I recently read a post on an RV forum from a guy who said he wanted to prevent “blowouts,” so he was switching from ST 235/80R16 LR-E to LR-G tires. However, he would continue to run the 80 psi specified for his RV, because his wheels were only rated for 80 psi.
I pointed out that load capacity was a function of tire inflation and NOT a function of the tire construction material.
He also said that he had “tested” an LR-G tire by “sitting” on an unmounted tire. He said that the LR-G tire was clearly stiffer than his LR-E tires. I pointed out that solid rubber forklift tires were very stiff but certainly would not be appropriate for his RV.
Causes of tire blowouts
Tire blowouts are primarily the result of tire overload and underinflation. So, in my professional opinion as a tire design engineer and forensic expert with 45+ years of experience, the best defense against a tire “blowout” is running a TPMS that is properly programmed and tested each year.
Also important is checking the actual load you are placing on your tires by getting individual tire load numbers on a truck scale. This isn’t always easy, but if you are pushing the load limit, getting the facts becomes more important than just pushing on the tire sidewall.
The original poster is doing one thing correctly, and that is ensuring he is not exceeding the max inflation and load rating of his wheels.
Roger Marble
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RVT1256
Why not actually ask a tire expert like Roger instead of some internet guy.
HI Roger. You noted he did one thing right in keeping within the cold pressure for the wheels. What is or are the bad thing(s) he did? Is the G more robust than the E with regard to pot holes etc? Is the G under inflated at 80 lbs – presuming he is not overloaded on any corner? Thanks.
While it isn’t a “Bad thing” to increase the Load Range of tires, I do see that he is increasing his cost with no performance benefit. There is the potential for him to assume that maintaining inflation is less important because he has “better” tires.
Just increasing the “Load Range” of your tires may not give you any performance improvement as tire life has too many variables to quantify accurately.
Trust the Tire Guy