Cheap Trailer Tires?

[ultrarunner]

My experience with trailer tires has been there are good brands and bad brands like Carlisle and Goodyear. Greenball, Maxxis, ect are good tires.

As for LT tires if you state requires inspection it may not pass. In my area no tire dealer will put LT tires on trailers anymore. Last set I got I had to take the wheels off and haul them over in my truck and told them it was for my project truck at home.

Chris

Wonder what they would do if there is no trailer tire made for the wheel size?

 

[lostcause]

Wonder what they would do if there is no trailer tire made for the wheel size?

they make trailer tires in 8, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, and 14.5 that i know of. i used a fairly new borrowed trailer last year that had 8 lug wheels, so i wouldn't be surprised if that had 16's on it. i can't believe there is a trailer wheel size that they don't make a tire for.

 

[Diamondpilot]

16" trailer tires are quite common also. Just put 5 new 10plys on last week for a customer.

Chris

 

[ultrarunner]

they make trailer tires in 8, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, and 14.5 that i know of. i used a fairly new borrowed trailer last year that had 8 lug wheels, so i wouldn't be surprised if that had 16's on it. i can't believe there is a trailer wheel size that they don't make a tire for.

I'm guessing there might be an exemption...

The size I use is 4.50 x 21 it is also the same as the car so the spare from the car will work for the trailer...

Here's a similar picture of another member's car and trailer with 4.75 x 19 tires.

http://www.mafca.com/gallery/trailerGB.jpg

 

[3930dave]

Where does the TPMS go ?

UR, I was thinking of your earlier comments in this thread, the other day.

These old tires are physically larger than what is used today, and came from an era where belted tires were the norm. I suspect that a great deal of care, attention to detail, and quality went into some of those 40+ y/o tires that you are still running today.

Might just be rose coloured glasses that I'm wearing at the moment..... but if so, the tint is probably pretty light...

Rgds, D.

 

[ultrarunner]

Where does the TPMS go ?

UR, I was thinking of your earlier comments in this thread, the other day.

These old tires are physically larger than what is used today, and came from an era where belted tires were the norm. I suspect that a great deal of care, attention to detail, and quality went into some of those 40+ y/o tires that you are still running today.

Might just be rose coloured glasses that I'm wearing at the moment..... but if so, the tint is probably pretty light...

Rgds, D.

We definitely made some quality products in the United States... a tribute to those the made and designed the products...

I think I might start a new thread on that topic...

 

[JIGBUILDER]

There are no fed or state regulations stating LT tires cannot be used on a trailer or only ST tires can be used on a trailer. If there was LTL commerce would be shut down.

Dot is interestef in the tires load capacity and tread depth and air pressure. If you have a tire dealer not wanting to mount a LT on a trailer move on down the road to a tire dealer that knows the tire business. Some trailers (all types) come OEM with LT tires or are a upgrade option by the manufacture.

ST tires may work fine for a lawn service trailer that lives its life being pulled around town. However a trailer that lives out on the highway running max HOS at max loads and interstate speeds will best be served by using LT tires.

My last new GN with tripple 6k axles came OEM with 16" ST tires. The dealer allowed 38 bucks a tire and kept the ST tires. I had my truck tire dealer mount 6 BFG Commercial LT235/85-16 E. The trailer has just over 65k miles now and the tires will need to be replaced before next year.

 

[brokenot]

Non-ST tires can be used, but there are restrictions and/or limitations. This is a cut & paste from a trailer manufacturers association website:

QUESTION:
My competitors are providing used tires (as an option) on their trailers. Is this allowable?

ANSWER:
According to Section 571.120 (Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards), tire Selection and Rims for Motor Vehicles Other than Passenger Cars, each vehicle equipped with pneumatic tires for highway service must be equipped with pneumatic tires that meet the requirements of 571.119, new Pneumatic Tires for Vehicles Other than Passenger Cars. There is one exception. Paragraph S5.1.3 of ｧ571.120 states that in place of tires that meet the requirements of Standard No. 119, a trailer may at the request of the purchaser be equipped at the place of manufacture of the vehicle with retreaded or used tires owned or leased by the purchaser, if the sum of the maximum load ratings meets the requirements of S5.1.2.

So, if your customer brings his used tires to your plant AND the tires are of an acceptable maximum load rating for the Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) AND were originally manufactured in compliance with Standard No. 119, you may install them on his new trailer. To cover yourself you should have the customer sign a statement, or release, that he has provided his own tires and the manufacturer is not responsible for them.

QUESTION:
Are passenger rated tires allowed on trailers? We get only ST tires, but I still see many P rated tires on trailers.

ANSWER:
Passenger tires are allowed on trailers; however the individual maximum load capacity of the tire must be reduced 10%. The total adjusted tire capacities on any axle must then be equal to or greater than the GAWR specified on the Certification/VIN label for that axle.

QUESTION:
How do I know I have the sized proper tires on my trailer?

ANSWER:
Look at the VIN / Certification label on the front left side of the trailer. This will have the proper tire size, and inflation pressure, printed on it. You can check this by looking at the Maximum Load Rating stamped on the sidewall of the tire. This load rating (when multiplied by 2 - for the 2 tires on the axle) must be equal to, or greater than, the Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) printed on the VIN / Certification label.

So basically, passenger tires are allowed....but the individual maximum load capacity of each tire must be reduced by 10%. Once that "adjusted" load capacity number is arrived at, the total weight carrying capacity must meet or exceed whatever the trailer's ID tag calls out for GAWR, i.e., you can't end up having (for example) 2500 pounds worth of tire weight carrying capacity on an axle that is listed as having a 3500 pound capacity.

Also, trailer VIN tags can vary widely. Some will only list a tire size such as 225 70R15, while others go into more detail and actually add the type, (such as ST), and also include cold inflation psi numbers. Some trailers we've had in the fleet in the past have even gone as far as having the ply rating on the VIN tag. For the sake of avoiding any legal/insurance issues down the road, tires not matching whatever the VIN tag specifies should probably be avoided.

 

[dpankau]

My thoughts are, ask the dealers near you if they can order a trailer for you with good tires. The answer might be yes for all of them. Seems like it would be a bit of hassle for a dealer to get you a trailer with no tires or rims installed. I accidentally forgot to order good tires on my new trailer. I will just use up the factory tires and replace them in a year or two when they wear out. No big deal.

I was in the same exact situation last year, No Joke. I found the best tires for a trailer, IMO are the loadstar brand by kendra ...or kenda... and i don't usually post recommendations, but i found a website last year that i have gone back to many times since, www.recstuff.com , same products as etrailer , half the price.

 

[clemsonfor]

I was in the same exact situation last year, No Joke. I found the best tires for a trailer, IMO are the loadstar brand by kendra ...or kenda... and i don't usually post recommendations, but i found a website last year that i have gone back to many times since, www.recstuff.com , same products as etrailer , half the price.

Wow first post recommending a website...must be real he said I "don't usually post recommendations"!!! Or did someone sense a way to market for free? I thought you had to have so many posts before you can post links?