# USA made trailer tire



## Neffs Whitewater Customs (Feb 8, 2018)

Good call Paul, cheap tires blow! Literally! Looks like we will be rafting again this summer, looking forward to it. Possibly a Lochsa as well this year???


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## Paul7 (Aug 14, 2012)

Yeah and these tires have a high speed rating, which I think is what kills most trailer tires. 

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## jbolson (Apr 6, 2005)

Is your interest in USA made is for quality, to support US manufacturing or some other reason?


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## Paul7 (Aug 14, 2012)

I'm definitely a patriot, I was really excited to see a US tire available. Most in the industry will agree that trailer tires aren't as good as they should/could be. Time will tell if this tire is noticeably better.

As far as the bearings I was going to replace them anyway so might as well get Timken.

I grew up replacing bearings on combines and tractors and Timken is just what we bought its just stuck with me.

Oddly one of my bearings was dented on the outer cage it did not have a brand just stamped China.

I've actually read that Chinese bearings can be really good etrailer says so. Trouble is how do I know which overseas bearing is junk and which is high quality?

I do lament loosing our manufacturing, looked at Craftsman lately? Might as well go to Harbor Freight, why buy Craftsman anymore over the honest import? 

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## mttodd (Jan 29, 2009)

Spot on with the Timkens. Once upon a time I made my living as a mechanic, still can’t ditch my bias towards American and Japanese bearings. Replaced the bearings on my dexter torflex axle. The Timkens were 11$ more. Well worth it. Thanks for the heads up on the tires. Wish they made them in 13inch flavor. Might just upgrade to 14 if I have the clearance. Would like a tire height measurement check against the trailer.


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## jbolson (Apr 6, 2005)

Paul7 - honest answer - thanks.

There are huge quality variations in stuff coming from China. Related to that is the fact that there are many US corporations over there that produce high quality goods for sale here. It somewhat of a crap shoot it seems, but what if the US company is foreign owned and makes garbage? The water gets murky...

These are impressions I got in from a different industry than river gear and generalized, of course.


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## Paul7 (Aug 14, 2012)

We're definitely in a global market these days. I'm not a zealot about US made but when it comes to mechanical bits I do my best to go with quality regardless of origin. Seems like for whatever reason anything related to trailers has such low standards. 

If I've got my whole family and my boat the last thing I want is trouble with a trailer.

Trailer breakdowns SUCK parts can be hard to come buy and Murphys law will surely bite.

Things are very murky with country or origin and company ownership. What's more of a US product a domestic truck made in Canada/Mexico or a Foreign brand made in the US? 

My parts sourcing was more about quality parts that I have faith in, but I do get carried away with the US made stuff too. 



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## Paul7 (Aug 14, 2012)

mttodd said:


> Spot on with the Timkens. Once upon a time I made my living as a mechanic, still can’t ditch my bias towards American and Japanese bearings. Replaced the bearings on my dexter torflex axle. The Timkens were 11$ more. Well worth it. Thanks for the heads up on the tires. Wish they made them in 13inch flavor. Might just upgrade to 14 if I have the clearance. Would like a tire height measurement check against the trailer.


You're probably only adding half inch in circumference. I went with a 215 but the 205 is available too. 

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## Paul7 (Aug 14, 2012)

Oops 'radius' was what I was saying 

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## dsrtrat (May 29, 2011)

I put a set of the Goodyear Endurance 15"on my trailer last year. Discount Tire had a good price. I do have some sidewall distortion on both tires. I took them back and they said it was normal for a narrow radial to show this distortion. Did some research and it does indeed seem to be true. Not going to sweat it. So far so good, about 3000 miles on them.


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