Goodyear Marathon Tires

[four winns 214]

Every trailer tire I've been able to find is made overseas, most in China. I had read on another forum that Goodyear was bringing back production of their Marathon radials to the U.S. because of poor quality issues. I contacted Goodyear through their website about the source of their tires and here is their reply:

Thank you for contacting our web site and for thinking of Goodyear for your
replacement tire needs.

Goodyear is the only major US owned and operated tire manufacturer and our
world headquarters are located in Akron, Ohio

We are a global corporation with manufacturing plants throughout the
world.

However, the vast majority of Goodyear tires sold in the US are
manufactured in our North America tire plants. The Marathon Trailer tire is
still being manufactured in China.

I've been going through the thrash of new trailer tires and thought this information might help other doing the same.

 

[robert graham]

Re: Goodyear Marathon Tires

I put on a new set of Carlisle trailer tires and they're holding up fine, but not sure where they're made?...Almost afraid to check...it might worry me!

 

[four winns 214]

Re: Goodyear Marathon Tires

Well, this will make you feel good. And it's one of the reasons I didn't even consider Carlisle:

However, reviews of Goodyear Marathons are ALL negative. I don't think there is a decent trailer tire made anymore.

 

[Daleg70]

Re: Goodyear Marathon Tires

I have not had good luck with recent Goodyear Marathon tires.
Older ones were certainly better.

I have towed on a tandem trailer for the last 25 years and gone through many tires over that time. I have towed about 25-30,000 miles in that time with only TWO different trailers.

recent tire experiences ---

Carlisle --- very poor. many small holes/tread separations and then inner belt rusting in salt water use.
Goodyear Marathons --- almost as bad -- but not quite.
Loadstar --- have them on boat trailer and race car trailer --- so far they are better.
I have about 6-8000 on them, seem OK. they were fairly new last year on a 28 hour (total both way) tow on a heavily loaded trailer, I don't find that trailer tires last long anyway --- even using tires overrated for axle weight.

The Carlise and Marathons seemed very very suspetpable to inner belt issues if you even came near a curb at slow speed. It would always cause a lump and the tire failed soon after that --- We learned to be really really careful and not run over a curb at even the slowest speed.

Maybe we are just more conscious about that with the Loadstars ---

 

[oldjeep]

Re: Goodyear Marathon Tires

FWIW, I run Kenda Loadstars on both of my trailers (boat and car). Had a carlise come apart on me after I smacked a curb pulling out of the driveway, but I don't think I'd blame my crappy driving on the tire.

 

[emilsr]

Re: Goodyear Marathon Tires

Some Marathons were made in New Zealand. I had a set on my last trailer.

 

[dockwrecker]

Re: Goodyear Marathon Tires

Maxxis, boys. Best out there.

 

[oldjeep]

Re: Goodyear Marathon Tires

Maxxis, boys. Best out there.

Problem is that Maxxis doesn't make very many sizes/load ranges. They don't make anything that would work for either of my trailers.

 

[dingbat]

Re: Goodyear Marathon Tires

A good friend of mine owns a tire shop that caters to service industry trailers. Heavy equipment, lawn services, delivery trailers, that sort of stuff.

I had to replace the tires on the horse trailer (OEM Marathons, circ 1994) so I took it to him. He recommended that I put Tow Masters on it. That is all he puts on trailers unless asked specifically for something else.

 

[robert graham]

Re: Goodyear Marathon Tires

Well, this will make you feel good. And it's one of the reasons I didn't even consider Carlisle:

However, reviews of Goodyear Marathons are ALL negative. I don't think there is a decent trailer tire made anymore.

Man, that photo is really gonna worry me next time on the interstate...don't seem to be any great choices for trailer tires. I wish Michelin would build us one, I'd buy it!....

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Goodyear Marathon Tires

I wish Michelin would build us one, I'd buy it!....

You wouldn't be able to afford it

 

['78 Crusader]

Re: Goodyear Marathon Tires

According to this thread, there aren't very many good quality trailer tires out there. So with that said, I'll bring up a well discussed question, why not use a great quality auto tire in place of a chinese built crappy trailer tire?

If what you guys are saying is true, then a good quality car tire is better than the best crappy trailer tire.

Yes, I'm aware that the two tires are built differently.

 

[dingbat]

Re: Goodyear Marathon Tires

According to this thread, there aren't very many good quality trailer tires out there. So with that said, I'll bring up a well discussed question, why not use a great quality auto tire in place of a chinese built crappy trailer tire?

If what you guys are saying is true, then a good quality car tire is better than the best crappy trailer tire.

Yes, I'm aware that the two tires are built differently.

I have used P-series tire in the past and would continue to do so if they made P-series tires that was rated to carry the load.

According to the NHTSA, you can use P-series tires in trailer service as long as the tire is rated 10% over the load.

 

[cribber]

Re: Goodyear Marathon Tires

I've been lucky with the 2007 Marathons on my trailer. They aren't showing any signs of cracking or aging but will need to be replaced in the very near future. Luckily my ramp is only 5 miles down the street so we never get up to anything near highway speeds. The loges distance we go to boat is the hour drive over to either coast and that is only a couple of times a year.

 

[oldjeep]

Re: Goodyear Marathon Tires

I have used P-series tire in the past and would continue to do so if they made P-series tires that was rated to carry the load.

According to the NHTSA, you can use P-series tires in trailer service as long as the tire is rated 10% over the load.

I ran E rated LT tires on my last car trailer, worked just fine too

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Goodyear Marathon Tires

According to this thread, there aren't very many good quality trailer tires out there. So with that said, I'll bring up a well discussed question, why not use a great quality auto tire in place of a chinese built crappy trailer tire?

If what you guys are saying is true, then a good quality car tire is better than the best crappy trailer tire.

Yes, I'm aware that the two tires are built differently.

oh god don't start THIS again :facepalm:

 

[whistler66]

Took a gamble last year and tried about a 2 hour drive with no spare? Bad gamble as I threw the thread off on return trip. It was Sunday and a check on the old GPS showed some local garages but a quick call confirmed nothing was open. A Wal-Mart was 40+ miles away. A call verified they had a service center. We made it driving slow. I pulled into the service center and asked for a tire of the correct size. The tech said couldn't sell me anything but a trailer tire for the trailer and even if I purchased the trailer rated tire he could mount it on the rim but couldn't install it on the trailer. He said Wal-Mart doesn't allow them as they have no torque specs for trailers. I was allowed to us their tools and mount it myself though! They only had one tire in the size needed and it was a Goodyear Marathon so I had to purchase another at the local Wal-Mart after I got home.

Bought a tandem trailer with singles on it to haul my tractor and equipment around when needed. It's just the light type dual 3500lb axles with single tires on each axle. It came with Duro tires on it. So far so good with it going on 6-7 years. I don't pull a lot of miles but they're not dry rotting as I thought they would. Don't know what sizes or ply rated tires they make? I have had some air issues with one with a puncture and a slow leak that I can't seem to get stopped. Takes a week or so to drop to 20+ lb range. Just a comment as I didn't see Duro listed.

 

[98Shabah]

Re: Goodyear Marathon Tires

I had a trailer tire blowout last spring in a small town (not the tire's fault, it was OLD), the local tire shop sold me a pair of chinese "Triangle" brand tires (yes, they are round!).. I've put about 2,500 miles on them so far and they're doing great, FWIW.

 

[204 Escape]

Re: Goodyear Marathon Tires

I run COOPER tires on everything. I put them on my new boat trailer the day, I bought it. The new trailer came with Carlisle. IMO, they are J U N K !!!!!!! The guy that bought my old boat, (from a dealer), seen the new tires with the new tire stickers on the tread, thought he got a great deal. Two trips later to the lake, and he had lost " 2 " of the 4 tires on the trailer due to seperation, and busted belts, I believe it was.

On a personal note: I bought the wife a new John Deere garden tractor last year, and it has Carlisle tires on it !!!!!!!! I never win !!!!!!! ;0

 

['78 Crusader]

Re: Goodyear Marathon Tires

oh god don't start THIS again :facepalm:

Not trying to start anything "Again".....simply bringing up a point that if all these trailer tires are so bad, why can't we.....

This has been discussed many times in other threads, just trying to make a point.