My truck has steel stems but the TT did have s standard rubber stems on it until my recent upgrade to the Sailun tires and new wheels which have steel stems. We towed the trailer like that for about 20K miles with no stem issues, but TST does recommend using steel stems.

 

I contacted a dealer called technorv and he says the same thing.....probably going with the caps.....

 

Do you like the flow throughs model?

The first set I bought were the 510's. When they came out with the 507's, with the user changeable batteries, I called and asked about them, kicking myself in the butt because I bought them just several months too early to get the 507's. They allowed me to trade my 510's for the 507's so I could change my own batteries. At that time I asked about the flow throughs and the tech on the phone seemed to steer me away from them for some reason, mentioning that he liked the 507 non-flowthrough design better. He mentioned that there really is no reason to take them off unless you need to add or release air, as the checking of the pressure can be done by simply looking at the display... I thought, DUH and went with the non FT ones for simplicity. I assumed that there might be some kind of an issue with the the flow through design, maybe they'd leak or something. If there was an issue, I'm sure they'd have figured it out and remedied it by now, however... I'd be curious to hear how you like yours though.

 

As stated above, TST does recommend steel valve stems. I did use mine with rubber for about a year, then eventually having steel stems installed. The rubber ones looked fine when they came off. It might just be a overkill/liability thing, recommending steel, but I figured that it would defeat the purpose of investing in a safety feature for my rig if I chose to have a weak point in the tires system and installed steel stems.

 

The flow through units are pretty long and i dont think i'd chace them on rubber stems. I have the non flow through (on rubber stems) and can see the upside to either. My non flow through and snap on gauge disagree on pressure and taking them on and off and waiting for it to register can be annoying.

I have the 507rv. 3 batteries are dead so I will be changing them this week. Believe I will just leave the anti tamper covers off when I do. I only monitor the trailer, part of the reason for a dually was NOT having to deal with TPMS.

When I do the new GY Endurance I will go to steel stems just for peace of mind.

 

First...? The word "Guinee Pig" comes to mind. Hope not.
So far the are on the wheels and on the trailer and on the concrete pad where the 5er usually sits until I take it out so no impressions yet other than they are obviously more beefy than the china bombs I took off.
I have a few trips planned later this year, still just a part time RV'er, so I keep checking and let you know how they are holding up.

 

No issues with my flow through sensors at all, I have not had to add air to my Nittos on the EX in the 4 years they have been on, the factory China bombs on the TT did require periodic air addition. I started to finally have a couple of batteries die at the end of last season so all 8 sensors are getting new batteries before we head to DC next week.
The sensor really aren't that long or heavy, they are a whisker longer than the non flow through sensors of course though. The rubber stem on the old TT wheels were very short and the design of the rim had the sensors lay against the rim most of the time, I suppose that lessened the strain on the rubber stems some. I do feel better having the steel stems all around now though, one less weak link. We bought a 6 sensor 507RV set for friends of ours with a Class A MH and another camping friend couple bought a 10 (6 MH/4 toad) sensor set based on our recommendation. So far all 24 of those sensors (all flow through) are working well with no failures.

 

So after lots of going back and forth with some local and some not so local dealers, no one wants to give me anywhere near what my 5th wheel is worth so I'm getting new tires in the upcoming week.

My size is ST 235/60/16...load E obviously.

I was thinking something in a Good Year since I don't see us getting rid of the trailer in the next 2-4 years. Anything else I should look at before I buy and what's already been suggested?

Thanks and sorry for the long wait on the outcome.

Sarge

 

I ultimately went with the Sailun. Was going to go with Goodyear endurance until I found my wheels marked for 110 psi. They cost $130 more but that was because the local guy rocked me to install them. Could not get them local and had to order online. I had the chance to check out the endurance on a trailer while at the tire shop, I can't really say they appear any different than a China tire. We expect better QC from an American made tire but only time will tell. The tread is less aggressive than a typical China bomb, but is also very shallow at 8/32 new. Felt like the sailun was worth the upgrade.

 

Just completed a 900mi trip with the new GY Endurance. South Fla to pan handle at 90degs+ each day. My Tire Minder said they ran @10-15degs above ambient temps. Not really sure but I am guessing that's acceptable. So far so good

 

Thank you for the feed back on the Good Years

 

Don't know alot about tire specs but did run though a stretch of losing tires on my fifth wheel about six years back during a cross country run. That's when I learned about the speed rating on ST tires made at that time. 65mph. I usually travel between 60-7Omph. Sometimes slightly higher when it's safe to do. With the August heat and a loaded trailer, 65 mph tires were at their limit. Switched to LT tires and I've been fine since. I understand that ST tires made after 2015 have a speed rating code stamped on them. Would suggest if the speed rating is like a load rating which can vary on the same name tire, make sure it's where you want it to be.

 

Thanks,

I originally was going to go with an LT tire, but there are too many mixed reviews on them. I don't usually travel faster than 65mph anyway due to the substantial hit in the fuel economy.

Sarge

 

Here's a quote of what is supposed to be the code for ST tires from 2015 on. You might want to give yourself a little buffer with a 75mph rating. Apparently the low end is 62mph now. Just something that's better to know now than later.




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:

M - 81 mph
L - 75 mph
J - 62 mph

 

Here is a response from Maxxis Support Team, when asked about the speed rating of the 8008 series ST tires.....BTW....A "Q" rating equates to 99 MPH

"High Speed" is used to differentiate the M8008 ST Radial from other products we offer that are intended for industrial and/or commercial use, in slow speed applications. The Maxxis M8008 ST Radial carries a "Q" speed rating. However, according to the Tire and Rim Association, the U.S. tire industry specification authority, inflation pressures and load specifications in general for any ST Radial trailer tires without a service description, regardless of the manufacturer, are designed and rated at 65 MPH. However, if the speed is higher than 65 MPH, the pressure and load need to be adjusted according to the following guidelines:
From 66 to 75 MPH – the tire inflation pressure needs to increase 10 PSI (not to exceed the maximum PSI the tire is rated for) but requires no load adjustment.
From 76 to 85 MPH – the tire inflation pressure needs to increase 10 PSI (not to exceed the maximum PSI the tire is rated for) and load should be reduced by 10%.
We hope this information is helpful. Thanks for your inquiry and interest in Maxxis Tires.
Best Regards,
Your Maxxis Support Team
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Maxxis International – USA
Email: MaxxisSupport@maxxis.com | Web: maxxis.com