Hi folks. Tires on my 179 are worn and needing replacements. Just curious if most buy the tires somewhere and replace themselves or is it best to take it in so they can be balanced etc.?  I have a good enough jack to do myself but I was unsure about the balancing aspect and/or anything else the shop would do that I might not think of.  Appreciate any thoughts.

Some people order tires and have them installed at a local shop. Others buy tires locally. Personally, I use the same tire/auto mechanic shop that services my other vehicles. they ordered Goodyear Endurance tires, balanced and installed them and I am happy.

I think it is important to balance the tires on any high speed trailer.

I also think tires are vital on a single axle. I have had various cheaper tires, Maxxiis and finally the Goodyears.  There is no question in my experience that the Goodyear tire is the stiffest, smoothest running tire that I have used.   It stays inflated without losing air between trips, has adequate tread, a D load rating and has served me well. Other pod owners have had success with other brands, particularly Carlisle.

Find out what is available locally and develop a relationship with a local dealer.

Good luck-safe travels

Vann

I didn't see anything in the article about how to increase tire life, just about when to replace them.

In coming years, there will be many more climate refugees relocating from the western states.  They'll need good tires on their trailers for all the driving, looking to find a place with water, but not under water.

 I have had several vehicle tire surprises over the years - 5 year old Michelin LT tires dry rotted - thankfully died while parked and not at speed. Another vehicle at the 7 year mark had two TPS valve stem sensors fail on tires that were a year old. The TPS sensors failed two weeks a part. Both times caused sudden tire deflation at 65 mph. I immediately replaced the remaining TPS sensors after the second failed. Lesson learned - replace TPS sensors when replacing tires. 

At last outing, neighbor pulled in with his late model F250 with rear fender all damaged. Tire exploded on the highway on his way to the campground. Didn’t think to ask what tire brand.

Not sure what is a “good” tire any more. I agree with having extra speed and weight margin on the tire. And seriously consider changing tires around the 5 year mark due to age. I am a believer in doing a visual tire inspection before heading out with my TT no matter what brand of tires.

When I look at a tire for my car, truck or trailer, they all look pretty much the same to me except for the obvious tread pattern differences and the tread wear and weight/speed ratings.  I don't have a clue wether these round black doughnut shaped objects are good or bad.  The fact is some tires do not last nearly as long as others and are more prone to failure.  

Though brands are no guarantee of quality or the lack of manufacturing defects, one can reasonably say that brands like Carlisle and Goodyear have reputations to protect and don't want to risk losing it by putting out inferior products.  Especially in this time of social media, reputations can be destroyed almost at the speed of light. 

As I have mentioned numerous times here, been very happy with these OEM tires on the HRE R-Pod 195:

As for tires, there are good ones and bad ones.  And the consequences of buying bad ones can be fatal.  Though, as I said above, brands are no guarantee of quality, the odds are in your favor of getting a better quality product from well establish brands that have many years in the business.  Certainly, in some businesses quarterly profits trump quality, but tire companies  such as Goodyear, Goodrich, Michelin, etc. that have been around for many years with pretty good products are not as likely to go the quick profit route as we have seen in other industries.  The reputational damage is just too big a risk.  

Buy what you like, but don't complain when it works out badly.  When I go to Harbor Freight, I don't expect quality, I expect a couple of uses for a throw away product.  When I want a good miter saw, I'll get a DeWalt, not a Bauer from HF.  The brand doesn't matter but the quality sure does.  

No one is suggesting that you should brand names.  Indeed, do what you like.  My point is that there isn't a lot of information about specifications or reliability data available for tire purchases, as you try to suggest.  Internet product reviews are not trustworthy and are often paid for by product promoters or disparagers.  It is not irrational to rely on the "reputation" of tire companies and personal experience, as you seem to imply.  I have learned the hard way with "off brand" tires that they don't last as long as the major tire companies.  I don't like to waste my money either.

Knockoffs are a big problem in consumer products.  They appear to be identical to the brand they are copying.  But, when you take them apart and examine the components, they turn out to be cheap imitations that are poorly made with inferior components.  And when something goes wrong with these knockoffs and you get hurt using them, best of luck to you in finding who will be responsible, especially if you bought through the internet.