7,000 Mile Trip -Tires

[pmhellings]

Hello all. I recently returned from a trip in my 2010 2720 SL. We traveled from St. Augustine, Fl to the Maritimes in Canada, zig zagging our way North.

When I bought the TM the previous owner was proud to point out that it had new tires. They were a brand named "Crusader" and were Load Range C. I had never heard of them, but I was not comforted by the "C" rating. The limit is too close to the TM's gross weight for safety.

I started reading on the Forum and it seemed like the thinking was to go to 15" wheels and tires which may require a 2" lift kit. It seemed counterproductive to me to raise my camper 2 to 2-1/2" inches. Didn't we buy these things so that they would be low? Also, 15" tires and wheels weigh more than 14" wheels and the weight is "unstrung" weight, the worst kind.

My previous camper was a Chalet A frame and, after being very disappointed with the tire wear on it, I had found E-Trailr's Provider tires to be long wearing and highly rated. I found that the Taskmaster/A21514RTM45SM tires ( actually labeled Povider) were rated Load Range D at 65 psi and came with the correct wheels at about $130 each, delivered.

I ordered these and when they arrived a few days later, had my local tire shop put in a metal valve stem and balance each on for about $15 each. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT. Lots of people believe that you don't need to balance trailer tires. They are wrong.

7,000 miles later, after Interstates at 65mph, back roads, gravel logging roads and one road I could never have done without my 4x4 Tacoma in 4 wheel Low. The tires have held up very well. No uneven wear pattern or cupping and, indeed, not much real wear at all! I kept them at 60-62 psi. and found very little air loss and that may have been due to the temperature difference between 95 degree Florida and 70 degree Maine and Canada.

There are lots of good tire options out there. These, from my recent experience, appear to be one of them.

Paul