I am looking at getting a new lowboy to haul my D6r on, which weighs about 46000 to 48000lbs and needed to know if anybody has had any experience running this size of tires (17.5inch). I would like to find a lowboy with 22.5 low pros but they are hard to come by. I am looking at getting a hydraulic tail and not the detach. I would like to get a detach but the places that I have to go at times is way to unlevel. thanks
17.5 tires are fine. They are on many lowboys. I have a 16 tire Murray, and it is about the perfect trailer for these things. Loads over the rear, so you don't need to detach unless you have something that won't clear over the back. It has 17.5's on it, and the short tire makes for a low load angle. Used to have an older model with 22.5's, and hated it. Too tall to get many things over the rear. Don't be afraid of the little tires, they are tough enough.
I have been running 15 inch 18 ply and have had nothing but trouble and just didnt know if the 17.5 would be enough.
I have an older lowboy that use to have 10.00x15 tires that was on split tube type rims.The tuble type was always flat and the split rims was a pain and unsafe to fix. The rims was getting old and the split ring sprung from lots of fixing over the years. I decided i was tired of the hassle of tube tires and rims so went with the 17.5 rims and tubess tires.Now if i have a slow leak and can still pump them up if not completely flat and at least get the dozer moved if short haul before getting them fixed and the tire repair guys like them a lot better. If the tires are getting to end of life i just plug them,but always take them to get removed and patched if new or low miled. I have a three axile lowboy and just replaced the back to axiles with the tubless tires and rims.The front axile hardly ever gets a flat.They just run over the nails and kick them up so the other rear tires are the ones that go flat most of the time. I like the new detach lowboys that has the rear ramps to load over the back beside the detach.I really like the new Eager Beaver trailer with the over the rear ramps in a detach:usa
We have had a TrailMax TRD-50 tri-axle trailer for about 8 years now, and have never had any problems with its 17.5" tires. This trailer can carry 49,000 lbs. with the axle spread it has. The newer TRD-54 with 17.5" tires has a longer axle spread and can carry 53,950 lbs. The only difference between the 2 models is that the TRD-50 has a 49" axle spacing and the TRD-54 has a 54.5" axle spacing. And I know quite a few people that own TrailMax tri axles with the 17.5" tires and have never heard any complaints about the tires or the trailers.
I sure do like the look of the murray ez-tail.
on the easy tail we use 235/75R17.5 and on the 16 tires we use 215/75R17.5. The 235's are rated for 5675lbs mounted as duals so that would give you a weight cap. of 45,400 for a 8 tire trailer for that axle group. The 215's are rated 4540 mounted as duals so that would give you 72,640lb cap. when on a 16 tire type trailer. I dont know of anywhere that would permit you for that kind of weight but you have the cap. to do it.
thanks Chaz, I talked to someone out there about the ez-tail just the other day.
You prob. spoke with my dad, Doug Murray. He is the only one that currently is doing sales....I do at times if he gets busy.
X2 I normally favor Michelins but the stock continentals have done me well on my Murray. I Also had a 22.5 16 tire before this one and low profile Of the 17.5s makes it a much better unit. I did have 17.5"s on a 6 horse trailer and HATED THEM! the Michelin 16" XPS rib tires were a much better tire for that application and would last twice as long as the 17.5"s
17.5 tyres are fine http://www.aluratrading.com/exlowbed4.html
With small diameter wheels it is good practice to check the tyre temps and hub temps periodically on long trips . They are spinning much faster than the truck tyres to keep up and can get hot (excess heat blows tyres) . Oil hubs are better than grease as it seems to disipate the heat better and also keeps the bearings wetter than grease as you are relying on the heat to melt small amounts of grease to run into the bearings .
Going from 10-15 tube type tires to tubeless 17.5's is a big step up.
I have about 60 good 17'5 lowboy tires , some are bran new if someone want some call me 904-487-8403
The rims was getting old and the split ring sprung from lots of fixing over the years. First of all,it's called a lock ring not a split ring. Second,it was sprung from being improperly pried off,NOT from being removed too many times. Just sayin'. As far as the 17.5 tires,well it's the same as switching from 10.00-20 to 11-22.5 or 10.00-22 to 11-24.5.Same load carrying capacities.The 17.5 rims will fit on the same spokes and use the same wedges as the 15" wheels(assuming you have a Dayton wheel set-up). Disc wheels bolt on the same hubs.
Exactly what type of trouble were you having,specifically?Also what size 15" are we talking about?7.50,8.25,9.00,10.00,11.00?
"Same load carrying capacities." that is not what the ratings say. A 10.00r15 is rated for nearly 1900 lbs per tire more dual than a 215/75/17.5. I know they will bolt up and yes you can get 235s and 245s, but i have never seen any 17.5 tire rated anywhere close to 6395 lbs dual. if there is one please educate me. People should also be warned that a 215/75/17.5 has a loaded radius about 2" less than a 10.00r15. That can be a big deal if you don't have much ground clearance to start with.
People should also be warned that a 215/75/17.5 has a loaded radius about 2" less than a 10.00r15. That can be a big deal if you don't have much ground clearance to start with.[/QUOTE] :iagree That would be because the 215/75R17.5 does not replace the 10.00R15,just like the 9-22.5 does not replace the 10.00-20.The 215 would replace ,off the top of my head,the 8.25R15.It's all relative.Here's a rundown...8.25-20=9-225,9.00-20=10-22.5,10.00-20=11-22.5,11.00-20=12-22.5.So,off the top of my head(keep in mind I've been away from the tire biz for a few years now)215/75R17.5 would =8.25R15,235=9.00,245=10.00-something to that effect.So you can't compare an orange to a grapefruit:nono.Here's a link( http://www.ccjdigital.com/continental-touts-low-platform-trailer-tire/ ) to prove that you can get a Load range J(18 ply rating) 245/75R17.5(google search).Not that I'd recommend a Continental tire,because I wouldn't.Bridgestone or Michelin are my recommendations,followed by BFG(made by Michelin),but that's another discussion.Just know what you are comparing before you go and get too excited,and look a little harder before you denounce it's existence.Remember that it's the ply rating,not size,that ultimately determines load carrying capacity.Smaller size with higher ply rating could have higher load carrying capacity than larger size with lower ply rating.And yes,a 2" difference in radius is a big deal,with more than just ground clearance.
rofessor I'd guess that you mean diameter(which is the distance across a circle at it's widest point,or the height of the tire). Radius is the distance from the CENTER of a circle to the outer edge(half the diameter),while circumference is the measure of the distance around the outside of a circle(or the distance required for a tire to make one full revolution). Just trying to help.Also,you should measure an unladen tire,as each different brand of tire will flex different.Besides the fact that one brand will be a different height than another of the same size.Traditionally,Goodyears were always smaller than average,while Generals were taller.My first boss was an old retreader,and I remember him explaining this to me by showing me how he'd cap a 10.00-20 Goodyear in the 9.00-20 mold.Lot's of variables to be taken into account.
The larger difference between the 17.5 and 22.5 is that your not talking the same anything, for one the brake drums on the 17.5 are a lot smaller than the 22.5 in most cases, on a standard lowboy anyhow, with two or three axles, you have less brake capability on the smaller tires, in both width of shoe and diameter of shoe or total surface area. I've got both sizes of tires and several different trailers, I'd opt for super low pro 22.5's over standard 17.5 any day of the week, but thats just me. I know this is an old thread and probably not revenant anymore, but just wanted to toss that out there in case it was overlooked.
:iagree Never was a 17.5 vs. 22.5 discussion.I only referenced 22.5's to point out that Mr. Merrick was comparing two different things and wondering why they were incomparable.Comparing 17.5's to 22.5's would be the exact same thing as comparing 10.00-15's to 10.00-20's.Valid point you made,though,no question.
I thought loaded radius was a better way to compare heights than diameter specifically because different brands do flex differently, and a change in radius will reflect (1 to 1) the change in ride height. check out these links and let me know what you think. http://www.conti-online.com/generat...emes/hidden/download/dl_ss_htl2_ep_screen.pdf . i think there is a typo here because the 235 and 245 specs are the same. and here http://www.michelintruck.com/michelintruck/tires-retreads/tireInfo.do?tread=XTA for 10.00r15s. These specs say that a 10.00r15 has a loaded radius of 16.5 in. and a 235/75/17.5 is 14.5. I'am not saying it is not a good idea to switch to 17.5s. I'am only saying make sure you check ALL the specs. If they have a 17.5 that is rated for 6395 lbs. or more i would switch in a heartbeat.
Well, you've obviously done more research than I had initially given you credit for. My apologies.As far as the 2" height difference,that's beyond my capabilities to explain. :beatsme Same for the load capacity,although I will say that I can hardly see the need to carry 25,580 on a single axle in any application.It is definitely beyond the rating for any single axle I know of.That is 51,160 on a set of tandems.In my experience,both as a commercial tire service technician and as a truck driver,I can not see why the 17.5's 5,675 lb. rating(22,700 per axle-45,400 tandem) would not be sufficient.To each his own, but the many advantages of the tubeless over the tube-type(ease of service,lower operating temp., lower rolling resistance to name a few) should outweigh the 700lb per tire capacity difference, :IMO.I tip my cap to you, sir, for doing your homework.:salute Oh,by the way, the Michelin specs read the same for the 235 & 245 as well as the Conti.One thing that I fail to comprehend is the reasoning behind the dropping of the aspect ratio from 75 to 70 on the 245.At first I thought it was just Michelin, because they have always had different aspect ratio's on their LP truck tires than the other manufacturers, but the Conti.'s are the same.:beatsme I'll have to inquire about this to some of my former associates still in the biz.That's :my2c
:iagree and don't forget expensive and hard to find ( i don't know if anyone even makes 11.00x15s anymore). Operating temp i believe is the reason so many people have bad results with 15 inch tires. to make things worse they are mount right up against those tiny little (therefore usually very hot) brake drums. At least 17.5s and larger give some airspace between the drum and rim. Most all of these 15 inch tire lowboys were made a long time ago and were not designed for the road speeds of today. In PA (and other Midatlantic/ Northeast states) 52,000 lbs on a set of tandems is a normal permit load;however, you must have the appropriate axles and tires or you will face some heavy fines.