Need some tire advice / recomendations

[KennyG]

Just a caution. If the lug nuts came loose, even if the bolts seem ok, the rims may have worn bolt holes. Not easy to see but they will come loose much easier in the future if the holes are worn. I would replace the rim on any road vehicle that has had the lug nuts come loose.

 

[TMGT]

Just a caution. If the lug nuts came loose, even if the bolts seem ok, the rims may have worn bolt holes. Not easy to see but they will come loose much easier in the future if the holes are worn. I would replace the rim on any road vehicle that has had the lug nuts come loose.

Agreed, but I dont think he has to worry about that since the wheel shattered.

OP, do you have any pictures of the shattered wheel?

 

[neopheous]

I think you had two problems- one is the nuts not being tight for them to be blown off. Second is either a defective tire or rim.

As for etrailers advise- try telling all those pop up campers with that tire size they shouldn't go far from home with a bias. :laughing: Guess they should camp at a neighbor's house.

One thing no one ever wants to hear when hauling- stay under the speed limit. I see these folks running 75 with a 30ft camper behind a half ton truck or SUV. Talk about the tail wagging the dog....

Maybe buy a high cap set like those in link and use the old one as spare would be my choice.

25/65-1 LRE 1 PR Kenda Loadstar Bias Trailer Tire on 1" 5 Lug Series S5 Gunmetal w/ Machined Lip

Well I always thought the same thing regarding bias tires, that it should not have been an issue... especially based on my trailer weight/load and traveling speed based on the tire ratings which I had purchased. Which I would actually deem them better than the ones in the link you provided, as far as tire specs, not the rims.

I am still leaning toward going to the 12" rims/radial tires.... from the specs it appears they would only be an inch or less larger in diameter and I believe that would work on this trailer.... Would be nice to know if anyone else has done that before on this particular trailer.

 

[neopheous]

Agreed, but I dont think he has to worry about that since the wheel shattered.

OP, do you have any pictures of the shattered wheel?

You are correct, it did shatter.... and concerning this, I am more concerned about needing to replace the lug studs on the axle itself as a couple of those I couldn't spin the lug nut on by hand all the way but had to use the lug wrench as them seemed to possibly be somewhat scarred, or boogered up a little.

I don't have any pics on me, but I will take a couple this evening, as well as the trailer itself and the other rim that is still in working order.

 

[wagne223]

I think you had two problems- one is the nuts not being tight for them to be blown off. Second is either a defective tire or rim.

As for etrailers advise- try telling all those pop up campers with that tire size they shouldn't go far from home with a bias. :laughing: Guess they should camp at a neighbor's house.

One thing no one ever wants to hear when hauling- stay under the speed limit. I see these folks running 75 with a 30ft camper behind a half ton truck or SUV. Talk about the tail wagging the dog....

Maybe buy a high cap set like those in link and use the old one as spare would be my choice.

25/65-1 LRE 1 PR Kenda Loadstar Bias Trailer Tire on 1" 5 Lug Series S5 Gunmetal w/ Machined Lip

I'm with you on the speed.
On a good road or highway with a load, I limit my speed to 65 mph. I will occasionally go to 70 to pass if necessary then right back to 65.

Rough roads or bridges with uneven expansion joints, down to 55 mph or less if needed.

I haul 7500 lbs around 4000 miles per year.
Knock on wood, I have never had a blowout.
I have had flats and one bearing failure. Both times i was warned by the smoke. I saw it and stopped prior to any major damage.

I run bias tires on steel wheels at 60 psi.

 

[ddbackhoe]

What is the pressure rating of the aluminum wheels you're using? Is it possible the wheel failed first?
I've seen a pretty wide range of quality on aluminum trailer wheels and have been surprised that many are rated for pressures lower then the tires used.

That’s a good angle to peruse. A little looking and it seems that the ut128 trailer parts diagram shows tire, 20.5 x 8.0 which indicates an 8 rim, right? The tires chosen however say to mount on a 6 rim.

 

[neopheous]

I'm with you on the speed.
On a good road or highway with a load, I limit my speed to 65 mph. I will occasionally go to 70 to pass if necessary then right back to 65.

Rough roads or bridges with uneven expansion joints, down to 55 mph or less if needed.

I haul 7500 lbs around 4000 miles per year.
Knock on wood, I have never had a blowout.
I have had flats and one bearing failure. Both times i was warned by the smoke. I saw it and stopped prior to any major damage.

I run bias tires on steel wheels at 60 psi.

Again, I was doing 70, on tires rated at 87.... This is a light duty trailer with only about 700#'s on it.... I DO go slower when I am pulling my 20' tandam axle 10K trailer with 7,000 - 8,000#'s on it.... I rarely ever take it above 55. But with an aluminum utility trailer with no more than a golf cart and a washer and dryer on it.... I do not see 70 MPH as being excessive.... at least not on freeways listing the speed limit at 70-75 MPH. I'm not saying it is safer running 70 vs 55, but I think that is true also of a passenger vehicle towing nothing.

I really am just trying to determine if I would be better off going to a 12" radial, or just stick with the 10" bias tires. I had owned this trailer for 5 years and had NO issues with the existing tires that were on it, and several trips of 2-3 hours with double that weight. Just sort of unsettling when I put brand new tires on it when making a longer trip as to NOT have this happen, and it does anywho...

 

[neopheous]

That’s a good angle to peruse. A little looking and it seems that the ut128 trailer parts diagram shows tire, 20.5 x 8.0 which indicates an 8 rim, right? The tires chosen however say to mount on a 6 rim.

Well, I need to verify the model, as the 10" rims were the original, so it is probably not the UT128... I will look this evening and correct that. However, speaking of rims and weight limits… I assume, this is just like axles... so if you have rims that are rated at 900#'s, that means you should be able to carry a load of 1,800#'s if a single axle, correct? The reason I ask, is b/c the highest weight rating I seen on 10 or 12" rims were like 1250#'s and this trailer is supposedly designed to carry up to 1,660#'s.

 

[wagne223]

Again, I was doing 70, on tires rated at 87.... This is a light duty trailer with only about 700#'s on it.... I DO go slower when I am pulling my 20' tandam axle 10K trailer with 7,000 - 8,000#'s on it.... I rarely ever take it above 55. But with an aluminum utility trailer with no more than a golf cart and a washer and dryer on it.... I do not see 70 MPH as being excessive.... at least not on freeways listing the speed limit at 70-75 MPH. I'm not saying it is safer running 70 vs 55, but I think that is true also of a passenger vehicle towing nothing.

I really am just trying to determine if I would be better off going to a 12" radial, or just stick with the 10" bias tires. I had owned this trailer for 5 years and had NO issues with the existing tires that were on it, and several trips of 2-3 hours with double that weight. Just sort of unsettling when I put brand new tires on it when making a longer trip as to NOT have this happen, and it does anywho...

Sir, I was not criticizing your driving style.
I was just making a general point agreeing with another member post.

In your case, we are all speculating.

I will say that if the lug nuts are no longer in position, that is the likely cause of all your damage.

Several reasons for lug nuts to come loose.

.improperly torqued and not retorqued at 50 miles or so.

.wheel improperly fit to hub or debris preventing proper fitment. This makes the nuts seem torqued but as the wheel and hub move, they seat together, closing the gap and essentially causing the nuts to be loose.

.hub bearing failure causing excessive heat to the wheel, studs and nuts.

.Aluminum wheels are greatly more susceptible to all of these issues.

 

[TMGT]

Well, I need to verify the model, as the 10" rims were the original, so it is probably not the UT128... I will look this evening and correct that. However, speaking of rims and weight limits… I assume, this is just like axles... so if you have rims that are rated at 900#'s, that means you should be able to carry a load of 1,800#'s if a single axle, correct? The reason I ask, is b/c the highest weight rating I seen on 10 or 12" rims were like 1250#'s and this trailer is supposedly designed to carry up to 1,660#'s.

Correct, it's the sum of the wheels capacity.
Your failure seems odd, I think we are just trying to help you figure out if this is an anomaly due to bad parts or an inherent problem of the tire type/size.

The fact that you were able to recover lugnuts and 2 were together makes me wonder, I've had lugs back off and even studs break, I've rarely found a lug much less multiple lugs together.

My worst was a F550 pulling a gooseneck with about 12k lbs on the trucks rear axle, all 8 studs on the left rear broke, at 60+mph. Needless to say I didn't recover any lug nuts, or the outer wheel/tire!