Difference in trailer tires..

[thatguy]

What is the pluses/minuses between 7:00 x 14.5 (8 ply) and ST 225-75/R15 (8 ply) trailer tires.. I think one is a bias and the ST is a radial, but other than that what about long life, durability, etc. etc.

I always thought that most trailers running the 7:.00 x 14.5 were using Mobile Home tires.. But I see that Hudson trailers offers new trailers with them..

Just curious..

thanks

Brian

 

[kossetx]

Here is my opinion, and it's just that. I feel that radials on my trailer are not used enough. It mostly just sits, sometimes for a long time. I think the belts rust and I have a lot of blowouts with them. Bais tires don't seem to give me that problem as much.

 

[rdln]

I have been messing with 14.5 demountable rim tires for awhile, and have found pluses to be:

diameter to load rating ratio is low so trailer can sit closer to ground

... and thats about it.

minuses:

people see you with those and think you are breaking the law and that you are cheap for using mobile home axles and tires (which in my case is not true)

the local tire guy does not a have pile of trailer quality used ones lying around.
the same is true for the rims.

I have had heavy duty and light duty versions of DOT app. tires, the HDs are pretty darn good but light duty tread wears out to quickly.

extra attention needs to be given to mounting and retorking (sp!)

I have bought brake parts from a hudson dealer therefore if the brake shoe thickness is the same on hudson's as mobile home axles,
they are made for limited use only.

After my experience with these. I would not buy nor recommend buying demountable 14.5" tired trailers

 

[RobS]

Don't know if this is true or not but I've heard that real trailer tires (with a "t" in the size) are formulated to avoid dry rot and such from lack of use. Seems to make sense as most trailers sit far more than passenger vehicles.

/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Farmwithjunk]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Don't know if this is true or not but I've heard that real trailer tires (with a "t" in the size) are formulated to avoid dry rot and such from lack of use. Seems to make sense as most trailers sit far more than passenger vehicles.

/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif )</font>

Sometimes I think my trailer moves more that the truck I use to tow it /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif) Well, maybe not THAT bad.

Trailer radials (the GOOD ONES anyway) have a slightly different sidewall construction (than passenger car or truck tires). They get dragged sideways sometimes when making sharp turns. I've actually broke 2 tires off the bead while jack-knife turning a long gooseneck trailer. Front axle was literally sliding sideways.

After blowing both right side trailer tires at the same time last summer, I'm all in favor of buying the best trailer rubber money can buy. (65 MPH in door handle-to-door handle traffic when they blew out) They take a thrashing. (Both tires still had over 2/3rds of the original tread left. It was "carcass failure" [probably from running slightly UNDERinflated] that did them in. Weight and tire size called for 85 to 95 psi. I ran 75. POW!) After "post-blow-out inspection" it was noted that there was a definate seperation of plies taking place. Tire tech showed me "ripples" in the sidewall that indicated there was eminent danger of the other 2 blowing out.

Consider the fact that MOST trailers don't have shock absorbers. That makes the tire and the trailer frame soak up all the impacts that "70 MPH down the road" can dish out.

 

[Highbeam]

"Consider the fact that MOST trailers don't have shock absorbers. That makes the tire and the trailer frame soak up all the impacts that "70 MPH down the road" can dish out."

Pretty sure that most trailers have springs to absorb impacts. The shock just prevents bounces, right.

 

[HammerFour]

I have been thru several trailer tire failures, most of them seem to die from sun exposure, which leads to cracking and 'weather checking'. The tires then tear apart at some point ( usually during hot weather and under load ).

I replace the ones that look bad, some of them just come apart without much or any warning.

I think some of those RV tire covers might be handy to put on the tires to prevent from UV and weather damage.

 

[Farmwithjunk]

Springs "absorb" weight. They TRANSMIT shock through to the trailer frame. When you hit something that would compress the springs, where do you suppose THEY hit the trailer? At the SPRING PERCH on each end of the springs. Shock absorbers do EXACTLY whattheir name implies. They absorb SHOCK. Without them, the shock load is distributed throughout the suspension and on to the trailer frame.

 

[ronjhall]

A shock absorber on a vehicle is kind of improperly named. It's purpose is to keep the tire in contact with the road.

 

[George2615]

Trailer tires are built stronger than passenger car tires. They have stiffer sidewalls, are built stronger, and are more resistant to cuts / bruising. They are built stronger because they spend more time being dragged during sharp turns than a regular tire. ST stands for Special Trailer. all trailers should run an ST tire which can be bias or radial. Most tires you see that are 7-14.5 are mobile home rated only and state so on the sidewall. There are tire companies that make 7-14.5 tires for trailers with the ST on the sidewall. Usually the numerical size tires are bias ply instead of radial. ST trailer tires are also usually more expensive than regular passenger tires.