Suggestions for Trailer Tires?

[BeerCan]

Originally Posted By: Nick1994
Originally Posted By: clinebarger
Originally Posted By: Nick1994

I wouldn't be using trailer tires even if they were free. I'll take modern technology tires any day.


My Marathon's are Radials, I can tell you have little towing experience, Some experiences are better learned the hard way.......
Take your trailer, Load 3,500# in it, Try to drive for 300 miles straight with your cheap P-metric tires & see how far you get.


What’s the difference between a 3,500 pound trailer with those truck tires on it compared to a 4,000 pound truck with 1,500 pounds in the bed pulling a trailer? Probably the same weight on the tires.


The biggest issue I had using LT/P metric on trailers was tire scrub. In tight turning the tire shoulder would catch for lack of a better term. Trailer tires like the Sailun I suggested above are a rib design that helps mitigate that issue.

 

[Langanobob]

Originally Posted By: dareo
I can build it as big as i want, 5 lug or 6 lug or 8 lug huns. To go 8 lug means 5200 lb axle and about $400 more cost


Where are you buying your parts? I usually get mine from etrailer and I could be way off but I can hardly imagine the total price being much more than $400, much less $400 being the price difference. Reasonably good quality made in USA Dexter parts and free shipping. No connection with etrailer.

I also run LT tires on my trailers. Never had any trouble with them and I note that the high dollar Airstream travel trailers come from the factory with LT tires.

 

[CapriRacer]

Originally Posted By: 4WD
Capri ~ even on the minus 10% on P tires … is that at max pressure?
I know we are supposed to temporarily up P tire pressure on light trucks if really loaded …


I'm not quite sure what you are asking, but let me explain it this way.

If I have a trailer with P205/75R15 SL tires on it that I inflate to 32 psi, the load carrying capacity of those tires is 1393#.

The math is that in spite of the tire being rated at 1598# at 35 psi and the tire being marked as 44 psi max, the load carrying capacity for the tire when it is used on a passenger car at 32 psi is 1532# - and for a trailer (or a pickup truck or SUV), it is reduced by a factor of 1.1 to 1393#.

Does that help?

 

[BeerCan]

Originally Posted By: Langanobob
Originally Posted By: dareo
I can build it as big as i want, 5 lug or 6 lug or 8 lug huns. To go 8 lug means 5200 lb axle and about $400 more cost


Where are you buying your parts? I usually get mine from etrailer and I could be way off but I can hardly imagine the total price being much more than $400, much less $400 being the price difference. Reasonably good quality made in USA Dexter parts and free shipping. No connection with etrailer.

I also run LT tires on my trailers. Never had any trouble with them and I note that the high dollar Airstream travel trailers come from the factory with LT tires.


My Airstream came with LT tires from the factory and they have the same issue I have had with all LT tires on a trailer. IMO they are just not a good application and a rib style tire works so much better. In tight maneuvers you can actually see the tire has to much grip and the tire starts to roll under. I hope I am explaining that clear. So load wise they are fine but design wise they suck.

I never miss an opportunity to post a pic of my Airstream

 

[Nick1994]

Originally Posted By: BeerCan
Originally Posted By: Nick1994
Originally Posted By: clinebarger
Originally Posted By: Nick1994

I wouldn't be using trailer tires even if they were free. I'll take modern technology tires any day.


My Marathon's are Radials, I can tell you have little towing experience, Some experiences are better learned the hard way.......
Take your trailer, Load 3,500# in it, Try to drive for 300 miles straight with your cheap P-metric tires & see how far you get.


What’s the difference between a 3,500 pound trailer with those truck tires on it compared to a 4,000 pound truck with 1,500 pounds in the bed pulling a trailer? Probably the same weight on the tires.


The biggest issue I had using LT/P metric on trailers was tire scrub. In tight turning the tire shoulder would catch for lack of a better term. Trailer tires like the Sailun I suggested above are a rib design that helps mitigate that issue.
I don’t think tire scrub is an issue with a single axle trailer.

 

[weebl]

Originally Posted By: BeerCan
If you go 16" I have had great luck with the Sailun S637. http://www.sailuntires.ca/MRT/S637.html (note only the 16" are trailer tires) Once I put them on my heavy trailers my tire issues decreased.
otherwise the Maxxis have treated me well in the past when I needed 15"


I have also heard good things about Sailun and Maxxis for trailer applications.

 

[FordFocus]

15" - Goodyear Endurance
16" - Michelin XPS Rib

 

[dareo]

I want to try out the Timbren Axle-less trailer suspension system. That runs about $650 for a 5 lug 3500lb setup and about $925 for a braked 8 lug 5200lb setup. I have wheels for the 8 lug setup but i would probably overspend on tires, like an XPS Rib. About $500-600 more to go 5200lb on XPS tires. I'd love to have the XPS tires but with 235 85 16 there are always nice used tires, or perhaps the BFG Commercial at about $150.

Steel will all be 3x3 x .125" galvanized tube, because i happen to have a lot of it.

 

[Doc8404]

I ended up with a set of bias mounted on rims from amazon for what it would’ve cost me locally to mount twontires.

 

[BeerCan]

Originally Posted By: Nick1994

I don’t think tire scrub is an issue with a single axle trailer.


Yeah I guess your right. All my trailers are tandem so I guess that is why it is important to me.

 

[totegoat]

Go 8 lugs, LT tires and be happy.