Trailer tires

[Harvey9]

I have a small 13 foot travel trailer, it weighs about 1300 lbs. The tires (13 inch) are shot, can i replace with regular car tires or do I need dedicated trailer tires? Thanks

 

[Dave SE Mich]

Trailer tires

 

[showcrop]

Trailer tires come in all different grades and load ratings. It would seem that for the most part that car tires would be higher grade and cost, so if I could get a better buy on appropriate grade aut tires I would put them on. I would like to know why DaveSE Mich says they have to be trailer tires

 

[Gary from Muleshoe]

I have a 16ft car hauler that I put car tires on about 10 years ago. Tires are still in great condition and I haul up to 6,000 lbs on it often. I would say you would be fine with car tires on your travel trailer.

 

[Butch(OH)]

Trailer tires have stiffer sidewalls and tread designs that help with sway. When trailer and tow unit are loaded to near capacity that could make a marked difference in handling. For light loads behind a tow unit with plenty of capacity it makes little difference what you put on it. Trailer type (ST) tires are speed limited to 65 MPH. I have had bad luck with ST tires on my 14,000 GVW equipment trailers and have went to LT types, probably not an option with 13" wheels though.

 

[rustyfarmall]

Be very cautious about buying tires made in China that are marked "trailer use only". They look like a good tire until you inflate them, and then they are VISIBLY no longer round.

 

[T in NE]

In a 13 inch you're probably stuck with trailer tires... unless you have room to step up to a 15 inch pick-up tire.

 

[dhermesc]

If you can find car tires that will fit I would definitely go with them. A 1300 pound trailer is well within the load range of a pair(?) of P rated tires.

 

[rossow (mn)]

I have run 13-, 14- and 15-inch car or truck tires on two-wheel trailers for decades. The only problem I've ever had is a tread separation on a tire that was simply so old and weather checked that it should have been retired much sooner.

 

[D beatty]

Tire Rack has a 13 inch high speed (75 MPH) trailer tire made by Goodyear ( Marathon).

 

[jon f mn]

By all means use a good radial car tire. I've never had any luck with trailer tires of any kind. All my trailers get name brand car or LT tires with the heaviest rating available in the size.

 

[sotxbill]

I agree.. trailer tires dont run the tread flat on the ground and are very vee shaped... I have not been a fan of the current day trailer tires.. first off they are only made by a very very few companies, and those companies are NOT known for high end products.... I dont disagree with stiff sidewalls, but the quality of the product is abysmal at best. They seem to fail at least twice as fast, shorter life.. And failure on a trailer is NOT something I need.

 

[hd6gtom]

Harvey after spending 22+ years in the tire business I have to agree with Dave in SE Mich. I've been out along the highway with the service truck too many times to recommend car tires on a trailer. would you put trailer tires on your car or truck?? Do not buy these things on line or from a national chain. Go to a small home town tire shop and find out the tires that are working for them. If they have been there any length of time they understand the differences between car and trailer tires and will make the correct recommendation for you.

 

[Pitch]

Car tires would be ok on a single axle trailer,but would never stand up to the scrub they would get on a tandem.

 

[Harvey9]

Guys, thanks for all the replies.

 

[Geo-TH,In]

Pitch,
Is there a trailer tire that really stands up to scrub? What brand will? I don't have that many miles on my 10k dump trailer tires, oem tires, and the tread is down to the wear bars. Won't be that long before I need new rubber. Do tire places don't warranty trailer tires? I haven't found any yet? geo

 

[showcrop]

(quoted from post at 16:32:26 06/28/16) Car tires would be ok on a single axle trailer,but would never stand up to the scrub they would get on a tandem.

tread wear is dependent mainly on the hardness of the rubber which is part of the tire rating code. You can get harder or softer in either car or trailer tires.

 

[jon f mn]

Check your alignment, just because a trailer is new does not mean it was put together correctly at the factory. The eadiest way to get an actual measurement is to measure from the brake drum to brake drum on both sides, that will tell you if you have a scrubbing issue.

 

[D beatty]

What ever tire size you put on your trailer keep them inflated to manufactures max. The number one reason for tire failing is under inflation.

 

[Geo-TH,In]

jon f mn,

So say there is an alignment issue, how can you fix the problem? There are no adjustments. A yoke between the two springs. Hole in springs to center springs. This is a factory made trailer and it tracks straight and pulls very nicely. geo.

 

[jon f mn]

You can but it means cutting the hangers loose and moving them or buying different parts if you can find the one or more that is off. There is a fair amount of varience in factory parts, it is not uncommon to see 1/2" or more difference from side to side even when all the welded parts are on correctly. Most times the difference in parts is spread out so that it doesn't add up to a significant difference, but sometimes it adds up to a fair difference. You have 4 hangers, 4 springs, 4 spring saddles, and if each is off 1/8" and they are all off one way one one side and the other way on the other side it can be a big difference. I have fixed a number of factory trailers with that problem. That is why I always tack the parts on and install everything and check allignment before welding. It is rare I don't make at least a minor adjustment to alignment on a trailer that I've built.

 

[1370pwr in ne]

If you do go with trailer tires stay away from Hi Run.Sidewalls like to blow or the thread comes off.