Are Carlisle Trailer Tires Good? (Carlisle Tires Reviews)
Not all tires made in China are China bombs. Many top tire companies have their tire products manufactured in this country due to lower costs and regulations. But they do not leave the production to the whims of the Chinese tire makers. They provide their own specs to ensure the tires are made to their standards.
From all reports, Carlisle tires are a very good product. In fact, in one comparison, their tires were ranked among the top 3 best trailer tire-making companies. They are getting good reviews from their customers, even some of those who had bad experiences.
To learn more about this tire company and its products, just continue to read our article. It explores the subject to find the best information possible. That way, you can make an informed purchase decision when it is time to buy new tires.
Carlisle Trailer Tires
Are Carlisle Trailer Tires Good?
This company is not breaking into the many top 10 best lists for tires or tire-making companies. But that is a hard thing to do. The top 10 lists are dominated by companies like Michelin, Goodyear, Pirelli, Cooper, B.F. Goodrich and more.
This is a very crowded field, and the competition is heavy. With that aside, this does not mean that Carlisle makes bad tires. They just are not good enough to break into that crowded list.
However, the company is getting good reviews from review websites as well as its customers. The tires are affordable, but that does not mean that they are cheaply made. The company has its own standards, and the tires are built accordingly.
Another benefit this tire brand brings to the table is that its tires are known to be long-lasting. That is always an attractive feature when you go tire shopping. These tires are made with low rolling resistance that helps your fuel economy.
Plus, they are durable, so you can’t go wrong with purchasing a set of these tires.
How Long do Carlisle Trailer Tires Last?
The general consensus is that you should replace these tires every 5 years. A video on the Carlisle tire company’s website says the same thing. You can expect your tires to last about 5 years, with some exceptions to this rule.
One of the issues that may shorten the life of your tires is when they just sit around on your trailer, going nowhere. Long idle periods, especially when exposed to the sun, can shorten your tire life.
If you have good driving habits, the tires may last a lot longer than 5 years. However, you should keep an eye on the tread size. Once that gets too low, it will be time to replace those tires.
Tire tread life will depend on how often you use your trailer or vehicle. If you use it a lot, then you can expect to replace those tires sooner than later. There is no objective standard that will help you know how long those tires will last.
There are just too many influential factors involved. Just make sure to keep them at the right psi to help them last longer.
Who Makes Carlisle Tires?
This company has been an American company for over 100 years. Originally started in 1917 by Charles Moomy, the company was called Carlisle after the town it first did business in, Carlisle, PA.
The company had its share of ups and downs and went through many transitions over its long history. Finally, it was bought by the Carlstar Group, which continues to own it today.
This company still makes some of its tires in America. But it has different distribution operations in different companies as well as 5 manufacturing facilities also in different countries.
Vehicle tires are not the only tires this company makes. Their production facilities service the agricultural, industrial, lawn & garden, and powersports markets.
The Carlstar Group is a member of 9 professional groups related to the rubber and tire industries.
Are Carlisle Tires Made in The USA?
Yes and no. The Carlstar Group maintains 5 manufacturing facilities to make their tires. There are supposed to be two manufacturing plants in the US. One is in Jackson, TN, and the other is in Clinton, TN.
But there are also roughly two manufacturing plants in China. The tires made there are constructed according to the specs Carlisle Tires provide and then shipped to America for distribution.
They may also be shipped to Canada, where the company has roughly 3 distribution operations in that country. One thing that needs to be mentioned is that many of those tires made in the US may not be for trailers or vehicles.
According to government regulations, the point of origin or manufacturing should be on the tires. That code will help you see where the tires were made. No matter where they are made, many owners have not reported any issues with this tire brand, including the dreaded China bomb situation.
Where are Carlisle Tires Manufactured?
Most review websites and even the company’s website do not mention exactly where specific tires are made. Some may be made in their two American manufacturing plants, and others may be made in their 2 Chinese plants.
Exactly which tires are made where may only be discovered when you look at the tire sidewall. In 1994, the Carlstar Group purchased a tire-making plant in Buji, China. Then in 2007, the company opened another plant in Meizhou, China.
These products are then shipped to their different distribution plants, where they are then sent on to your favorite tire retail outlet. It is extremely possible that you could have some tires made at their Clinton and Jackson, TN, manufacturing facilities.
As we have mentioned many times before, having tires made in cheaper labor regions of the world is a good business move. It may not always be a good quality move, but the bottom line is the most influential factor in business.
Carlisle Trailer Tires Review
On the customer side of this topic, the reviews are mostly good. The majority of owners are reporting to be very happy with their purchase. They like the performance they get, the durability as well as the longevity.
Some owners reported suffering from tires that would be labeled as China bombs but have had no such experience with the Carlisle tires. There were a few owners that did suffer from tire failure, but these customers were in a small minority.
In the review websites, these tires are getting above-average reviews. Most of the remarks are very positive, with a few complaints. That means these tires seem to be on average or a little above average when compared to the more famous tire brands.
One review site said that the Carlisle tires are manufactured in such a way that you get top performance from each set of these tires. It continued to say that the company is known for producing tires that meet customer expectations.
What a lot of people liked about this brand was the low price. That seems to be the most influential factor when it comes to rating these tires.
Carlisle Tires Ratings
The ratings will vary depending on the tire model you want to buy. Each tire model is made for its specific purpose, which may or may not be equal to the purposes of the other tire models.
For example, the load range rating goes from C to F, and these are all labeled as ST tires. The same tire's load rating in pounds ranges between 1220 pounds to 3960 pounds.
Then the psi ratings go from 50 to 95 while the tread depth ranges between 8/32nd to 12/32nd of an inch. Finally, the speed rating is between 75 and 81 mph. You may not go too fast on these tires.
As another example, the two high-speed Ultra Sport RH models made by this company have a load rating of C & D, 2200 and 1820 pound load rating, and 65 & 50 psi rating, but they both can only be driven at 62 mph.
You will find other examples on the Carlisle Tire website if you go through the different tire products. Click here to see all of their products.
Carlisle Tires vs Goodyear Endurance
People like the Goodyear Endurance because the company has made consistently good tires for over 100 years. The Endurance has only been around for 6 years, yet it is getting some fine reviews.
On the other hand, the Carlisle Radial Trail HD model is also getting rave reviews. This may be due to the fact it can handle a load weighing over 2500 pounds. Plus, this tire model is very versatile as it can be placed on many different types of trailers.
The Carlisle model is built using high-tensile belts that are designed to resist punctures. The Endurance only has a load rating of 1000 pounds, but it is made with twin steel belts for better durability.
Then the tread designs are a little different. The Goodyear model has ribs designed to be close together. This design is to provide more stability on the road.
Then the Carlisle tread was designed with a variable pitch pattern to reduce road noise. The biggest difference between these two tires will be their price.
Carlisle likes to make affordable tires, so its models will be less expensive than the Endurance to buy. They are budget-friendly, while Goodyear tires prices reflect the reputation and quality of those tires.
The Goodyear Endurance will also last a lot longer than the Carlisle tires will.
Carlisle Tire vs Loadstar
While some Carlisle tires are made to handle heavy weights, it seems that all Loadstar tires are made to carry heavy loads. That is one of their claims to fame. One Loadstar model can handle up to 1820 pounds, while one Carlisle model can only handle 785 pounds.
It would take a specific model to model comparison to judge the load rating capability. Then the Carlisle tire may come with a wear-resistant compound on its tread design. This helps get rid of any heat build-up quicker. The Loadstar tires do not seem to have this feature.
Then the Loadstar tread design is supposed to handle all road conditions equally well. The same cannot be said of the Carlisle tires, but the tread is designed to wear evenly.
One drawback to the Carlisle tires is that the noise level gets higher as the tread wears down. The same cannot be said for the Loadstar models.
Who Sells Carlisle Tires?
The company’s website has a dealer locator web page. It is easy to use, and you just need to put your location in the box as well as the distance you want to check, and the results pop up in seconds.
For example, if you live in Vancouver, BC, Canada, selected because of the 3 distribution centers located in that country, you get over 20 results from all over the lower mainland area that is within 25 miles of the city. 25 if you go to within 50 miles.
In America, you are going to find Carlisle tires on sale almost everywhere. These outlets include Pep Boys, Discount Tire, Walmart, and a host of other tire retailers. You can also find them at Simple Tire and Sam’s Club, among other outlets.
A good local Internet search should find a tire outlet with this tire brand near you. These are very popular tires and are available in a majority of locations.
Some Additional Words
While still basically American-made and an American company, Carlisle tires are made internationally as well. Which manufacturing location you get can be found, usually on the sidewall of the tire. All of these tires are made to Carlisle specs, so you should not have any trouble with them.
However, not every tire will be perfect, and you may end up with one that may not last 2 years. Maintain your tires well, and you should be satisfied with the lifespan you get.
