Looking for cheap tires for my trailer

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Nick1994

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Well I'm looking for some cheap tires for my trailer. It's not a very heavy trailer, usually used for Home Depot runs a couple times a month and 100 mile trips out of town and back.

Truck bed weighs about 450 pounds (2014 Dodge Ram 2500 long bed) and my ATV weighs around 500-550 pounds. Add in weight of camping gear and the most weight on the 4x8 trailer is going to be maybe 1400-1500 pounds max, so weight shouldn't be much of a concern with tires. Not sure what the trailer frame and axle weighs, maybe 400 pounds.

Also, I mounted the truck bed on myself, it isn't a truck cut in half with a Dodge axle, just a 4x8 trailer with the truck bed on it.

Tire size is currently 235/75-15. It has room to go maybe another inch bigger and still have a little play room.
I'd rather not go too much smaller, would like as much ground clearance with the trailer as possible for desert driving.

Discount Tire currently has their Prodigy brand tires for $68 each, which is a good price.

Was wondering what you guys thought for where to get tires cheap (Tire Rack is a no-go as for price).
Also if there's a size that's cheaper.

Since trailer tires don't really wear down because they sit a lot more than cars, I just want some cheapo tires that can rot off in 5 years or so and I can replace then again.

Thanks!

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I go to my local tire shop and get some good used tires. Someone will have 2 or 3 decent tires when they get new ones so I can always find 2 that are half tread or so. Only new for my truck though...
 
I went to 2 tire shops today, apparently they're a popular size because neither one had any in that size.

I asked for size 30/9.50-15 and one shop had 2 of the,, but they were from 2002...

I'd rather just get new since they're going to rot off anyways, and used tires will probably be close to the pull date anyways.

Also used tires are $40-$50 for mediocre ones, the ones from Discount are $68.

Was just posting on here for if anyone knew of any good deals.
 
The Prodigy tires that discount sells are good. My friend has a set on his truck and he's happy with them. I think they are the best you are going to do in that price range. Check local Craigslist for some used tires. I just sold some decent 225/75R15's $40 for the pair. Lots of people only need two new tires and put on a set of four then sell the others.
 
Discount Tire Direct has some EXTRA LOAD "Taskmaster Provider Entrada HT" tires as well. Has a knock off Michelin LTX tread design, for $70 each.

Not sure how much the XL rating means to you, but found it interesting.

It claims to be a DTD "exclusive" tire, so I would assume that someone is manufacturing it to their specs, much like the Prodigy line.
 
Originally Posted By: mrsilv04
Discount Tire Direct has some EXTRA LOAD "Taskmaster Provider Entrada HT" tires as well. Has a knock off Michelin LTX tread design, for $70 each.

Not sure how much the XL rating means to you, but found it interesting.

It claims to be a DTD "exclusive" tire, so I would assume that someone is manufacturing it to their specs, much like the Prodigy line.
Yeah I saw those, but was unsure about them since I had never heard of them. I'll look into them.
 
Did you check the black friday ads? I think the Sears one is up along with Walmart. Pepboys might also do one too, but their circular isn't out. What about checking out craigslist?
 
The used tire market there sounds terrible. I can find decent trailer tires at the dump in the tire dumpster. I can buy a better used tire mounted for $15 from Mike's used tire.
 
Originally Posted By: bvance554
The used tire market there sounds terrible. I can find decent trailer tires at the dump in the tire dumpster. I can buy a better used tire mounted for $15 from Mike's used tire.


Around Here used 15in tires are hard to come by, and you certainly aren't getting any mounted for $15.
 
Went to Discount Tire yesterday to see what tires they have since not all of their tires are on their website, the guy tells me they can't install truck tires on my trailer, only trailer tires.

He said trailer tires are much more heavy duty, and what if I put a really heavy load in it. The tires I'm looking at are 2,200 pound capacity each, so 4400 pound capacity. If the trailer is 1,000 pounds and I put 3,400 pounds in it, the wheels will probably fly off 10 feet down the road.

I'll just take the wheels in separately and tell them they're for a truck.
 
Originally Posted By: Nick1994
Went to Discount Tire yesterday to see what tires they have since not all of their tires are on their website, the guy tells me they can't install truck tires on my trailer, only trailer tires.

He said trailer tires are much more heavy duty, and what if I put a really heavy load in it. The tires I'm looking at are 2,200 pound capacity each, so 4400 pound capacity. If the trailer is 1,000 pounds and I put 3,400 pounds in it, the wheels will probably fly off 10 feet down the road.

I'll just take the wheels in separately and tell them they're for a truck.


Good Plan. Discount is funny about stuff like that..
 
Most trailer tires are better at resisting dry rot compared to most passenger car tires. I bought Carlisle trailer tires from Discount tire 15 years ago, and they are like new, no dry rot yet. They only have about 500 miles on them. The tires on my truck had a little dry rot after 6 years and one of my cars had it after 7.
If the price is close I would consider a trailer tire. If not, you might as well go with the cheaper tire.
 
Originally Posted By: jmb3675
Most trailer tires are better at resisting dry rot compared to most passenger car tires. I bought Carlisle trailer tires from Discount tire 15 years ago, and they are like new, no dry rot yet. They only have about 500 miles on them. The tires on my truck had a little dry rot after 6 years and one of my cars had it after 7.
If the price is close I would consider a trailer tire. If not, you might as well go with the cheaper tire.


They may look fine on the outside, but I've seen several "perfect" 10+ year old trailer tires blow out.. Tires over 10 do not belong on the road period imo.
 
Originally Posted By: nwjones18
Originally Posted By: jmb3675
Most trailer tires are better at resisting dry rot compared to most passenger car tires. I bought Carlisle trailer tires from Discount tire 15 years ago, and they are like new, no dry rot yet. They only have about 500 miles on them. The tires on my truck had a little dry rot after 6 years and one of my cars had it after 7.
If the price is close I would consider a trailer tire. If not, you might as well go with the cheaper tire.


They may look fine on the outside, but I've seen several "perfect" 10+ year old trailer tires blow out.. Tires over 10 do not belong on the road period imo.


I agree. The tires currently on my trailer are 15 and 12 years old. The 12 year old one just recently started getting weather cracks but is starting a belt separation all of a sudden. There's a split in the sidewall and a big lump in the tread sitting about an inch high.
 
Originally Posted By: Nick1994
He said trailer tires are much more heavy duty, and what if I put a really heavy load in it. The tires I'm looking at are 2,200 pound capacity each, so 4400 pound capacity. If the trailer is 1,000 pounds and I put 3,400 pounds in it, the wheels will probably fly off 10 feet down the road.


Discount Tire is correct (they usually are). It's more than just load rating -- trailer tires are far more stable with a load than P-metric tires are due to their construction. If you buy non-trailer tires, at least get LT tires.

I have a 5x8 utility trailer that had P-metric 215/65R15s on it when I bought it. Last year, I pulled those off for some 175/80ST13 Load Range D tires and it's simply remarkable how much more stable the trailer is with real trailer tires. Even empty.

I know you're looking for ground clearance...but at least get LT tires.
 
Got the tires put on today, Prodigy H/T's. Max capacity 2,080 pounds each at 51 psi. Way more than enough, I can't imagine the trailer weighing more than 2000 pounds even. Made the 27th week of 2015, so pretty fresh, that's the most important part since they'll rot off the trailer before they run out of tread or anything else.

Oh, and I told Discount Tire they were for a 1987 Chevy C10
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trailer is actually titled 1987

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