Best Trailer Tire

cj777

cj777

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 22, 2005
Location
Durham, NC
Well since we have the "Best Tow Rig Tire" thread going on right now, why not a "Best Trailer Tire" thread. I just picked up a trailer with 225/75-15 car tires on it that need to be replaced soon (5 lug wheels). I would love to hear some recommendations on what's worked best for everyone.
 
5-lug brings the suck.

If you can get into 16" tires, just run LT truck tires. That's what we run on our big enclosed. BFG Commercials all the way around.
 
I've seen this before, & just like derrieres, everybody's got their own > opinions! In that size,in 16s, LTs probably fine. But for smaller,I think trailer tire is the way. But you need to up the 6 plys, to 8, or more. Biggest problem I've seen, is the 6 plys running at load cap. & tread separating.
 
My trailer is 8 lug, rated for 12k or something like that, with 16" rims. I really like the Maxxis 8008 trailer tire, but I'm thinking I'll eventually just replace them all with LT tires. They're 235/80-16. Either one will do fine for me, but it will probably depend on price when I go to replace them. I've replaced one horribly flat spotted tire since I've had it and that tire was 130 bucks installed. I don't know that an LT would be any cheaper in my case.

When I used to work at a tire shop, I put plenty of Firestone Transforces on big double and triple axle gooseneck trailers.
 
It varies. I think that once you get into 16" wheels and tires than LT D & E range tires are just as good as any trailer tire. Where trailer tires shine are in the 14" & 15" wheels. You cannot find a load C or D in a 14" tire and there a very few 15" tire sizes that are rated at C or D either. But the biggest issue with trailer tires is air pressure or the lack there of. Depending on your fender clearance, you may not be able to get 16" wheels and tires on that trailer. The chances are you only have a 3500lb axle on that and 225/75/15 trailer tires will carry that load.

Now to actually answer the question, I have had the best luck out of a set of Goodyear Marathons is 225/75/15. Before than I put quite a few carlise Bias-Ply's on a boat trailer. That being said, I will be ordering a set of 235/60/15 Carlises for my trailer here in the near future. My Goodyears are now close to 7 years old and on their second trailer. They don't so any signs of dry rot but I know it won't be long.
 
shawn said:
5-lug brings the suck.

If you can get into 16" tires, just run LT truck tires. That's what we run on our big enclosed. BFG Commercials all the way around.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I was originally thinking I would just upgrade to 16s, but I don't think I've got the clearance to do it. I'm now leaning towards staying at 15s and going with the Maxxis 8008 ST. It's one of the few trailer tires I haven't seen any complaints with.
 
I had the maxis 15 inch tires on my trailer and the side wall on all of them got huge bubbles the size of your fist before they where even half way gone they where 3 years old and over half tread no dry rot at all I just went to fire stone got all 4 tires load range d installed for under 400 bucks never had a problem sence
 
What weight rating are your axles? If you have 3500 lbs axles then run some used car tires. There's not a good reason to buy new tires for a trailer unless your going to put a lot of miles on it. Your tires will dry rot before you ever wear them out.
 
I popped a tire on my trailer on the way to Uwharrie last November. I just now started looking to replace it. I bought my trailer new from Kaufman back in 2006. It still has the original tires which are size P215/75-15. The max psi is only 35 and i always thought they looked a bit overloaded with my cab truck on the trailer. After a bit of reading im surprised they sold trailers with non-trailer tires. A friend and fellow board member bought the same trailer in about 2010 and his came with size ST205/75-15. I think im going to replace them with size ST225/75-15 which can be inflated up to 65psi.
 
drkelly said:
I popped a tire on my trailer on the way to Uwharrie last November. I just now started looking to replace it. I bought my trailer new from Kaufman back in 2006. It still has the original tires which are size P215/75-15. The max psi is only 35 and i always thought they looked a bit overloaded with my cab truck on the trailer. After a bit of reading im surprised they sold trailers with non-trailer tires. A friend and fellow board member bought the same trailer in about 2010 and his came with size ST205/75-15. I think im going to replace them with size ST225/75-15 which can be inflated up to 65psi.
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I have owned two used Kaufmans and both were originally shod with P-metric tires. Terrible choice. Both trailers were swapped out for Carlisle trailer tires and I never had an issue with them. My 8k now has ST tires that can be inflated to 80 psi. The originals were maxed out at 44 and the trailer felt "squirmy" behind the truck when it had a significant load on it.
 
I run 205R14 load range D Kumho on my smaller trailers
 
So where in the Greensboro or surrounding area's are you guys having good luck getting the good trailer tires? Or are there any vendors on here that mess with trailer tires?
 
Jman78CJ7 said:
So where in the Greensboro or surrounding area's are you guys having good luck getting the good trailer tires? Or are there any vendors on here that mess with trailer tires?
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I am planning on stopping by Colfax Trailer since they are very close to my work. I have no experience dealing with them though.
 
drkelly said:
I am planning on stopping by Colfax Trailer since they are very close to my work. I have no experience dealing with them though.
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Detrick will treat you right. He is one of us and wheels ure all the time. Tell him you are on here and Snappy said hi
 
Thanks. I have had a couple great experiences with Colfax trailer on ordering new axles for my trailer.
 
I ended buying some 8-ply ST 205's from Colfax Trailer last week. They were $100 each. They are rated to 2,150 lbs at 65psi. Should be more than sufficient to haul my Samurai, lol.

image.jpg
 
cj777 said:
Yeah, I was originally thinking I would just upgrade to 16s, but I don't think I've got the clearance to do it. I'm now leaning towards staying at 15s and going with the Maxxis 8008 ST. It's one of the few trailer tires I haven't seen any complaints with.
Click to expand...
This is what I've been running in D load for going on 3yrs now. Wearing great with no issues and they have many miles on them.
 
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