Trailer tires

[ronchp]

We bought a 2012 horse trailer this spring and last week had a blowout. Got it back on the road pretty quickly. The date code on the tires were all 2011 manufacturer so I replaced them all. The name plate data on the trailer lists E load range at 80 psig. The tires I purchased are F load range, which has a higher load rating at 95 psig. I intended to run them at 75-80 psig when loaded but my co-workers said I should keep them at 95 psig since that is the tire rating. What pressure would you recommend?

 

[pmsmechanic]

If I'm running a long distance empty I put like 20 - 30 lbs in. Makes for a smoother ride. As the weight increases I add more air to the point where max weight = max pressure. Most of the time for just local runs I run with about 3/4 pressure as a short run slightly under inflated isn't going to do any long term harm. I rarely run my trailers at max load.

 

[3930dave]

We bought a 2012 horse trailer this spring and last week had a blowout. Got it back on the road pretty quickly. The date code on the tires were all 2011 manufacturer so I replaced them all. The name plate data on the trailer lists E load range at 80 psig. The tires I purchased are F load range, which has a higher load rating at 95 psig. I intended to run them at 75-80 psig when loaded but my co-workers said I should keep them at 95 psig since that is the tire rating. What pressure would you recommend?

I'd compare your new tires load rating @ 95psi with your old ones @80psi. As long as the new tire's # capacity is higher, then I'd consider running 80psi, vs. 95psi.

I understand what pms is doing. I do something similar with a light utility trailer that mostly only sees duty these days near home. However, with my 23' travel trailer, I always run those tire within 2psi of maximum.

For long hauls, even a low-cost IR gun is good for keeping an eye on tire temperatures (and bearings, differentials....) - higher load range tires tend to sag less compared to paper thin sidewalls on P tires, so one quick way to catch under-inflation early on a walk-around is rising tire temperatures.

With original tires, most utility trailers are designed to ride the best with roughly 1/4 to 3/4(ish) load. Running at max tire pressure long distance with an empty trailer transmits more shock loads to the trailer, and may lead to balding the centre of the tire. (Think personal use 1 ton trucks, that never see much/any load - run E's on those at 80psi, and the rears often centre-bald).

Stepping up LR, if you run those new tires at max PSI, IMO you will be transmitting even more shock loads into an empty trailer. Well, at least if your roads are anything like the falling apart roads around here..... but even good roads have RR crossings.....

If you regularly check and adjust tire pressure (vs load), then there can be benefits to doing so. If you are more the set once and check "whenever" (most people), then I'd tend to set OE tires at 90 to 100% of Max.

Rgds, D.

 

[ronchp]

I rarely pull it without at least one horse. When I had pulled it empty once before I lowered pressure to around 50 psig. Most of the time we pull 2 horses. It's a 3 horse trailer and we use the empty slot to put camping gear. I'll probably keep it 75-80 psig for awhile and watch for wear patterns.

 

[LD48750]

We bought a 2012 horse trailer this spring and last week had a blowout. Got it back on the road pretty quickly. The date code on the tires were all 2011 manufacturer so I replaced them all. The name plate data on the trailer lists E load range at 80 psig. The tires I purchased are F load range, which has a higher load rating at 95 psig. I intended to run them at 75-80 psig when loaded but my co-workers said I should keep them at 95 psig since that is the tire rating. What pressure would you recommend?

Do your co-workers also recommend running with the Max. load all the time?
There are charts that tell you what pressure is recommended for what weight but they are hard to find.
MOST trailer tires are rated for more weight then the trailers are so you should never need the Max. air.

 

[comancheflight]

Trailer Tire Frequently Asked Questions | etrailer.com

 

[Btown]

We bought a 2012 horse trailer this spring and last week had a blowout. Got it back on the road pretty quickly. The date code on the tires were all 2011 manufacturer so I replaced them all. The name plate data on the trailer lists E load range at 80 psig. The tires I purchased are F load range, which has a higher load rating at 95 psig. I intended to run them at 75-80 psig when loaded but my co-workers said I should keep them at 95 psig since that is the tire rating. What pressure would you recommend?

5 years on the tires. I still have the original tires on my 2001 three horse trailer. But my tires are LT tires and not ST.

 

[newbury]

Trailer Tire Frequently Asked Questions | etrailer.com

Thanks for the link. I read most of the etrailer site a few years ago, hadn't seen that.

 

[kthompson]

For those who vary pressure to match load, do you have an air compressor you also haul? If you do have compressor you transport could you share the setup is it run off electricity or small gas unit?

 

[pmsmechanic]

For those who vary pressure to match load, do you have an air compressor you also haul? If you do have compressor you transport could you share the setup is it run off electricity or small gas unit?

I match the pressure before I go and pick up the load. If I don't know what the load will be the tires go to maximum pressure.

 

[LouNY]

Any tire will benefit from the correct air pressure for the load it is carrying, the only time a tire needs or should be at its max is when it is going to be loaded to its max.
Over inflated tires ride rough and transmit more jars and jolts to the unit it is mounted on and it is harder on the tire carcass its self as well as wearing the center out.
As has been mentioned tire temperature is a better indication of load as well as alignment then anything else, load to inflation charts can help.

 

[comancheflight]

My tires are ST and like pros at etrailer says they should be at max at all times. I talked to a tire place just yesterday just to see what they said and they also said ST tires they air to max ALWAYS.
Assuming it's OK to vary pressure base on load. Who has time to constantly be changing air pressure for a trailer.
I'm going with max "set it and forget it"

 

[3930dave]

For those who vary pressure to match load, do you have an air compressor you also haul? If you do have compressor you transport could you share the setup is it run off electricity or small gas unit?

I've carried 12v compressors in everything I've ever owned, starting with a '78 Chev. The small low-cost ones will suffice for P tires; higher dollar/capacity 12v ones are nice to have though, even for P tires.

A friend gave me a new, dual-piston 12v compressor as a gift. In 12v, dual-piston compressors will give you the capacity to deal with LT tires - problem is, most will pull more current than a cig lighter will supply. Mine came with only direct battery-attach clips, for this reason. It hauls enough current, that I had to redo one clip connection, as it was over-heating. Mechanically, it's a decent unit, but the supply cord is somewhat undersized, gauge wise.

The last single-piston 12v I bought was this one:

RAD Sportz 12 Volt Electric Air Captain Air Compressor with Gauge for Bike/Auto: Amazon.ca: Sports & Outdoors

I like that the fitting screws onto the valve. Also gave one of those as a gift to someone the other end of the country, and got a nice thank you update email over a year later - got them out of a pinch. Solid unit, w/o the plasticky feel of the cheapest ones.

A gas driven compressor would be the fastest - if you'll use it enough and don't mind maintaining another gas engine, that would be ideal and may give you enough oomph to drive air-tools. If I was going this route, I'd probably consider a small gas 120vac generator and a pancake 120vac compressor - I'd find separate uses for both, aside from trailer duty.

A decent dual-piston 12v unit should be no-maintenance, and give you reasonable refill speed. Just needs adequate cabling and fusing.

IMO, even a cheap single-piston 12v unit is a whole lot better than nothing, given how far you have to travel today to find a gas-station pay (and hope it works) unit....

Rgds, D.

 

[3930dave]

My tires are ST and like pros at etrailer says they should be at max at all times. I talked to a tire place just yesterday just to see what they said and they also said ST tires they air to max ALWAYS.
Assuming it's OK to vary pressure base on load. Who has time to constantly be changing air pressure for a trailer.
I'm going with max "set it and forget it"

Good strategy - ST is a marginal design, that is not adequately speed-rated for at least some of your interstates (ex. TX).

Rgds, D.

 

[LouNY]

My tires are ST and like pros at etrailer says they should be at max at all times. I talked to a tire place just yesterday just to see what they said and they also said ST tires they air to max ALWAYS.
Assuming it's OK to vary pressure base on load. Who has time to constantly be changing air pressure for a trailer.
I'm going with max "set it and forget it"

To each his own, if your trailer is normally max loaded good, if light normally and you wish to wear out the centers good enough do so.
I stand by my statement to vary the air to the load, for a short trip it will not matter, long ways empty then a long haul with a light load to me it makes better sense
to vary inflation to load. That e-trailer site also said over inflated would wear out the centers have a good day.

 

[toppop52]

Trailer tire manufacturers recommend running their tires at max inflation regardless of load. That’s because the carcasses are much stiffer than car tires and center wear is not a real issue. I agree that over inflation would wear the center, but max recommended pressure is not over inflated, its factory spec.

 

[Deere Dude]

5 years on the tires. I still have the original tires on my 2001 three horse trailer. But my tires are LT tires and not ST.

I think you are on borrowed time as for the longevity of your tires no matter how unchecked they may look or even if they are LT or ST.

If it was a POS trailer and not carrying an important load I would probably take my chances and run them till they blow, but on anything important I would change them every 8 years anyway.

 

[RichM752]

I never compromise on good meats on the road. No matter what vehicle,trailer, or motorcycle. Careless consideration of this can lead to terrible results.
Learned that lesson years ago.

 

[Teachu2]

Most of my trailer tires rot out or suffer severe damage long before they wear out. Lots of sun, off-highway debris, lousy highways, infrequent use, and near-toxic air quality conspire to destroy the trustworthiness of trailer tires on about a five-year cycle in my area. Lost one on a brand-new trailer recently - caught a screw in the sidewall on the highway, non-repairable. Lost one on my new car the same way, less than a year later.
When I lose one on a trailer due to rot, I replace all of them. Not worth the stress of wondering when the rest will join it.

 

[ModMech]

We bought a 2012 horse trailer this spring and last week had a blowout. Got it back on the road pretty quickly. The date code on the tires were all 2011 manufacturer so I replaced them all. The name plate data on the trailer lists E load range at 80 psig. The tires I purchased are F load range, which has a higher load rating at 95 psig. I intended to run them at 75-80 psig when loaded but my co-workers said I should keep them at 95 psig since that is the tire rating. What pressure would you recommend?

The only correct thing to do is find (if you can) the "Load Inflation Table" for the tires you have (Brand and specific model) and inflate accordingly.

As others have pointed out, lowering the pressure when unladen is the correct thing to do, but you HAVE TO know the weights, speeds and the table numbers.