 
#6,063 ·
I totally rewired this puppy new 60,diodes per 4 1/2" round rear lights sealed and drilled on gromments then new rubber, acid bath 2x coats primer and 1 finish. Not sure about mam hours but she's rust free and has a new floor that my 6 yr old painted black stripes so I'd know where the cross members are, how do you say no to that!?
 

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#6,066 ·
Hauled a lb7 to auction for one of my buddies last week. The engine was hammering and we suspected that it had a broke wrist pin. The auction was 3 hours away and the truck pulled like a dream. I filled up when I got home and it got 13 mpg. Of course I just pulled a empty trailer home so I sure that helped the mileage some. I was by no means nice to the truck and for a most of the trip the speed limit was 75 so I was running 80..







 
#6,067 ·
^^^ 80 mph is way too quick to be towing a vehicle for me (dually for that matter) But on the other hand to each his own.... 13 mpg nice!!!
 
#6,068 ·
He has 10,000lbs MAX there. He likely didn't even know it was behind that LML. Yah it's pretty quick to be towing any load. But it's not like he's anywhere near overloaded.
 
#6,071 · (Edited)
I'm not sure where they test those ST tires for load capacity/speed/heat....but it wasn't in Texas during the summer. :rofl
They'll run 25+* hotter than the tow vehicle, even at 60mph.

Never knew the design for the ST was so when it DOES blow, less damage....
So, you're saying the mfr KNOWS the tire is crap and it WILL blow out? :rof

Probably so true. humpin:
But yeah, 80 with a load on....nono
 
#6,072 ·
Never knew the design for the ST was so when it DOES blow, less damage....
I've seen some pretty gnarly damage from ST tires having blown out still though. I doubt the intention was for less damage, but the tire is half the weight and half the rigidity of an LT tire. Which also is a point to why LT tires on a trailer are bad, because when turning the LT sidewall won't "give" like an ST will and causes mute damaging tire scrub where the actual trailer tire is designed to be scrub friendly and allow it to fold in on itself to save the tread.
Learning that made me feel much better about doing high degree slow backing maneuvers where the tires look like they're ready to come off the bead.
 
#6,073 ·
Oh, I've been up down and all 'round with all aspects of trailer tires....it was a poke at ST humor. :grinn

Never understood the Sidewall flex myth though; they all drag in a turn, they all have scrub wear, doesn't matter what's on the wheel for a tire. It's the nature of the beast with multiple rigid axles. You should see the flex on heavily loaded triples. :eek:
Knowledge in backing/pull-ups can limit the sidewall loading, but it's still detrimental to both LT or ST tires.

Abuse History. Every tight turn with heavy twisting sidewall loads, every curb you flex it over in either backing or leaving, every pothole you dodge with the truck but the trailer tires catch, it all adds up in weakening the tire and....pop! Or if you inspect regularly and often when in use, you catch the bloated sidewall, tread separations and/or bloated centers, before they blow out.

In carrying a heat gun along and monitoring sidewall temps when underway, what I have noticed is that the ST tires run Significantly Hotter sidewall temps than like LTs, whether on the truck or in use on the trailer, empty or loaded.

Excessive heat is what causes any tire to separate and blow. Higher speeds, too low of psi, too hot of road conditions, punctures,....so many factors, it's always a guessing game as to fault. I think it all factors in with abuse history of the tire. I think that's where the LT excels, with stronger sidewall construction to hold up to the abuse and run at lower temps as a result.

10 LTs and 4 STs in trailer use (down from 16 STs)...I've never had an LT failure and actual punctures I can count on 1-hand after years of service. Actual, for many times I can just pull the nail/screw/metal out and it never punctures the inner carcass.

Complete opposite history with ST use, where I was at a Discount 1-2 times a week for either a flat or replacement. I knew all the local Mgrs by 1st name. Downerrr
After the switch, it was 4 months before a visit, and it wasn't an actual puncture...1-5/8" roofing nail dead center, no leak. :D
 
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#6,075 ·
First time adding a picture, here goes.
 

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#6,077 · (Edited)
I'll play
 

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#6,078 · (Edited)
When I was in the market for tires, I was told Maxxis was one of the best, high priced and made in China....NO THANKS...I bought Hercules ST, had to replace 1 already from a sidewall buldge....replaced on the road with Goodyear, read a lot of bad about them too...not a lot of choice there...I agree I too have seen bad blowouts with ST tires....try to keep speed down and ThermoGun as HookEm said.
I guess we need these tires ... fast forward to 4:30 in video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_E0LYU0AYG8
 
#6,079 ·
I thought Maxxis were made in Thailand, or was it Taiwan?

In that Vid, interesting to see the low pressure drag area on the back of the trailer, showing how the rear shape makes a difference over the front wall drag in towing. It'd be interesting to see some air tabs applied on the trailer to see what kind of difference it would make....then scaled up to a big 5er for fuel use gains. HmmMMmm

Instead of the most popular used ST225/75R-15 RV tires, I ordered the same bolt pattern in a 16" wheel. Then mounted LT225/75R-16E Duravis R250 steel wrapped re-grooveable commercial tires on 'em. Only 1/2" taller tire/wheel, same width. Walls of steel, it's difficult to see any bulge/squat on these sidewalls.


Now rollin' on 53 lbs of virtually indestructible wrapped steel, rated at 100mph on each corner. RV tire worries in any heat/condition are no longer a concern. It's nice to be able to look forward, instead of constantly checking in the rear for the next tire failure. :neener

 
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#6,080 ·
Nice HookEm, How much do those run? Gonna look in to them next go round...Is that a 5th wheel? I have a Jayco5ver.....plan on retiring in 5-6 years plan on updating to a Redwood 31SL......there is daylight at the end of the tunnel finally after 32 years of powerlines....Thanks for info!
 
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