How to choose the best trailer tires
How to Choose the Best Trailer Tires for You
Pulling a utility trailer, boat trailer, camper or fifth wheel can put a lot of stress on the tires carrying the weight, so having the right tires is essential to safely getting your cargo from point A to point B. Following are several factors for you to consider when you’re deciding which of the Rubbermaster trailer tires from Treadworld will give you the superior performance you need.
It’s important to know that trailer tires are different than auto or light truck tires, which require flexible sidewalls in order to steer, swerve, and transmit power from the engine. Trailer tires are designed to respond to different stresses, and to focus on load-bearing and towing. They have thicker sidewalls and narrower tread widths because they don’t need to handle sharp turns. It is not a good idea to use a spare tire from your vehicle on your trailer, or vice versa.
Radial Trailer Tires vs. Bias Ply Trailer Tires
Which is best for you, radial trailer tires or bias ply trailer tires? It depends. Radial trailer tires are constructed with belts running at a 90-degree angle to the tread center line. Bias ply trailer tires are constructed with belts running at 30 to 45-degree angles to the tread center line. The difference in the way they are made tends to make radial tires more durable for regular use, with a greater ability to shed heats at highway speeds. Bias ply trailer tires perform just fine on mainly secondary roads and with moderate use. Additionally, they often have stiffer sidewalls which can help reduce trailer sway, they’re better for carrying heavier loads, and they tend to be cheaper.
Due to the differences in construction, you never want to mix radials and bias ply tires on the same axle, or even on the same trailer if it can be avoided.
Trailer Tires Load Capacity
When you’re choosing the best trailer tires for you, you’ll want to be certain the tires meet or exceed the GVWR, the gross vehicle weight rating, of your trailer. The GVWR tells you how much your trailer can carry. Take the GVWR and divide it by the number of tires. This will give you the minimum load capacity (lbs.) each tire should be able to accommodate. The higher the capacity, the higher the PSI that will be required. You never want to over-inflate your trailer tires, and if your tires are underinflated it will decrease how much they can carry, and how fast they can go safely. Low platform trailer tires, sometimes called mobile home tires, are specifically designed with thick, heavy plies to handle heavier loads.
Running tires that do not have matching load capacities may very well lead to frequent blowouts, especially if you are carrying a near full capacity load. The slightest amount of extra weight over one tire can lead to failure.
What Are ST Trailer Tires and Do I Need Them?
ST (special trailer) tires are designed specifically to meet the higher load requirements, and the demands of trailer towing. They have significantly stiffer sidewalls to help fight trailer sway, and they have a maximum speed rating of 65. They are typically narrower and have shallower treads for less wiggle, they run cooler, and they can often be counted on to reduce fuel consumption. Regular tires are generally better performing at high speeds, and are often available in a wider range of tread patterns.
Here at Treadworld we have the right trailer tires for every occasion. You can count on Rubbermaster for the best in high performance, never-let-you-down tires. Don’t hesitate to contact our tire experts via live chat or email with any questions you may have, and to get the ideal trailer tires for you.
