Open Trailer Tires

[wake74]

After a couple of months of searching for a deal on a small double axle open trailer that follows my low budget track rat BMW E36 theme, I purchased a trailer today Around 1,500 lbs, car weighs about 2,850 lbs in its current condition. Trailer has 4 tires that are a bit of a hodge-podge of 235/75/15 non-trailer tires. 3 are in decent shape, one has dry-rot and needs to be replaced. Spare is 205/75/15 and is also pretty old. The factory info for the trailer shows 205/75/15 Load Range C tires.

A couple of questions (keep in mind I'm cheap, and the trip to the track (VIR) is only about 100 miles). The tires will dry-rot long before they wear out with my usage.

1. Any benefit to trailer tire verses regular tire? Any impact to mixing & matching for now until they all need to be replaced?

2. Any reason to stay with the 235 verses the 205 width? Any harm if I mix and match until they all need replacement. The 235 actually look a bit too wide for the fenders, I know bigger is always better

Thanks!

 

[bgarrett]

I recommend carrying 2 spares if the tires are old

 

[RocketScott]

I'd look on craigslist/offerup for a used set of truck tires in the size you think best.

Ask around for a tire machine. I have one and let folks come change tires for free.

 

[Fix Until Broke]

Go to a local tire shop and find someone who has replaced their truck tires in a size that's close. Sometimes you can ask them to keep an eye out for you since 15" tires are not very common anymore.

A used truck tire is still 2x better than a new trailer tire - most trailer tires are absolute junk.

 

[chaosracing]

I use Load Range D or E truck tires for my trailer. I have had trailer tires wear out to fast. The reason why there are trailer tires is they do not flex on the sidewalls as much as truck tires do. Is that a good thing or bad thing? Not sure. Check this info out that I had bookmarked a long time ago. https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=219

I am surprised that your trailer calls for Load Range C tires. This link can help you with tire sizes. https://tiresize.com/calculator/

 

[38Chevy454]

I always take 2 trailer spares, more than once I have had a blowout and then only a bit later had the second tire go; all while on the same trip. If you do replace the tires, for ST trailer tires you can go with load range D for not much cost diff vs LR C tires. 205/75R15 is a very common trailer tire size. If you go the LT truck tire route, it will probably be 235 width as the easiest to find.

I used to be cheap and put used passenger P-series tires on my 2 axle car trailer, then ST in LR C. After many blowouts I now use ST in LR D. A lot less blowouts now vs the P or ST LR C tires I was using. I am not sure there is a best solution, especially since I am clearance limited and a 235 is too big for my trailer.

 

[marineman]

No comment on the truck vs trailer tires, that's been hashed out a few times and nobody wins just use what you feel like. I wouldn't mix and match on the sizes though, the 2 sizes you have are 1.75 inches difference in diameter. If you mix and match the 235s will get hot and blow out pretty quickly.

 

[larry_g]

After a couple of months of searching for a deal on a small double axle open trailer that follows my low budget track rat BMW E36 theme, I purchased a trailer today Around 1,500 lbs, car weighs about 2,850 lbs in its current condition. Trailer has 4 tires that are a bit of a hodge-podge of 235/75/15 non-trailer tires. 3 are in decent shape, one has dry-rot and needs to be replaced. Spare is 205/75/15 and is also pretty old. The factory info for the trailer shows 205/75/15 Load Range C tires.

A couple of questions (keep in mind I'm cheap, and the trip to the track (VIR) is only about 100 miles). The tires will dry-rot long before they wear out with my usage.

1. Any benefit to trailer tire verses regular tire? Any impact to mixing & matching for now until they all need to be replaced?

2. Any reason to stay with the 235 verses the 205 width? Any harm if I mix and match until they all need replacement. The 235 actually look a bit too wide for the fenders, I know bigger is always better

Thanks!

I'd suggest that you find the bolt pattern and hub size for the trailer and then find what current pickup may have that wheel pattern. Now you can also be on the lookout for some take-offs from a newer rig in 17 or 18" wheels. Sometimes wheel/tire assemblies are cheaper than new tires.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[03ranger]

All four tires should be the same brand and tread design. Mixing and matching brands and tread design causes issues. ST (Special Trailer) tires have come a long way in the past several years due to the demand by the RV industry. What was true four or five years ago about ST tires has change a lot. Yes there are still some “junk” tires being made.

In the last several years, trailers tire now have speed ratings (J, L & M). ST tires used to be “unrated” and a max speed for ST tires was 65 MPH. An “M” rated tire has a speed rating of 81 MPH. You can still get the old style bias tire or a radial tire.

Most tires start to degrade after a several years. Most of the time you won’t wear out a ST tire, you got pull a trailer many miles to wear out the tread, but the tire will degrade overtime. Many tire manufacturers are recognizing seven years as the age at which a tire should be replaced.

If a tire fails on a tandem axle trailer, you should replace both tires on that side. The remaining tire is likely to have been subjected to excessive loading.
ST tires are design with stiffer side walls and has a Higher UV protection then standard car or truck tire.

If you go with LT (light Truck) tires, you must de-rate the tires load by 10%.

Ref:
https://www.discounttire.com/learn/trailer-tire-faqs

https://www.lesschwab.com/article/trailer-and-tire-dos-and-donts-answers-to-common-questions.html

https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=309

 

[firebirdparts]

I think car tires are way far above the quality of trailer tires. Like you I would only need junk car tires as they don’t rack up the miles. So I run car tires.

The idea that you have to be careful about all the warnings already posted is subjective. Some people will crash the trailer upside down if they have a flat, but some people don’t. The differences are easy to point out. In your case the load is small, so you have an advantage. But if the tow vehicle is also small, then you may crash even with perfect tires.

Personally I do not need 4 tires all alike. FWIW. I don’t even need all 4 tires. I don’t flip the trailer upside down when I have a flat. It’s imperative that you tow in such a way that a flat doesn’t crash you.

 

[firebirdparts]

One other thing: I have equalizers, so for me it makes sense to prefer same tires on an axle. It would not geometrically make sense for me to group the same tires on each side. The tires one one side are not “a pair” on my trailer. Your trailer is probably like mine.

 

[May Pop]

I want pics of the track rat BMW.

 

[59 wagon man]

just bought 4 new trailer tires for around $225 online. mine never weAr out .usually dry rot or irreparable tire damage. if you need to put off some trsack time for tires consider it the price to play. a blowout may not cause a major accident but after all can yo be sure it wont. after all some people play Russian roulette and survive some don't

 

[DCarr2]

I bought a single axel trailer new, is 2012... my trailer tires are bald lol

 

[6768rogues]

I would go on eBay and buy 4 new radial trailer tires for around $200 delivered. When one of those hodge podge tires blows out and you are broken down by the road, you will wish you had spent the money. Breaking down at night in the rain is twice as much fun. I went to load range D radial trailer tires and virtually ended my incidence of flat tires.
If it was a trailer to go to the dump 5 miles away on a back road once a week, I would keep the crappy old tires. You want to regularly go 100 miles. Don't endanger yourself and others on the road to save $200.

 

[metalmagpie]

With trailer tires, it's the years not the miles. (kind of like barflies, come to think of it!)
My vote is to buy a new set and sleep easy at night. The **** tires are why you got the trailer so cheap.

metalmagpie

 

[RocketScott]

I'd suggest that you find the bolt pattern and hub size for the trailer and then find what current pickup may have that wheel pattern. Now you can also be on the lookout for some take-offs from a newer rig in 17 or 18" wheels. Sometimes wheel/tire assemblies are cheaper than new tires.

lg
no neat sig line

One thing to watch for if you go this route is the backspacing. I"m not a tire guy but as I understand it trailer tires don't have any offset, the backspacing puts it right in the middle of the rim width. If you use a rim with less backspacing you might get some rubbing.

It's still a great suggestion. The OP might find a set of take-offs with decent tires that are already mounted.

 

[wake74]

Thanks for all the responses. I think I'll just order a set of 205/75/15s all the way around. That would also lower the trailer by about 0.8", which would be helpful for loading the car.

 

[wake74]

I want pics of the track rat BMW.

I'll try to find some better pics or some recent track video, I had an impressive off-track at the last weekend that completely filled the car with dirt. It's a '96 328 sedan. GC Suspension with camber plates. Hawk HT10s with ducted cooling in the front (fog lights are intakes). Hotchkiss front sway. Stock never cracked M52 with almost 250k miles that pulled just over 200 wheel Hp this spring on a dyno, that's more than new. M50 intake with Shark Tune. Kosei rims with RS4s.

The old girl is about to turn 250,000 miles and loves to be flogged on the track and shifted at 6,000 RPM. Leak-down and compression are shockingly good.

The trailer is so I can quit driving her to the track. No AC, no interior, etc.

Can't beat German Engineering

 

[chaosracing]

just bought 4 new trailer tires for around $225 online. mine never weAr out .usually dry rot or irreparable tire damage. if you need to put off some trsack time for tires consider it the price to play. a blowout may not cause a major accident but after all can yo be sure it wont. after all some people play Russian roulette and survive some don't

Where did you find 4 trailer tires for only $225? Around me (and online) they are going for $100+ a piece. Thats another reason why I run truck tires, I can find them cheap all day long.

 

[sreeb]

Where did you find 4 trailer tires for only $225? Around me (and online) they are going for $100+ a piece. Thats another reason why I run truck tires, I can find them cheap all day long.

I just bought 5 ST205/75D15 Load Range: C tires, mounted on new rims, off amazon for ~$70 each. My previous trailer radials shredded while I was towing the trailer empty. I think the key things are to keep them inflated to max pressure and replace them every 5 years no matter how they look.

 

[Bretny]

I also bought 15in trailer tires with rims for a double axle car trailer from amazon.com. i think i paid $67 each shipped. There really hard to beat for the price if you consider the price of mounting and dis mounting.

I dont even buy trailer tires with out new rims any more unless its a special size/weight tire...and the size tires you need are not special.

Dont buy truck tires for your trailer. There no benefit over new trailer tires.

 

[May Pop]

Thanks for the pic

 

[Randy in Maine]

If you go with LT (light Truck) tires, you must de-rate the tires load by 10%.

Ref:
https://www.discounttire.com/learn/trailer-tire-faqs

https://www.lesschwab.com/article/trailer-and-tire-dos-and-donts-answers-to-common-questions.html

https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=309

Incorrect. LT tires are not derated 9% for load when used on a trailer. Car tires are however.

 

[theoldwizard1]

1. Any benefit to trailer tire verses regular tire? Any impact to mixing & matching for now until they all need to be replaced?

Trailer (Specialty) Tires ST carry a much higher load than "regular" car tires.

Light truck Tires (LT) can also be used on trailers. There is usually a much wider selection of sizes of LT tires vs ST and frequently at better prices.

2. Any reason to stay with the 235 verses the 205 width? Any harm if I mix an match until they all need replacement. The 235 actually look a bit too wide for the fenders, I know bigger is always better

I would not mix them, even on separate axles. The real key is to match the maximum load trailer weight to the actual weight rating on the side wall (ignore "ply" and letter weight ratings).

 

[Bretny]

I would not mix them, even on separate axles. The real key is to match the maximum load trailer weight to the actual weight rating on the side wall (ignore "ply" and letter weight ratings).

This is true. Weight rating of tires should equal gvw of trailer..if not more carrying capacity on the tires. Also pay attention to the weight rating of the trailer and dont go over it.

 

[59 wagon man]

jet.com

 

[firebirdparts]

Thanks for all the responses. I think I'll just order a set of 205/75/15s all the way around. That would also lower the trailer by about 0.8", which would be helpful for loading the car.

That's what I run. I really like having a 8'6" wide trailer, but I don't want the tires sticking out any more than necessary. 7000 pound simple car hauler.

New tires are certainly better. I only question whether Chinese trailer tires are somehow better or more flat resistant than car tires. For $50 maybe just get a few extras, if you go that route.

 

[RGKSR]

I purchased 2 Carlisle Trailer tires on eBay for $115.48. I don’t run old tires, it’s not worth the risks.