Tires for teardrops?

[Forrest747]

I am running 31X10.50 R15 on my trailer. It’s the same rims and tires as on my jeep so I do not have to carry a spare, other than the one on the Jeep.

[angib]

I think the difference between trailer tyres and car tyres becomes more important when the tyres are begin run continuously near their maximum load rating - and commercial trailer builders never fit wheels and tyres any bigger than they have to, which is one reason that they occasionally make for a problem.

For a teardrop running on car tyres with a capacity maybe three times the weight of the teardrop, I don't believe the choice of tyres matters in the least.

For a Harbor Freight trailer with 4.80x8 tyres loaded up near their maximum, I can see trailer tyres being a good choice - though as there aren't any car tyres that size, it's a moot point!

[Kharn]

Do many people change to a larger rim size? Can you use a spacer to move the rim further away from the wall of the trailer, or is a new axle required?

Mainly I'm looking to add a bit of ride height, my truck's tow hitch is not the lowest thing in the world.

[jss06]

I am running 31X10.50 R15 on my trailer. It’s the same rims and tires as on my jeep so I do not have to carry a spare, other than the one on the Jeep.

I do the same thing.

[doug hodder]

Do many people change to a larger rim size? Can you use a spacer to move the rim further away from the wall of the trailer, or is a new axle required?

Mainly I'm looking to add a bit of ride height, my truck's tow hitch is not the lowest thing in the world.

If you just want to get it level and don't really want any more space under the trailer, just get a drop down piece for the receiver. Much cheaper than wheels and tires. Doug

[Kharn]

My driveway is at a good angle to the street, I need all the height I can get so I don't scrape the back of the tear or the hitch.

[ssrjim]

http://www.discounttire.com/dtcs/infoTrailerTireFacts.dos

[wired]

http://www.discounttire.com/dtcs/infoTrailerTireFacts.dos

Thanks for the link. Great information!

[DragonFire]

great info!! Sounds like car tires are really the best thing for our trailers being that they are not very heavy, and trailer tires need to be replaced so often. Also...did you guys see the mileage lifespan of a trailer tire? 5,000-12,000 miles? That's nothing compared to a car tire!!

Car tires it is!!

Now...back to finding a rim....

[working on it]

Another thing in the (bias ply) trailer tire's favor is that the thicker sidewall and extra firmness will better resist curb rash or pothole damage or going off-road inadvertently. I've seen a lot of this in many years of following other racers towing in front of me, and have even had these incidents myself. Car tires are more sensitive to sidewall bruising IMO, and though I have some radial trailer tires on my car hauler (only thing available at the time), I trust the bias trailer tires more. Just my opinion.

[2bits]

I would say if you have been using these for 7 years and they track well and there are no issues, if it ain't broke don't fix it. Replace with new yes, but no need to re engineer what is obviously working for you.

My only thought would be to get the same size wheel and tire as your car, so you can share the spare, but some people are more cautious than me.

[angib]

My only thought would be to get the same size wheel and tire as your car

How many people have tried swapping the wheels over? There are lots of things that need to match:

- car (and Jeep) wheels nowadays tend to have fairly large positive offsets, whereas most trailer wheels are zero offset, so the car wheel may sit a couple of inches further in on the trailer and may hit the sidewall;

- trailer wheels tend to have fairly large center bores so they fit over typical trailer hubs, whereas car wheels usually have a smaller center bore and so won't fit on a trailer hub;

- many cars locate the wheel on the hub, not on the wheel studs/bolts, which isn't usually a problem when fitting car wheels to trailers, but often prevents using a trailer wheel on a car, even if everything else matches.

I'm sure the common spare can be arranged (maybe with the use of a wheel spacer to mount a car wheel on a trailer), but it needs more than just matching the diameter and bolt patterns.

[Pottercounty]

After reading Rob's link, (Thank you Rob) I'm happy that I have a set of Carlisles on our trailer. I do have a brand new "car tire" spare however, that will work fine as a spare. Wow, I didn't realize the advantages of the trailer tire over a car tire. Safety is important and I'm not willing to take a risk to save a few bucks...

[48Rob]

After reading Rob's link, (Thank you Rob) I'm happy that I have a set of Carlisles on our trailer. I do have a brand new "car tire" spare however, that will work fine as a spare. Wow, I didn't realize the advantages of the trailer tire over a car tire. Safety is important and I'm not willing to take a risk to save a few bucks...

Tim,

You're welcome.

My trailer at 2400 pounds is a little heavier than a typical teardrop.
At first I considered car tires, but after getting an education on the differences, the extra $40.00 was pretty easy to swallow.
We've put many thousands of miles on them at speeds up to 75-80 mph crossing the Western states.
They still look new, and handle very well.
Though 6 years old, we keep the trailer indoors while not camping, so expect to get many more.

The peace of mind alone made it worth it.
I'd not want to be in an accident with the trailer due to a damaged tire and have to explain to the insurance company, or a judge, why I was running a trailer with car tires.

Rob

[Jim Edgerly]

I keep reading statements on this file similar to "I run car tires because there is half the weight on the tires as there would be if they were on a car because the teardrop weighs only half as much as a car (1500lbs vs 3000lbs)."

While it may be true that a car weighs around twice as much as a teardrop you have to remember that a car has 4 tires to support 3000 lbs (750 lbs/tire) and a teardrop has 2 tires to support 1500 lbs (750 lbs/tire)...so that argument really doesn't hold any water. The tires are supporting the same approximate weight in both cases.

I personally run trailer tires because that is what this specialty tire was designed for. I run ST205/75R14 radials (rated at 1760 lbs/tire) because a pair of radials only ran about $50 or maybe a little less than a pair of bias ply trailer tires. When I consider what is at risk ($/lives) I consider the extra money a very good investment.

I also read about people running their tires under-inflated to give a softer ride. According to the experts, "Under inflation is the leading cause of tire failure. An under-inflated tire can't maintain its shape and becomes flatter than intended while in contact with the road. If a vehicle’s tires are under-inflated by only 6 psi it could lead to tire failure. Additionally, the tire’s tread life could be reduced by as much as 25%. Lower inflation pressure will allow the tire to deflect (bend) more as it rolls, building up internal heat, increase rolling resistance and cause a reduction in fuel economy of up to 5%."

My take has always been..."use the right tool for the job, and use it properly."

My opinions...your mileage may vary.