Trailer Tires

[Fuelie74]

Looking at buying some new tires for my 18' open car trailer. It has a C weight rating and C rated 205/75R15 tires. Seems like the tires just don't last that long and will blow out long before the tread is gone. A friend said he has noticed the same thing with his trailer. So that got me thinking would I be better off if I put load D 225/75R15 tires on instead? I would love to here peoples thoughts on this and know there is many guys on here that have trailers.

 

[010752]

I heard of a lot of people having problems, but fortunately I haven't with trailer tires. A couple years ago we trailered a car 5000 miles with no problems.

The other alternative is to go with light truck tires. They are Marked "LT"
I think if it's before the sizes it's the old numbering system and if it's after then the metric numbering system.
The LT stands for light truck/trailer and usually used on equipment trailers for heavy loads.
They are available from D (8 ply) to H (16 ply, these are pricey)
I use the E rated for my 1 ton but also used them on trailers years ago.

 

[mrvette]

I dunno for sure, but lately we hear stories about tires older than 6? year get to be a problem because of dry rot or maybe sunlight affecting them...

apparently tires that sit a long time without use will delaminate.....

had that issue on my father's last car, it sat almost a decade in the garage, when fixing it up and driving it again the tires just disintegrated....and those old snow tires, same thing....so 4 new tires...

:shocking:

 

[Ozzy]

Check the basics, inflate to proper pressure when COLD,not hot, the number one reason for trailer tire blowouts.

 

[DC3]

Are you using tires rated for trailers? There should be an "ST" (Special Trailer) designation in the tire size such as ST205/75R15. You could probably get by with LT tires if the load rating was sufficient but most of the time when people I know are having problems with trailer tires, it's because they are not using trailer tires. Car tires are a no go on trailers.

I like to keep trailer tire pressures at the maximum rating of the tire unless I'm positive that I have more tire than I need for the load.

Hope this helps.

DC

 

[Fuelie74]

I am running ST tires and check the tire pressure before every trip with the trailer. I suspect that part of my problem is that the trailer does sit so much. I am not saying that it goes through a tire every couple of trips but, like I said I can never seem to get them to last as long as I think they should. So I was just thinking I might get better life out of a heavier rate tire.

 

[DC3]

I suspect that part of my problem is that the trailer does sit so much.

I think you are right about that. Do the tires get a lot of sun while the trailer is parked? My boat trailer tires are needing to be replaced but some older tires on a shop trailer I keep at another location are doing just fine. The difference is that my boat trailer is stored outdoors and the tires see both morning and afternoon sun while the shop trailer is stored under a car port and never sees sun or wet weather while stored.

DC