Trailer Tires

[caterpillar guy]

I can see the purpose of balancing a trailer tire as with it hopping it will wear patterns in the tread from tending to skip as you brake where a balanced tire will not be hopping so it will wear more smoothly. IF you have a set if duals that get a flat spot on them if you just let one flat and trun it a half turn on the wheel it will even out the bounce from that and thus wear the tires better since they would not be bouncing as you drive. They will also not be tending to skid slightly as the brakes are applied causing it to make uneven tread wear from that also. I never balanced my trailer tires on the semi I do see the benefit of it. With dissimilar tire sizes the smaller ones will wear faster than the taller ones like those little 17.5 tires on a trailer and 22or24.5 truck tires the trailer tires will wear out about twice as fast as the truck tires. Also if you have a new tire against a half tread tire the half tread will scuff off as the new one rolls along. I found if I had a tire to bad to fix on the trailer I put both on that position new then saved the worn on to use later if I had a worn tire and a mate was ruined, I could put the worn one on against the other worn one and get good mileage out of the pair versus the one skidding as the other rolled. Don't believe it just bolt a pair of wheels together with one being worn to about half tread and a new one then roll them across your floor a ways. They will roll one sided as they turn because the worn one can't travel as fast as the new one can on the worn tread. Thus the worn one will have to scuff as it rolls since both have to turn at the same speed on that position.

 

[BarnyardEngineering]

The reasons FOR balancing a trailer tire are no less "opinion" than the reasons for NOT.

If a new tire is so badly out of balance that it's "hopping" then that tire is defective. Make the shop replace it under warranty.

Tires these days are normally well balanced on their own. Not perfect, but not so bad that it should take several ounces to balance. The main reason for balancing anymore is driver comfort. That little jiggle you feel in the steering wheel, or see in the mirror, is unacceptable to your average driver.

Your average trailer won't see enough miles to wear the tires out before they start separating, so balancing for "tire life" is wasted money. It might be worth balancing if you are running hard all the time and wear out your trailer tires. They might last a few miles longer than not balanced.

Hey, if you want to spend the extra to balance your trailer tires, knock yourself out. It's your money. Spend it how you want.

 

[Margo]

Thanks to all for the wisdom.

 

[560Dennis]

Yes ,I do , saves on fuel, tested with same truck trailer and load ,400 mile round trip dodge 3/4 ton 5.9 Cummins diesel 300 k miles . Plus consider wear and tear on the running gear.
The tire shop tried to tell me”, they don’t balence trail tires”. Reply “ your going to balence these” , in your quote was tires,mounting And balance. Stnad up to them your paying for balencing .
Also pull same loaded from ohio to Nebraska for red power, with 1/2 ton Gmc , no problems, had to look back make sure I was pulling it. Very satisfied.

 

[John Deere D]

Yes ,I do , saves on fuel, tested with same truck trailer and load ,400 mile round trip dodge 3/4 ton 5.9 Cummins diesel 300 k miles . Plus consider wear and tear on the running gear.
The tire shop tried to tell me”, they don’t balance trail tires”. Reply “ your going to balance these” , in your quote was tires,mounting And balance. Stnad up to them your paying for balancing .
Also pull same loaded from ohio to Nebraska for red power, with 1/2 ton Gmc , no problems, had to look back make sure I was pulling it. Very satisfied.

All tires are load range G.......14 ply....90 psi air..........
2006 Dodge 1 ton....
Cummins Diesel...Trailer is always loaded...Tires on W9 / WD9 and 600 are loaded......
Case 930....WD9...and 600 are placed on blocks...........
Tires are balanced.....
Tires are designed for a TRAILER.......
I have been flagged into a Government Scales...........all was good....
Bob.......

 

[caterpillar guy]

We had a 930 like that without the cab. Plow with 6-16's it would work the rim in the tire beads then pull the stem off. We had to put screws in to the bead through the edge of the rim to hold them. both tires on the outside and no more problem with it. tractor had rice tires like those on it also. size was 18or so -26. Hated that hand clutch on it. Only an a hole would design a hand clutch to push forward to engage while trying to back up to hitch up.

 

[John Deere D]

We had a 930 like that without the cab. Plow with 6-16's it would work the rim in the tire beads then pull the stem off. We had to put screws in to the bead through the edge of the rim to hold them. both tires on the outside and no more problem with it. tractor had rice tires like those on it also. size was 18or so -26. Hated that hand clutch on it. Only an a hole would design a hand clutch to push forward to engage while trying to back up to hitch up.

No hand clutch on this 930..................
Bob....

 

[Margo]

235/80/16 vs 235/85/16. Does anybody have a preference and why? Both are equally priced and both are trailer tires.

 

[Ray,IN]

235/80/16 vs 235/85/16. Does anybody have a preference and why? Both are equally priced and both are trailer tires.

The 85 aspect has 460# more weight capacity; otherwise it's a toss-up. BTW, ST/trailer tires should be aired up to sidewall maximum pressure due to the extreme sidewall stress's involved on a tandem-axle trailer. Carlisle Tire goes so far as to state if their ST tires are not aired-up to sidewall maximum the warranty is voided.

 

[DRussell]

235/80/16 vs 235/85/16. Does anybody have a preference and why? Both are equally priced and both are trailer tires.

235/85-16 if there is room for this size tire on the trailer. This size will be slightly taller than the other one, so depending on the specific trailer there may not be enough room for it.

The reason for my preference is this is a common older truck tire size and you can use truck tires instead of trailer tires. Not everyone recommends doing this, and that's ok. I can still find decent used truck tires in that size at several nearby tire shops for free.

 

[Margo]

Thanks for the replies.

 

[GM Guy]

Look into Goodyear endurance. USA made. Not cheap, but definitely one of the better trailer tires I've used.

As far as balance, I use beads, as the runout on the Chinese hubs and drums on modern trailer axles is bad enough to affect balance. The beads balance the whole assembly, weights just balance the tire and wheel.

 

[john in la]

Look into Goodyear endurance. USA made. Not cheap, but definitely one of the better trailer tires I've used.

As far as balance, I use beads, as the runout on the Chinese hubs and drums on modern trailer axles is bad enough to affect balance. The beads balance the whole assembly, weights just balance the tire and wheel.

Beads work well at highway speeds.
Not so well maybe even worse than normal balanceing in stop and go traffic.

 

[rustred]

How to determine whether you have a quality tire on your trailer.

I'm able to take pics of the tires fairly easy on my bale trailer........no bed to mess with.

View attachment 108674

The tire on the left is an ST tire. Look how it's bulged across the tread. Low mile tire, properly inflated to 85psi.

The tire on the right is an LT tire. Also properly inflated. You can tell it's built better. The tread is flat across its width. This tire has been on the trailer since 2012.

..........................................................................................................................................................................................................

The Provider tires are as well built.

View attachment 108675
View attachment 108677

14" Provider properly inflated.

If your tread bows/bulges, you have a poorly made tire.

Them st tires are poor. I just use used truck tires now and it outlasts them Chinese tires. Balancing tires is due to the speed you’re pulling the trailer. If you’re travelling less than 50 mph , it hardly pays to balance them. I quite that balancing also on these used tires. I just install them myself and go. Many times I travel 70 mph pulling the dually 36 ft goose neck and travel long distances.

 

[rustred]

All tires are load range G.......14 ply....90 psi air..........
2006 Dodge 1 ton....
Cummins Diesel...Trailer is always loaded...Tires on W9 / WD9 and 600 are loaded......
Case 930....WD9...and 600 are placed on blocks...........
Tires are balanced.....
Tires are designed for a TRAILER.......
I have been flagged into a Government Scales...........all was good....
Bob.......

And I will see if I can get there this fall to get that wooden cab tractor out of your way. Lol that’s about a 6 hr drive. Probably wear out my tires on that trip.

 

[John Deere D]

And I will see if I can get there this fall to get that wooden cab tractor out of your way. Lol that’s about a 6 hr drive. Probably wear out my tires on that trip.

No time limit rustred. When it happens it shall happen,
Bob..

 

[Stephen Newell]

Looking to buy 4 new tires for my 20’ gooseneck flatbed trailer. Mostly used for hauling hay and occasional tractor to repair shop if needed. Do most of you guys balance your tires or not? Thanks.

Since you are buying new tires I would have them balanced. Tire shop would probably do that without asking anyway. If you would get bias tires you could expect them to last until 2 or 3 times longer than radial. Radial tires are sort of built to self destruct after about 6 years where bias tires would last until the rubber cracks.