Trailer Tires...

[SteveM]

I'm probably going to purchase 4 new trailer tires before heading out to SpeedWeek.  The tow will be from St Louis to Wendover and back. 

The trailer I'm using has 15" wheels.  I'd like to put "E" rated tires on, and I'm considering the Power King Towmax 225/75/15's with an E load rating.  These tires have gotten good reviews on the various tire and towing forums.

Goodyear Marathon trailer tires are what I think of as the standard in the industry, but they do not offer an E rated tire for 15" wheels, and I'm not in a position to buy 4 new wheels (or a case of the might-as-wells).  Goodyear does offer the same size as Power King (225/75/15), but with a D rating.

Is anyone using the Power King tires, how do they compare to Goodyear Marathons, or have any other words of wisdom with respect to tire recommendations for 15" wheels?

Steve.

[bubruins]

I have never done this, but I've talked to several people that put LT truck tires on with E ratings instead of buying purpose built trailer tires. The market for LT tires is much more competitive than trailer tires, so they typically are less expensive for the quality of the tire you are getting. Just a thought.

[MRK]

I don't think your trailer cares about what kind of tires it has on it as long as the the rating is correct!

[jdincau]

Trailer tires have more flexible sidewalls than your typical truck tire. To see why, try towing your multi axle trailer in a tight circle, stop, get out and look at the sidewalls. The amount of twist is extreme. We had a three axle trailer that broke aluminum wheels at the bead when running light truck tires.

[kiwi belly tank]

Cast aluminum wheels are not desirable on multy axle anything because of the side loads when turning. Steel will flex, cast will crack. LT tires work well on multy axle trailers when the axle alignment is good, many are not. Don't assume, check it.
  Sid.
 

[geh458]

If I were you, I'd also get a spare or two.  Wouldn't want to get stuck in the middle of nowhere for lack of a spare tire, the heat across the desert can kill a good tire faster than a nail.

[SteveM]

The spares are part of the plan.  I bought 2 new tires for my friend's trailer last year, as a "thank you" for letting me use it.  My plan is to buy 4 new donuts, then take the 2 that I bought last year, and use them as spares.  He already has 1 spare wheel, and I'm willing to buy another.

That would mean heading to Wendover with 4 new tires on the ground, and 2 of last season's tires as spares.

Steve.

[Seldom Seen Slim]

We have never had a tire issue when towing to any race.  First of all, maybe that's because our trailers are loaded with a motorcycle or three, not a car and so on.  We run under the maximum load rating.  The load is pretty-well centered so there's not a big imbalance from front to rear.

We also run trailer tires at the recommended air pressure.  And I do my best to get the trailer level (while loaded)(the trailer is loaded, not me ) by adjusting the drop of the hitch.

The electric brakes are checked and maintenanced yearly, before the season.  The brake controller on the dashboard is set before we hit the road so we don't lock up a tire when hitting the brakes going down a mountainside.

But I think the biggest reason we don't have tire issues is that we drive no more than about 65 mph - even when the speed limit is above that.  More like 62, especially on not-the-smoothest pavement.  Don't hurry -- a breakdown/flat tire costs more time than driving fast makes up, and your bonus is better fuel mileage.

Your version of trailering may be different from that of the Seldom Seen Slim team, but 0 bad tires in 13 seasons is a good record.

[Crackerman]

In a trailer with a load, use trailer tires. They usually result in better tracking, cooler running, better mpg and fewer broken axles.

I have had great results sith the cheapest e range tires i found locally.

Keep psi up and lugs tight. Its all more important now that its hot out and you are gonne be trekking through high desert.

With any new tire installed, i would be more concerned about wheel bearings than tires.

[javajoe79]

 I have killed all different brands of trailer tire. None of them seem any better to me. It all comes down to how hot it is, how fast you go and how loaded down you are.  When we took the truck to Bonneville a few years ago, we killed probably 3 tires trying to make good time. Once we quit going over 80mph, we stopped killing tires.

[desotoman]

It all comes down to how hot it is, how fast you go and how loaded down you are. 

True-er words have never been spoken. 

Tom G.

FWIW I found this information on the internet a while ago from horse trailer world. I thought it was worth reading.


"I said I would report what response I got from Cooper Tires on the ST vs LT issue. Here goes. Cooper sent me an email with a phone number to call. The customer service rep at the number put me on hold and got a gentleman to talk to me who has years of experience actually building the tires and is a trailerist, also. Yes, there is a definite difference between Cooper LT and ST tires.

However, it is not a "safety" difference as long as the load rating is correct for your trailer's gross weight when towed. Both ST and LT tires can be safely used for trailers. The difference in construction is this: Cooper ST tires are basically a tire that combines passenger car tire construction techniques, with heavy duty truck tire fabric and cord materiels. This results in an ST tire having a high LT type load rating with the lower air pressure requirements and soft, shock absorbing sidewalls of a passenger tire. There is also extra UV inhibitors and oils added to the rubber to help in storage. This is much easier on the suspension and other components of the trailer on bumpy roads than the stiff sidewalls and higher air pressure of the LT tires. As far as tire safety is concerned, he stated that is up to the trailerist and how he maintains the tires, keeping the proper air pressure in the tires, and choosing the correct load rating. He stated LT tires have an advantage because of the larger choice of tread patterns and number of sizes available to choose from to suit the conditions you are towing in, such as snow, unimproved roads, etc.

He also stated that it is imperative to not allow the trailer to rest on the tires in the same spot for months at a time in the off-season. This causes the fabric cords in the tire to take on a flat "set" which can then cause some of them to actually break apart when you next take the trailer out on the highway. This can cause complete tire failure. He stated the best thing to do is to store the trailer on jacks with the tires in the air, or removed completely. This last information was of concern to me since I only have "stabilizing" jacks and cannot lift the trailer enough to take the load off the tires without serious effort. At any rate, that is what Cooper Tires has to say on this subject."

[MRK]

Awesome information!

[redhotracing]

Not a shameless (or shameful) plug, but my aunt and uncle own trailertiresandwheels.com
out of Edon, Ohio. Even if you don't buy from them, they would be a great source of info
for what the right selection is for your application. Ask for Scott (my uncle) or Sam (my
cousin) and tell them Luke sent you. They're very knowledgable and reasonable.

[836dstr]

I blew a couple car tires on my trailer coming and going to El Mirage. Under load the outer fender lip was contacting the sidewall. I lengthened and widened the fenders then went to real trailer tires. I went to a 27" tire and the spare would fit on the trailer (obviously) but also on the rear of the Roadster if anything happened to cause a flat. A 24" spacesaver  worked for the front tire. Saved a little space in the truck.

Steve, sounds like you have the tire and spare covered. Good luck at Speedweek!

[jimmy six]

Carlisle has a 15" trailer tire which is rated at 2830... That's over 11,000 gross on a 4 wheel trailer. My trailer is rated at 7000 and blew out everything. The Carlisles are the only ones that have lasted. I carry 2 mounted spares and 2 un-mounted. I have not had a tire problem since changing......good luck.