Trailer Tires

[babzog]

Princess Auto (Cdn version of Harbour Freight but with crappy tools instead) has a trailer tire coming on sale this week. 1820lbs rating , 15" for $99. It's a bias ply tire however, which I've read isn't the best for handling ... Which makes me think that I should leave them there and wait for their radials to come on sale.

What says the GJ gurus?

 

[Need4racin]

go to the junkyard and get some tires.

 

[930dreamer]

If it's going to be used at freeway speeds, get the best tire you can afford. My .02.

 

[1983Camperspecial]

use good car tires, they last longer handle better and wear more even, I don't know why but all trailer tires I have ever seen tend to balloon and wear out the middles and cup something awful even when they are kept at the recommended pressures, also have the tires balanced, most trailer tires are not balance and makes towing an empty trailer very unpleasant for the trailer and the tow vehicle.

 

[Steevo]

I tow my trailer at 75+mph for 10-12hrs each trip, and never buy anything but good quality trailer tires from Americas Tire.
No failures, no problems, no worries.

 

[1320stang]

Good Lord!! Don't use car tires on a car hauling trailer. And if you do, don't drive thru Oklahoma, PLEASE!!

 

[ar2stp48]

If they are for a utility style trailer, single or tandem axle, I would get good used tires from a tire store or "u pull it" yard. This is what I have on three trailers.

On the single axle cargo and tandem axle car hauler, I have standard trailer tires. Cargo has 6 ply rated and car hauler will soon be upgraded to 8 ply rated. Cargo is on road for longer distances and at freeway speeds, so I am a bit more concerned about it compared to utility of same size.

Shop a local tire shop for the best prices; I have found they will beat the big "Discount" stores. Tires (two) for the cargo a couple of months ago were $190 total included balanced. Single tire at "Discount" was $140 and not balanced when I had a blow out on car hauler half way home from Dallas. Changing tire on a loaded trailer on the side of I-30 is no fun.

 

[Tim Kennedy]

My understanding - here in PA at least - you better have trailer specific tires or risk fines and/or impounding of the trailer. Lots of people use mobile home tires & axles for home built trailers - not a smart nor legal thing to do - have been told that in New York the trailer will be impounded on the spot. Many trailer manufacturers do not use radial tires - passenger car or truck for their trailers. Go for the specific tires - why risk it for a few bucks?

 

[ibedayank]

12 inch and up you balance car truck OR trailer
use the right tool for the job.. remember its not just YOUR family that is on the roads

 

[gsport]

and if your going to buy used tires, you better be able to read the age code of the tire. very few people wear out trailer tires, they end up just old, dried, and weathered and still may have lots of tread and look good. even buying new trailer tires, it's a good idea to check the manufactured date code.

 

[cruzn57]

I've lost tread on so many trailer tires, every brand,
now I use nothing but good quality car tires, I check load capacity, and temp rating, have NOT had a problem since.
I've driven coast to coast, and I do not drive slow!
most cops wouldn't have clue what to look for on tires!
and if you check your state vehicle code book, there is no mention of trailer tires! (in most states)

 

[Knuckle Buster]

I've lost tread on so many trailer tires, every brand,
now I use nothing but good quality car tires, I check load capacity, and temp rating, have NOT had a problem since.
I've driven coast to coast, and I do not drive slow!
most cops wouldn't have clue what to look for on tires!
and if you check your state vehicle code book, there is no mention of trailer tires! (in most states)

I've been in the same boat with trailer tires. Nothing worse than having to jack up a trailer after the tread lifts on your way to a cross country horse ride. Trailer tires are not rated dependable enough for vehicle use and they say '' for trailer use only ''. IMO, that tells me they are worthless. I don't pull my horses on tires that aren't rated safe enough to use on an automobile. Truck radials also trail behind the truck better. I've always used the same tires as my dually truck since the trailer also uses the same size. The dually truck uses 235/85/16 radials with a 3042 pound each limmit at 80 psi ( sounds high but mine say 3,042 lbs max weight at 80 psi inflation ), and they are 10 ply rating. Never had a problem using the truck tires on the trailer.

 

[Oldtymeflyr]

My trailer goes on the road, not unusual for it to go a couple of thousand miles in a couple of days.

I use truck tires. They are a quality product and work well.

The trailer forums have people blowing out trailer tires all the time. I have had similar experiences with trailer tires. I have never had a problem with truck tires.

Rick

 

[PCO6]

Princess Auto (Cdn version of Harbour Freight but with crappy tools instead) has a trailer tire coming on sale this week. 1820lbs rating , 15" for $99. It's a bias ply tire however, which I've read isn't the best for handling ... Which makes me think that I should leave them there and wait for their radials to come on sale.

What says the GJ gurus?

That doesn't sound like that good of a deal. I bought ST205/75R14's with slotted galvanized wheels at Princess Auto on sale for $120 each. They are rated for 1,760 lbs. I'm not sure what size of trailer you have but these have worked well on my 4'x8' utility trailer. They go on sale a few times a year.

 

[Dadstoy]

I just bought 4 new 205/75R14 trailer tires from a local tire dealer for my car trailer. 69.00 each. I installed them myself.

 

[gezn2]

I'll add my $.02 here, heavy trailer tires are still frequently Bias-type because of sidewall flex issues, the stiffer sidewalls 'wallow' a lot less under load.
Trailer forums are full of horror stories about even brand-new major manufacturerer trailer tires flying apart on the road, most of them are built to a price overseas these days
IMO you're better off stepping up to a 'C' or higher load-rating LT truck tire for anything that hauls significant weight...

 

[J Persons]

The problem with using car or truck tires on a trailer is the sidewalls aren't designed to flex when the trailer is turning a tight corner, and they can be pulled off the rim. This obviously applies to two axle trailers only.
If you are blowing out trailer tires, you probably need to go to a higher rated tire.

 

[koditten]

I deal with trailers...alot. The bias ply tires are ****. They are so bad, that many times they won't even balence. There may be some domestic version that I haven't had a chance to deal with that may be better.

All my personal trailers have LT radial tires. 100% better ride empty or loaded. The sidewall issue involving sharp turns is the exception to the rule, not the norm. The only reason people use these bias ply tires is that they are cheaper. As said above, most trailer tires age out before they wear out.

 

[dirttracker18]

 

[camarotoolman]

I don't worry about it. Just carry several spairs,jack, wrenches, blocks, etc.

 

[rlitman]

Bias ply tires are often used on trailers, because they track better.
SOME bias ply tires are ****. SOME may not balance, but that doesn't mean there's something wrong with bias ply tires, it just means you need to look at better tires.
Radial tires will not follow as well.

 

[babzog]

I should have mentioned, the tires on sale at PA are trailer tire/rim combos. The rims on my (free 4x8) trailer are rusted to hell. Despite having them blasted and painted, there's all kinds of air leaking at the bead and the valve.

These are supposedly C rated tires, good for 1820lbs. I know the radials come on sale every now and then (possibly the same money, perhaps up to $30 more ea, depending on the sale), these just happened to come on sale now.

I don't use the trailer often, but when I do, I tend to use it hard (ie: carrying more firewood than I really should, etc). I need tires I don't have to worry about.

I can wait for the radials to come on sale or get these now. I'm spending much the same money either way so the better one is the one I'd prefer to get, even if it means waiting.

 

[1983Camperspecial]

Yep. The LT's I have on my trailer now are rated for more load than the POS scary *** looking triler tires that where on it, You can keep sorry *** trailer tires because they are ****. You trust your family and others on the road with crappy *** walmart tires on your minivan or family suv, so my good Lt on my trailer are alot safer.

 

[Lotek]

I have had one partial separation in 10 years on my 14k 3horse gooseneck, turns out it was the spare that I thought I had replaced and was 8 years old, my fault. Goodyear Marathon D range. People I know who haul horses for a living use Marathons, one girl put 100k mi on her rig in the last two years with no problems. Little utility trailers like the O/P's, I would be more concerned about his statement that he regularly overloads his trailer...doesn't matter what tire you use, it will catch up with you eventually.

 

[ibedayank]

its funny.... most on here will spend $600 for a 17 piece 1/2 drive socket set but balk at $100 for a GOOD trailer tire....

 

[HOTFR8]

MAXXIS make a very good trailer tyre.

 

[Nova_Guy]

Three month old tire off my trailer. I couldn't fine any holes in the the tread. Not really sure what happened to it to cause this damage.

 

[JCoggin]

Goodyear Marathons and nothing else for me. There are a LOT of places selling the "cheap" tire/wheel combos and they are just that, cheap....

JC

 

[ibedayank]

most trailer tires take more psi at a cold tire than a car/lt tire

most common cause of blown trailer tires....improper infalton or overloading

 

[patrick66]

I sold trailers for several years. DO NOT use passenger car radials on trailers!!! This is false economy, plus a car radial is NOT designed for trailer use, have thinner sidewalls, and do not have the load rating a light truck tire or trailer tire have. Plus, in many states, running car radials will net you a ticket, plus parking the trailer until proper tires are installed. You fans of junkyard tires are people I do not want to be around when your cheap used tire fails.

Bias-ply or radial trailer tires are a matter or personal preference, IMO. I've run bias-plies on my 19' open hauler and am now on my third set of 750-15ST bias tires in 100K of use over 11 years. Each set has lasted over 45K miles with zero blowouts. Trailer tires are all made in China. All of them are. Live with it and buy the best tire you can afford. My hauler tracks just fine, without the sidewall flex that radials have. Keep them inflated properly, balance them, and rotate them...you'll have trailer tires that will last. If you store your trailer outside, USE the RV tire covers, as this keeps ozone from sun exposure to a minimum, and keeps your tires alive that much longer.

Common sense, proper care, and NOT using used car tires will keep you rolling along just fine.

 

[Lotek]

Three month old tire off my trailer. I couldn't fine any holes in the the tread. Not really sure what happened to it to cause this damage.

I'm going to go with underinflation for $20, Alex...
Hard to tell from the pic, but it looks like there is more wear on the edges of the tread.
What kind of tire is that, doesn't look like a Marathon.

 

[rlitman]

I couldn't fine any holes in the the tread. Not really sure what happened to it to cause this damage.

Pretty sure that was caused by under-inflation.

 

[TWX]

A buddy of mine has LT tires, Michelins I think, on 15"x7" Mopar cop car wheels on his tandem axle flatbed car trailer. He hasn't had any problems with tires blowing off of rims, though I have seen some flex in extreme angles while backing up. Even curb checking this way they don't come off though.

He stores one of his cars on the trailer year round, and still no issues.

 

[Gus68]

I bought my car trailer NEW about 12 years ago. It CAME with car tires on it! I just recently bought my FIRST set of trailer tires. They are bias plys and I could tell instantly that they do not track as well, and after the little bit of use it had this summer, they do not wear as well. I know these won't last as long as my originals.

 

[iagsxr]

A year ago I sold a dissassembled 4x4 Chevy truck. We get it loaded on the guy's trailer and I tell him to back his trailer in my shop. He's like why?

Every tire was super low. I could tell when he turned it in my driveway. There was one I would have bet money wouldn't have made it back to his house loaded. People look at trailer tires on an empty trailer and think they have air in them, then blame the tire when it blows out going down the road.

FWIW the first new trailer I bought came with used car tires on it, big deal. Trailer sales are a price game, they'll stick whatever rolls on it if the law allows. By the end of that summer both my fenders were wrecked from caps coming off. False economy, took a minute but I learned.

 

[Kev442]

Every tire was super low. I could tell when he turned it in my driveway. There was one I would have bet money wouldn't have made it back to his house loaded. People look at trailer tires on an empty trailer and think they have air in them, then blame the tire when it blows out going down the road.

This kind of stupidity is all around us and the tires get the blame. A guy came up for a load of firewood with his single axle trailer a couple years back. We loaded the trailer and I told him to drive over to the cottage to air up his tires. He was like why? they look fine.
I gave him an incredulous look and told him one tire was lucky to have 10 lbs of pressure in it. He still refused until my friend told him to air up the tires or unload the trailer.
Left tire 22 lbs
Right tire 12 lbs.
His truck wasn't much better, about 25 psi each
What a *****.

 

[Lotek]

This kind of stupidity is all around us and the tires get the blame. A guy came up for a load of firewood with his single axle trailer a couple years back. We loaded the trailer and I told him to drive over to the cottage to air up his tires. He was like why? they look fine.
I gave him an incredulous look and told him one tire was lucky to have 10 lbs of pressure in it. He still refused until my friend told him to air up the tires or unload the trailer.
Left tire 22 lbs
Right tire 12 lbs.
His truck wasn't much better, about 25 psi each
What a *****.

Nannyfornia has a law that requires us to check and adjust tire pressure any time a car comes in, I don't do lube, so previously I only checked pressures on occasion, blows my mind how many people are driving around on either flat or seriously overinflated tires.

 

[babzog]

Lotek: Don't worry too much. I'm talking maybe 5-700 lbs over (ie: a face cord of wood or maybe a face and a third). When and if I do that, I'm taking back roads, driving slowly and being mindful of the load. Normally, I don't do that.

I see some folks above feel the radials do not perform as well (tracking) as the bias ply tires. I've read that the bias ply tires can cup in the middle and cause uneven wear, have a reduced contact patch and can flatspot easily during storage. Any truth to that?

I suppose I should propose one more scenario. Winter's here and I'm coming home with a load (fully loaded but not overloaded) of firewood. Roads are generally okay but have icy patches... pretty normal stuff around here. Which tire would I prefer to have installed?

 

[TWX]

For sidewall deflection, considering the way cars and trucks are driven sometimes, I really doubt that radials are worse enough for sidewall deflection to make it a big deal compared to all of the other problems expressed in bias-ply tires...

 

[Matt M PA]

I've only had made in USA Goodyear Marathons on my enclosed Haulmark since it was new in 1995. I put new tires on it about two years ago, and we were able to find the USA Marathons. At that time, "some" Marathons were made in China, some USA. In fact, they were the only radial trailer tires made in the US.

I seem to recall that some import rules on tires were changing and that it was expected that trailer tires would be made in the US again as the financial benefit of importing was (or was to be) negated with some different tax.

I think some tires fail due to improper inflation, and driving them too fast. If memory serves, ST rated trailer tires are only rated for 65MPH. Also, (if memory serves) ST tires have more resistance to ozone and weather cracking as well as heavier cords.