Trailer Tires

[Bert Kemp]

Last year I bought a 5x8' utility trailer to haul my bike to NH in from AZ, Trip out was no problem but I blew two tires on the way home. The trailers rated for 1650lbs so the weight of the bike should not be a problem. But tire size is 12". My question is can I put bigger tires on the trailer. I found some 15" tires with the same lug pattern, I might have to modify the fenders , but I had a couple people tell me I'd burn the axle bearing out if I put the bigger tires on. This really didn't make much sense to me because I'm thinking bigger tires will put less wear on the axle bearing.So what do you guys think?
Reason I haul the bike instead of ride is I go for a few months and also have pets I take. I've rode cross country many times.

[Myk Rian]

I'm with you about bigger tires.
I have 13" Pinto wheels and tires on mine. The bigger tire will turn slower.
The tires I have are trailer rated.

[Steve Peterson]

I am not an expert on the subject, but I think the problem is the speed rating of the cheap 12" tires. Some specify 45 or 55 MPH maximum. Make sure you get tires that are highway rated.

I agree that larger tires seems like it should put less stress on the axles since they will be rotating at a lower rate.

Steve

[John Huds0n]

Larger tires should lower the revolutions per minute - so I don't see how your axle bearings would be effected

I would be more concerned about the 'tongue weight'. As a general rule, you want about 10% to 15% of the total trailer weight on the tongue - you may have to get a different hitch, but it is definitely worth checking

[Mike Lassiter]

Last year I bought a 5x8' utility trailer to haul my bike to NH in from AZ, Trip out was no problem but I blew two tires on the way home. The trailers rated for 1650lbs so the weight of the bike should not be a problem. But tire size is 12". My question is can I put bigger tires on the trailer. I found some 15" tires with the same lug pattern, I might have to modify the fenders , but I had a couple people tell me I'd burn the axle bearing out if I put the bigger tires on. This really didn't make much sense to me because I'm thinking bigger tires will put less wear on the axle bearing.So what do you guys think?
Reason I haul the bike instead of ride is I go for a few months and also have pets I take. I've rode cross country many times.

I agree about larger tires rotating slower. Larger tires normal have higher load ratings than small ones, but I agree with you about changing them. Get something that is a fairly common size tire so if you should ever be in no man's land you will not be stranded because you need a odd small sized tire that isn't available. I was driving on I40 some years ago when suddenly see blue smoke behind a 1 ton truck with a utility bed pulling a small trailer like you are talking about. He was going 65+ mph I'd guess at the time. The wheel locked up, grinding the tire flat (the blue smoke) and ground the rim down to the center between the lips before he could get pulled over to the emergency pull off area. About 5 lanes of traffic getting into the metro Memphis area during morning rush hour traffic. I stopped behind him to see if I could help. We ended up picking the empty trailer up and sticking it into the utility bed somewhat with the lift gate let down to help hold it in the bed so he could continue traveling. The trailer was not going to be pulled anymore even with a new tire and rim until the bearings and possibly the axle itself were replaced.

I can tell you too - I have saw ALOT of loose wheel bearings over the years on trailers that doesn't help matters any. I wonder if anyone ever looks or checks them. Trailers are something that most use rarely. You use it, you park it, and forget about it until the next time you need it. Tires all aired up? Good to go.... Never even check to see if the lights work when it's hooked up.

[Wayne Lovell]

Spare bearings, tools and bearing grease are the best insurance against a burnt out bearing I know of (but I still repack bearings before any long trip).

[Bert Kemp]

thanks for the replies guys I guess Its ok to put bigger tires on then thanks

[Brian Elfert]

The biggest issue you might find with larger tires is that the tires will now hit the fender. You might have to modify or replace the fenders.

[Jim Becker]

Don't just look at tire size...look at tire quality. There is a great variance between different trailer tires from various manufacturers...some of them resemble bovine excrement in quality; some are really great tires. For knocking around town, it's less of an issue, but highway use gets them heated up and that's when the fun begins.

[Brian Elfert]

I don't know if any trailer tires are still made in the USA. Carlisle might make some in the USA yet. Almost all trailer tires are made in China now, especially the 12" and 13" sizes. Radial trailer tires should last longer than bias ply.

Maxxis makes a radial trailer tire in Thailand that is well regarded. I have used them on several trailers with no tires issues yet. The smallest tire Maxxis makes is 13".

[Bert Kemp]

Yea I thought of that and if its an issue I'll cut them off, hmm I wonder if there s rules about fenders??

The biggest issue you might find with larger tires is that the tires will now hit the fender. You might have to modify or replace the fenders.

[Bert Kemp]

any recommendations:cool:


Don't just look at tire size...look at tire quality. There is a great variance between different trailer tires from various manufacturers...some of them resemble bovine excrement in quality; some are really great tires. For knocking around town, it's less of an issue, but highway use gets them heated up and that's when the fun begins.

[Bert Kemp]

I'll look them up. Thanks.


I don't know if any trailer tires are still made in the USA. Carlisle might make some in the USA yet. Almost all trailer tires are made in China now, especially the 12" and 13" sizes. Radial trailer tires should last longer than bias ply.

Maxxis makes a radial trailer tire in Thailand that is well regarded. I have used them on several trailers with no tires issues yet. The smallest tire Maxxis makes is 13".

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Late to the thread, but I'll add one more thing, you don't have to use trailer only tires on a trailer. Use a good quality car tire if it's available. I use good takeoffs for trailers often. Personally I HATE those stupid tiny wheels on trailers. They do nothing well. If possible, mount as big as you can get. I don't use smaller than 15" because they hold up so much better, and wear and tear on the trailer is MUCH better. Wheel bearings should last a long time to BTW, like life of the trailer. If they aren't something is wrong.

[Lee Schierer]

Yea I thought of that and if its an issue I'll cut them off, hmm I wonder if there s rules about fenders??
Most states have laws requiring fenders on trailers to prevent water spray and rock throwing.

[Brian Elfert]

You really don't want to use passenger tires on trailers. I've purchased used trailers with passenger tires on them and they look overloaded even when the trailer is empty. (I knew the trailer needed new tires when I bought it). Trailer tires have stiffer sidewalls on them. You can use LT tires on trailers, but they are usually expensive.

Passenger tires are usually used because they are cheap. I know someone who purchased used passenger tires for a trailer and one came apart tearing the fender off and beating the trailer side up. Any savings with used passenger tires were used to repair the trailer. If you have a trailer for farm use or something that rarely gets used then by all means put used passenger tires on. For a trailer that you drive often or long distance just bite the bullet for proper tires.

[Jason Roehl]

I mostly agree with Brian--with one minor caveat. If the trailer is a tandem axle, by all means, put proper trailer tires on it. They're designed to better withstand the "scrub" that comes from having two fixed axles close together and turning. If it's just a single-axle trailer with a 3500-lb axle, then passenger tires may do okay, but if it's a 5500-lb axle (not common on a single axle trailer, though), put the trailer tires on it, as no passenger tire has a 2750-lb load rating.

[Ole Anderson]

I agree, bigger is better, but I have had very good luck with those fat 10" tires that we stick under snowmobile trailers, so I think it has to do with quality and speed rating. Inflate to the max on the sidewall and jack the axle up and spin the tire to make sure there is no bearing issues before a trip. Bearing buddies are a good addition. Speaking from over 40 years of boat, snowmobile and utility trailer experience.

[Bert Kemp]

Except the rims are standard

[Steve Rozmiarek]

You really don't want to use passenger tires on trailers. I've purchased used trailers with passenger tires on them and they look overloaded even when the trailer is empty. (I knew the trailer needed new tires when I bought it). Trailer tires have stiffer sidewalls on them. You can use LT tires on trailers, but they are usually expensive.

Passenger tires are usually used because they are cheap. I know someone who purchased used passenger tires for a trailer and one came apart tearing the fender off and beating the trailer side up. Any savings with used passenger tires were used to repair the trailer. If you have a trailer for farm use or something that rarely gets used then by all means put used passenger tires on. For a trailer that you drive often or long distance just bite the bullet for proper tires.

Yes, I should have said heavy duty or light truck or something. You don't probably want to use a prius tire on a trailer, but one off the F250 is likely fine. I've drug a utility trailer over 30,000 miles a year for the last 5 years. One set of bearings, and several sets of tires. High ply pickup tires are what I used because it's what I could get to fit the goofy rim, and I stuck with it.

I suprised that someone mentioned trailer tires being more expensive, they aren't usually or normal sizes.

[Jim Andrew]

Usually the companies who build trailers have to use the cheapest tires they can find to sell the trailer at a reasonable price, so just go to your tire store and buy some good quality tires to fit it. Better than having to cut the fenders off.