How important is it to use "trailer tires"

[speedster200]

Hi all, i have a boat trailer that is in need of new tires. I wanted to know how important or necessary is it to use " trailer tires" verses regular passanger or truck tires. Please help me. Thanks

 

[Bifflefan]

Re: How important is it to use "trailer tires"

Hi all, i have a boat trailer that is in need of new tires. I wanted to know how important or necessary is it to use " trailer tires" verses regular passanger or truck tires. Please help me. Thanks

This comes up about once a week it seems.

You will get different answers from different people on this.

I use trailer tires on the trailer, as they wear better because they are designed to go on a trailer. They also have a stiffer side wall which makes it feel better when towing.

You can use pass. tires if you want and they will do fine, but they do grip the road better so when turning it will be harder on the suspension and the tires.

Either way you go just make sure you run the proper inflation in them.

 

[Boss Hawg]

Re: How important is it to use "trailer tires"

I use passenger car tires on mine with great sucess but i'm frugal (not cheap mind you)
BUT the boats i own are not really heavy - I guess it really depends on the size & weight of the boat & trailer
Honestly if i had deep pockets i'd have the best trailer tires i could find under my boat---

I know- no help at all

 

[Navy Jr.]

Re: How important is it to use "trailer tires"

Someone a while back posted the following link that I found very helpful:
http://www.discounttire.com/dtcs/infoTrailerTireFacts.dos

In particular, please see the section "Why Use An 'ST' Tire" about half way down.

The article also enlightened me about the proper tire pressure to use. -Ken

 

[83Evinrude]

Re: How important is it to use "trailer tires"

Trailer tires generally have a higher load and also perhaps pressure for a given size than passenger tires. Weigh your boat with fuel and gear and if your chosen tire size is rated for the load you will tow you can choose between passenger or trailer tires.

 

[seaboo]

Re: How important is it to use "trailer tires"

I use passenger car tires on mine with great sucess but i'm frugal (not cheap mind you)
BUT the boats i own are not really heavy - I guess it really depends on the size & weight of the boat & trailer
Honestly if i had deep pockets i'd have the best trailer tires i could find under my boat---

I know- no help at all

I WAS of the same thought on this, UNTIL an old boat of mine sat for a year semi-submerged (don't ask....suffice it to say you never leave a boat at your brothers lake house with him).......ANYWAY, when I towed the boat back home it was heavier than normal and because of me NOT running a tire with a stiff side wall it was an interesting trip home (I live in the mountains). Every curve you could feel the body roll on the trailer. With the tires fully inflated the trailer wanted to "wander" all over the road on straightaways, drop the tire presure and it towed great but "rolled" even worse in the curves.

Changed my mind, and now I will ONLY run trailer tires on a trailer.

I'll admit that was the first time I ever had a problem using a car tire on a trailer, but it was enough of a lesson that it will be the last time.

Just my $0.02 worth.

 

[Knightgang]

Re: How important is it to use "trailer tires"

Someone a while back posted the following link that I found very helpful:
http://www.discounttire.com/dtcs/infoTrailerTireFacts.dos

In particular, please see the section "Why Use An 'ST' Tire" about half way down.

The article also enlightened me about the proper tire pressure to use. -Ken

I read throught htis and thought the contradiction about storage wasquite confusing...

They say the "BEST" way to store an ST tire is in a cool damp, dark garage with the inflation at "Maximum" rated pressure.

Then they say, storing on a trailer, jack up the trailer to take the weight off of them, "LOWER" the tire pressure and cover them...

So, which way are you supposed to store them, Max infaltion, or something lower....???

 

[MRS]

Re: How important is it to use "trailer tires"

Trailer tires only way to go thats why they are called trailer tires not car tires. I have found out the hard way plus make sure you get good value stems put in......

 

[speedster200]

Re: How important is it to use "trailer tires"

Thanks for the advice guys....I am a first time boat owner so I had no clue about the tires.

 

[WIMUSKY]

Re: How important is it to use "trailer tires"

They make trailer tires for a reason... trailers. Likewise, they make car tires for a reason....... cars. Use trailer tires.......

 

[boat1010]

Re: How important is it to use "trailer tires"

Like everyone said, there are lots of people that say lots of different things. It depends on the load you are towing and how much you tow. I would talk to a reputable tire dealer and ask him the pros and cons and see what he says. I have used both. Didn't really notice any difference with either ones. My boat is a little over 4,000lbs. Good luck..

 

[esobofh]

Re: How important is it to use "trailer tires"

You can use passenger tires on a trailer just fine... you just can't use trailer tires on a passenger vehicle.

Regardless of what anyone says here.. trailer tires have thin sidewalls, and are not designed for turning and steering forces that push them laterally. Trailer tires are cheaper, and made of harder rubber usually.. which is great for trailering. Passenger tires on a trailer would be overkill in terms of durability and load handling (of course, that depends on the tire), but wear is better on a trailer tire.

 

[lowkee]

Re: How important is it to use "trailer tires"

Some tire makers use the same tire for truck and trailer (literally the same tire), so you know there is zero difference in those two. Passenger tires (note they are not actually called 'car' tires.. for a reason) are more shock absorbant tires, which makes the ride of a car softer but is not normally a plus on a trailer (causes more rolling). Passenger tires are perfectly suitable so long as you buy tires rated at 115% of the weight you are towing (the extra 15% is to handle the added stresses of corners and bumps).

As with all things, some variations are better suited for certain uses. If you won't be approaching a passenger tire's load rating, there is no requirement to buy a trailer tire rated even higher. One is enough, the other may be overkill. After all, using a trailer tire rated for 4000lbs on a 500lb towable will likely beat the towable to death, as there will be nearly no give for bumps. The opposite being using a passenger tire rated at 4000lbs for a 4000lb load. The towable will tend to bounce and roll. There is a sweet spot (~85% of rated load) and the closer you are the better, no matter the type of tire.

 

[Fl_Richard]

Re: How important is it to use "trailer tires"

I find this thread astonishing..... Why would anyone use passenger tires on a trailer; let alone tricking themselves into thinking it's ok?

And whoever said trailer tires are cheaper... Saturday I spent 166 hard earned non-stimulus, non-government given dollars for one ST225R15 load range D Goodyear Marathon radial.

 

[Navy Jr.]

Re: How important is it to use "trailer tires"

I read through this and thought the contradiction about storage was quite confusing...

They say the "BEST" way to store an ST tire is in a cool damp, dark garage with the inflation at "Maximum" rated pressure.

Then they say, storing on a trailer, jack up the trailer to take the weight off of them, "LOWER" the tire pressure and cover them...

So, which way are you supposed to store them, Max inflation, or something lower....???

I think the article was discussing two types of storage: 1) when the trailer is in service, but in between uses during the season, and 2) when the trailer is out of service in long-term storage during the off season.

http://www.discounttire.com/dtcs/inf...rTireFacts.dos

 

[bruceb58]

Re: How important is it to use "trailer tires"

Regardless of what anyone says here.. trailer tires have thin sidewalls.

This statement is completely opposite of what is always stated as the advantage of trailer tires. Trailer tires have stiffer sidewalls. Seems counter intuitive that a stiffer sidewall tire would be thinner!

 

[jacknbella]

Re: How important is it to use "trailer tires"

If my 2 recently exploded NON-trailer tires could speak, they would say "I'm not the right guy for the job...go with trailer tires next time you idiot!"

 

[lowkee]

Re: How important is it to use "trailer tires"

If my 2 recently exploded NON-trailer tires could speak, they would say "I'm not the right guy for the job...go with trailer tires next time you idiot!"

How heavy is your boat and trailer? What were the load ratings of the tires? Were they over or under-inflated? (Properly inflated tires don't explode) Were you on the highway? Dirt road? Did you hit a pothole? Were you parked?

Anyone could say "Walking outside will get you shot" and be accurate, but it is simply propaganda. Sure, trespassing in a military base will get you shot, but that doesn't help anyone make a decision about walking outside in their neighborhood.

 

[jacknbella]

Re: How important is it to use "trailer tires"

Weight: 5K-6K lbs
Tire: Carlisle non-radial, non-trailer tire (came with the boat/trailer)
Inflation: At max pressure per the reading on the sidewall
Road: dry, smooth asphalt each time
Speed: approx 30 mph with the 1st, approx 50 mph with the 2nd

Nearly brand new tires with no evidence of puncture. After the 2nd explosion, I could care less what caused them to fail so I replaced all 4 with "trailer" tires and have had ZERO problems since!

Maybe there were "lemons"???

 

[bruceb58]

Re: How important is it to use "trailer tires"

Some tire makers use the same tire for truck and trailer (literally the same tire), so you know there is zero difference in those two.

Please explain how you know this.

How much experience do you have with trailer tires? From your profile I see you have a 20' boat in restoration and small aluminum boat.