Carlisle Radial Trail HD VS Kenda Karrier Radial?????

[Jstep]

Had a blowout on the trailer this weekend and am needing an inexpensive option for tire replacement. Trailer is a tandem axle trailer with torsion axles. Boat is a 22' Boston Whaler Dauntless that at estimate is approx 5,000 lbs loaded. The trailer currently has 13' Loadstar tires and with a max pressure of 40 PSI always show a "bulge" and everyone always say the tires are low. I think I have room to upgrade to larger tires/ rims in the future, but not in the budget right now.

After reading all the info in the FAQ sticky (thanks!!!) looks like the options readily available in 13" at reasonable prices are the Carlisle Radial HD or the LoadStar Karrier. Looks like a few have had good luck with both. Can get the Carlisle's cheaper than the Loadstar's right now. Any thoughts on these or another good cost effective option? I live 7 miles from the ramp so make frequent short trips but some long hauls are in the near future. I hope!

Thanks,
James

[Bamaman]

Both of those tires are considered sub par and known as China Bombs. The only tire from there with no complaints is the Sailun.

[Jstep]

Thanks for the input Bamaman! Guess I was giving weight to some posts on page 2 where one poster had out 10K miles with no issues on the new Carlisle HD tires. Not many if any USA made tires in that size as options. Are the other options given in previous posts that cost twice as much really that much better? I do not put allot of miles on my tires as most folks on here do.

[marlinpruett]

I have 13" Carlisle on my trailer of my 18 CC Skiff , they are 5 years old and look great. I keep them aired to 50psi and I run to the beach about 550 miles round trip all the time. On interstate and I run 65mph for the trip.
I also run 120 miles to my home lake round trip about 2 to 3 times a month.
They have been great .

[SoonerFan]

Both of those tires are considered sub par and known as China Bombs. The only tire from there with no complaints is the Sailun.

I don't find that accurate at all. I've had 3 sets of Carlisle trailer tires and got full service out of the first two...still running the last set...never so much as a low tire. It's the only trailer tire I'll buy. Something I sure couldn't say about the Goodyears the boat came with.

[jbh3]

Running the Carlisle HD's in 14". No complaints here.

[tracer1]

Goodyear Endurance

[Tx Champ]

I don't find that accurate at all. I've had 3 sets of Carlisle trailer tires and got full service out of the first two...still running the last set...never so much as a low tire. It's the only trailer tire I'll buy. Something I sure couldn't say about the Goodyears the boat came with.

Ditto ...

[bassnman81]

Goodyear Endurance

^^^ Made in the USA

[Tromanoski]

I have 13" Carlisle on my trailer of my 18 CC Skiff , they are 5 years old and look great. I keep them aired to 50psi and I run to the beach about 550 miles round trip all the time. On interstate and I run 65mph for the trip.
I also run 120 miles to my home lake round trip about 2 to 3 times a month.
They have been great .

You are lucky. Carlisle only warrants their tires for 3 years and they have a video on their website telling people regardless of how the tire looks or is stored don't run them more than 5 yrs. I have lost two fenders on Carlisle's which the company paid for. With my first blowout, Carlisle repaired the fender damage and gave me new tires. The first set that blew were a little over 3 yrs old. After having the fender repaired and new Carlisle tires put on, I started running a tire pressure monitoring system. My second tire blowout came on a trip to Florida. The tire blew at 53 PSI and mid 70's degree temperature. The second set was also a little over 3 years old. Carlisle replaced the boat fender again and paid for the new Carlisle's that I had to put on to continue my Florida trip. Two weeks later when I got back to my home in Katy Texas, I replaced the new Carlisle's with Goodyear Endurance tires. Carlisle's are china bombs for sure.

[Jstep]

Well, Goodyear does not make the Endurance tire in a 13". They do in the Marathon model but it is made in China as well. Not in a position to buy 5 tires and wheels right now. Guess will roll the dice on another brand till I can upgrage the whole package.

Thanks!

[kensafishin]

If I were you get 15in...thats a big heavy boat and if I ever bought a bay boat it's what I would get..those are nice well made boats...

[Jstep]

I am going to measure to see if I have room for 15's. Thanks, we really like the boat. Catch redfish in the morning and grouper in the afternoon.

[davidsa]

I change my tires every 3 years not matter the brand or what country they are made in. Last year on the way back from vacation I noted 15 trailers with blowouts to 1 car yet only 5% of the cars/trucks were towing. Do the math on trailer tire reliability vs. car.

[SoonerFan]

Quote from a Discount Tire salesman when I asked him what the best trailer tire was..... "They're all trouble, people run them with not enough air pressure at too high a speed and expect them to last for the life of the trailer".

[Tromanoski]

Quote from a Discount Tire salesman when I asked him what the best trailer tire was..... "They're all trouble, people run them with not enough air pressure at too high a speed and expect them to last for the life of the trailer".

I agree that a lot of people don't check their trailer tire pressure. I did everytime I towed my boat for 6.5 yrs. Will admit sometimes I did run my 65 mph Carlisle's at 70 mph, but not often. Two blowouts causing $2400 in boat fender damage. Chinese tires for the most part are not reliable. Until January of this year no US made trailer tire was available. Last week I had my truck and trailer tires balanced at my local Discount Tire. The manager of that store told me that they are recommending the Goodyear Endurance over Carlisles and Discount Tire in general is starting to make that recommendation. So we will see. Besides like I have said before, I would rather keep an American working than some little Chinese guy.

[bluebullet96]

I know I'm comparing apples to oranges! But I'm into my second set of Kenda tires on my wife's car (because the tire shop has great customer service and replaced the first set for free!) and I can say that I will never buy another Kenda tire again!

[Transom]

If your stuck with a 13" wheel you are going to be stuck with china tires. Just make sure you get a D rated tire.

[tracer1]

I don't find that accurate at all. I've had 3 sets of Carlisle trailer tires and got full service out of the first two...still running the last set...never so much as a low tire. It's the only trailer tire I'll buy. Something I sure couldn't say about the Goodyears the boat came with.

You have been blessed with your Carlisles..... And If your boat came with Goodyear Marathons, most lightly they were made in China as are the Carlisles & 99% of the ST tires today......China Bombs. They didn't get that name just for the heck of it. The old Marathons were made in USA, were excellent tires & ran them till l they went to China. I went away from the marathons, because of where they are made now. Heard they were going to make them again in the US but who knows. I ran Coopers ( same tire Basscat puts on their trailers, good tires also) until they moved to Mexico. Now running the Endurance ( made in USA -D rated) & seems to be a excellent tire. Little more pricey however. BTW, what are you running the Carlisles on?
As for the OP, 13" wheels seems small for the weight he is pulling. Maybe Whaler knows best, which by the way is a fine boat.

[Jstep]

Thanks for all the input folks! Tracer1, while Whale did indeed make the boat they did not make the trailer. A Whaler dealer in SW Florida set up the trailer for the previous owner in 2011. Have NO idea why they put 13" tires/ rims on this boat. So I would not say that "Whaler knows best" and I doubt the boat dealership does either. I am sure they took one of their stock trailers that they sell and installed bunks to match the boat. I misspoke in my original post. It appears that the tires are the Kenda Karrier load C with a 50 PSI rating. What I get for wearing my glasses. It's pouring rain here now but will confirm. Could explain the "bulge" I am having in the tires. I am currently shopping around for tires to maybe go bigger. I am sure I can go at least 14", 15" may be tight. I just had to replace the powerhead gasket, adapter plate, adapter plate gasket, upper motor mounts and poppet for $1K. (B.O.A.T). So $600 for new tires and rims right now is tuff although prob the best. I may just by another spare for now until I can upgrade all around. Not sure. This is a heavy setup and not really a part of the trailer I want to cut corners on.

Thanks again!