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Trailer Tire Ratings

Posted: Wed Feb 21, 2007 10:16 am
by John_Heard
I've currently got 15" load range "C" tires on my 24' Pace trailer. It's GVWR is 7000# with two 3500# axles. I know the tires according to the specs are rated for this use but how about in real life? I didn't have any problems last year, was very careful to watch pressures also. Was I just lucky?

I hear of a lot of other guys having problems with the 15" tires (TYDO Mark comes to mind!) and have been thinking that maybe I ought to get some higher load range tires? Right now getting ready to buy two extra rims and tires for spares. Any thoughts? Would it be a better idea to get 16" rims all around now before I go out and buy some spares?

Posted: Wed Feb 21, 2007 11:15 am
by julven
This is just from pure experience but at the dealership on our pull trucks we use nothing but 10 ply radial 16" tires like a Firestone TransForce or a BFG Commercial T/A. Before we switched to these we were always having blowouts and low tire life. We rarely have a bad tire now and the tires last alot longer.

Posted: Wed Feb 21, 2007 11:24 am
by John_Heard
I remembered why I didn't do this last year - tire clearance with the inner fenderwell at the top. I already have rub marks there with the 205's, going to the 225/15's is going to make that worse. Problem is I don't think anyone makes more than load range C in a 205?

Does anyone make a 16" 5 hole 4 1/2" bolt pattern trailer rim?

Posted: Wed Feb 21, 2007 11:45 am
by julven
Carlisle makes a 8ply radial in a 205/75/15 if that is not to tall.I think the MFG# is 5198081. I don't see anything in a 10ply in a 205/70 or 75.

Posted: Thu Feb 22, 2007 11:57 am
by Craig W.
I've had a lot of trouble out of the C rated 205/75-15s. I popped three of them last year as I recall. So I've moved up to D rated 225s. No rubs that I've noticed on my Haulmark.

Posted: Thu Feb 22, 2007 4:13 pm
by John_Heard
Craig what brand did you use? You have any idea what your trailer weighs loaded/empty?

Posted: Thu Feb 22, 2007 10:29 pm
by Craig W.
They were a mix of brands. One was a Goodyear, one was some off-brand that I picked up in Western Oklahoma on the way home from G05 and the other might have been a Kelly-Springfield (not sure). The Goodyear faired the best. I saw the broken belt before it blew. The other two just went without warning.

My trailer is rated at 7000#. I guess I'm exceeding that. The car is 3100 at full weight, 366 lb 4-wheeler, cabinets, generator, tools, observation deck top, 20ft awning, etc. I think the trailer itself is about 3300.

Posted: Fri Feb 23, 2007 1:16 pm
by David Lemmond
Another problem is speed. --builds heat
Luckily I knew about the tire troubles before I bought my trailer, and got the 8000 lb axles and 16" wheels. I had friends blowing out a tire or 2 per trip. Did not matter if they where new or not.

Posted: Fri Feb 23, 2007 1:33 pm
by Craig W.
I think all my blowouts have happened at about 55-60 mph.

Posted: Sat Mar 03, 2007 8:24 am
by John_Heard
Talked to the local tire shop and they recommended Denman tires for the trailer. They make a 205/75R15 in a 8 ply. He said he's got several people running them hauling skid steer's around on 2 axles trailers and it's the only tire they could get to hold together on them. They also make a 10 ply in a ST225/75R15 but they're 28.5" dia.

Posted: Sat Mar 03, 2007 9:20 am
by Craig W.
Good info. Denman...I'll have to remember that in case the 225s ever end up giving me trouble.

Posted: Sat Mar 03, 2007 11:21 am
by sc racing
Nobody can stress enough about how important it is to have your tow vehicles and trailers in perfect working condition.My wife was towing 2 of our horses yesterday and had a tire blow out and I mean BLOWOUT no sidewall left at all,luckily she wasnt on the highway and was only going about 35.Not only do I have to buy a new tire but had to leave work for an hour and a half to go change it.Think about how bad this could have been.Just a little routine maintanence I could have avoided this.We all spend tons of $$$ on our race cars and in my case my horses too and then seem to look for a deal on tires or the trailer itself.The fact that tow rigs need to be way more reliable than the car itself is something everybody need to realize.

Posted: Sat Mar 03, 2007 3:42 pm
by Craig W.
In my case, 2 blowouts were on practically brand new tires and one I caught before it happened because I was keeping a close eye on the tires.

On my winter projects list is to inspect and pack the trailer wheel bearings, inspect the brakes and re-line as necessary, new brakes on the front of the truck and give everything a good look.

Can't be too careful, that's for sure.

Posted: Sun Mar 04, 2007 5:49 am
by Mike-Casella
Craig W. wrote:On my winter projects list is to inspect and pack the trailer wheel bearings, inspect the brakes and re-line as necessary.
You looked at my list. I have a 24' Pace also, and so far no problems with tires. It will be getting new rubber very shortly though. It was a 2002 leftover that I bought in 2003 and still has the same rubber on it. I think it's time.

Posted: Sun Mar 04, 2007 9:18 am
by John_Heard
How often should you check bearings on those trailers I wonder?