Trailer tire advise: Grassroots Motorsports forum: Grassroots Motorsports Magazine

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June 24, 2010 7:58 p.m. eccentric New Reader

I've been researching trailer tires. I'm not getting any where fast.

The only things I read on RV/Boating forums are Brand X blew out after X miles and I switch to Y and life is good. Then you read the same thing about Brand Y blowing up.

My BS detector is telling me that most of these people are pulling their boats or 5th wheels out in the spring with low tire pressure and driving up north and overheating the tires.

I'm leaning to 205R14 KUMHO Radial 857 they have a D rating and higher speed ratings then most others (not that I'm towing at the rated 99mph). What do you guys use opinions?
June 24, 2010 8:13 p.m. fastmiata Reader

A trailer tire will never wear out(of tread). It will dry rot long before it accumulates enough miles unless you are on the road daily with the trailer. Many people dont balance the tire which adds to the stress of being on a trailer. Low pressures and dry rot will cause issues. I have learned that when one tire goes the others need replacement NOW. All that you can do imo is buy a quality trailer tire and maintain it properly. Brand really dont matter so much. YMMV
June 24, 2010 8:32 p.m. Toyman01 Dork

I run standard radial tires on everything. I have never seen the need to spend the extra money on "trailer" tires. The enclosed trailer has Kumhos one it. The utility trailer and the flat deck have Uniroyals on them. The boat trailer has Contentials on it I think. I buy whatever is on sale regardless of who they are made by. I have blown out one in the last 20 years, and it was my fault.
June 25, 2010 5:32 a.m. foxtrapper SuperDork

I like the stiff sidewalls on trailer tires. Keeps the trailer from wagging. I also like stiff sidewalls on the tow vehicle, as it keeps the tow vehicle from wagging. When both can wag, all hell breaks loose.

A whole lot has to do with the load the tires will see. As much as I like trailer tires, I do run truck tires on some trailers, and even some car tires (gasp). Depends on the loads the trailer will see.

And I do agree with you about tire pressure. Too much, and the trailer bounces everywhere. Too little, and it wallows and the tires get hot.

Protect your trailer tires from the sun. Trailer tires don't flex, they just sit there, for months on end. And the sun destroys them. The theory is flexing the tires in use keeps the juices flowing up to the surface, so they don't check and rot. That's why the same tire lasts years on a car that's driven, but checks and cracks on a trailer.
June 27, 2010 3:39 p.m. Basil Exposition New Reader

I have an enclosed trailer and have had similar problems finding the right tire. You describe the forums accurately-- for every tire that someone sings the praises of there is someone else that thinks it is crap.

I just had one tire blow up and another separate on the trailer. These were the cheap Made in China tires that came on the trailer. They were called "Mission" although you'll get a lot of strange brand names on Chinese tires.

I have no idea about Kumhos, that's the first I've heard that they make trailer tires. The size you specify is smaller at 14" than mine, so maybe that is why.

The fact that you've found a D rated radial tire in your size means you are ahead, although you give no information on what load this is supposed to carry.

I had Goodyear Marathons on a heavier trailer and they did quite well. They moved manufacturing to China some time ago, but more recently moved it back to the USA due to quality control problems (huh). They are the only tire out there that I would buy that I would have some confidence with.

Bottom line, if it says "China" on it, don't use it. Get something Made in USA and get the highest load rating you can find in your size. Then inflate up to the max. Goodyear recommends that you should inflate 10% over the max if you are towing any faster than 65!
June 27, 2010 5:11 p.m. btp76 Reader

I have typically run throwaways on my flatbed car hauler. I use it a few times a week on average. I put a set of nearly new Maxxis tires on it a year or so ago. One got a hole in the edge of the tread where it couldn't be patched, one got low on a trip and exploded. The firestone I put on got a hole in the sidewall. I now have two Maxxis, one Fisk, and one used tire shop Goodyear. I've found in my 15 years of towing that good tires last SLIGHTLY longer than junk, but none of them last too long. I've never worn out a trailer tire. They always fail violently.
June 27, 2010 5:23 p.m. 44Dwarf HalfDork

There is only one brand i've never heard anyone complain about and it's MAXXIS. But there out of my price range as no one stocks them localy.

Best you can do is keep checking the air presure and tire temps. inspect before end after each haul.
Oct. 14, 2011 2:43 p.m. pinchvalve SuperDork

I can tell you that undersized tires spin WAY too fast and eat bearings and blow out constantly. An old work trailer came with dinky little tires that were a constant headache:

I swapped those out for 15" wheels and used trailer tires and never had a problem again.
Oct. 14, 2011 2:58 p.m. evildky Dork

I run the cheapest radial trailer tire I can find, I had issues with name brank bias plies but once swapping to radials no issues, they wear better, last longer, and hold air better
Oct. 14, 2011 3:23 p.m. johnsmith12

In reply to eccentric:

Before buying trailer tires for my boat trailer a year ago, I did the same thing that you did here...that is, post a question of what is the best trailer tires. What I received back was pros and cons of almost all of the major tire brands! What I have found over the last 30 years of pulling a trailer on our family vacation, is that if one takes care of the trailer <a href="http://tires%5D%28http://www.boattrailertires.com" rel="nofollow">tires by maintaining proper inflation, all brands are alright. I've had over 8 different brands of tires over the years and I've seen them all perform when cared for. Don't overload them, and always check the air pressure before using the tires (cold).