Has anyone put Michelin XPS ribs on their horse trailer? Reviews suggest they are good investment with superior sidewall integrity that reduces blowouts. However, quite pricey. Trailer in question is a Merhow 2 + 1 with a GVWR of 10,500. Current tires are less than 3 years old & starting to fail, Karrier Load Stars. Also considering Goodyear Marathons, although the Internet is flooded with neg reviews on this tire. Opinions & experiences?
Yes. My favorite trailer tire for E range and above. I have some that have stayed out of the sun on a trailer under a shed that are around 10 years old, and still just fine.
Thanks, Tom.
Michelins or Hankook for me
The Goodyear Marathons were once the gold standard for trailer tires then the production was moved to China and everything went to hell
At one time there was also production of the Marathons in New Zealand and Canada… not sure id these plants still make the product or not. Those that were made in these countries the quality was upheld.
You can request the “tire country of origin code” information on what ever you buy. The coding on the tire is specific to county and plant.
(list of DOT codes: http://www.harriger.com/tire1.htm )
China may make some good stuff but the chances of a cheaply made piece of junk is higher than other countries of origin.
Thank you, clanter. We are living with Chinese now. Finding American made tires is becoming more & more difficult. But I will say the tire’s sidewall (Karrier Load Star, almost 3 years old) survived a collision with a deer recently that pushed the fender into said tire. Then we drove approx 20 miles to a rest stop with fender etching sidewall the entire way. Managed to pry fender off & gingerly drive it home another 60 miles. Just blessed I guess.
I have the Michelin XPS tires on my Logan 3-horse GN and have been very happy. They were $$$ for sure, but the peace of mind that came with them was worth the extra bucks.
Michelins are great. For sports cars, Cherokees, trucks and trailers.
Another Yes for Michelin tires. on the trailer and on the truck pulling the trailer.
I’m in the exact same boat, researching tires for my 3H LQ. From what I have learned, the Michelin XPS Ribs are the shining star in my size range. The Marathons were always my go-to tire, but now that they are made in China, I’m looking elsewhere.
The Michelins are a light truck tire, which I was always hesitant to use, but the feedback on durability and reliability is hard to ignore. Light truck tires have a higher speed rating than trailer specific tires, last longer, and fewer reports of blow outs. I’m not sure I’ve read a bad review on the Michelins.
Another tire that was recommended to me was the BF Goodrich Commercial TA AS2, as it has similar specs to the Michelins and a lot of people are running them on their big fifth wheel RVs. The best price I found (after some haggling) was $1200 for a set of 4 Michelins, and $775 for the BF Goodrich, both prices out the door (installed, tax, everything). The price on the Goodrich is tempting, but the Michelins are the resounding recommendation so I’ll probably spring for them.
I hate buying tires! But I hate being stuck on the side of the road with horses more…
That all I use. The extra strength in the sidewall is perfect for horse trailers.
I didn’t realize the Goodyear Marathons are being made in China now. My barn has been blowing newer tires left and right this past year. All of us have the Marathons. The dates on the tires confirm none of them are older than 2 years, but still blowing out . It really sucks. At least now I know.
