Car or truck tires on a trailer

[Tom_W]

Can I put car or truck tires on a trailer without any problems? I have heard from some people that you can't and others you can. Whats the real deal?

 

[Dmace]

Maybe heavy duty truck tires, but not car tires. Look at the sidewall rating on the side of the tire. As long as the maximum weight capacity on each tire added up is more than your trailer and load weight, you should be good. Regular car tires just don't have the stiff sidewalls or strong beads that truck/trailer tires do.

 

[Tom_W]

I should tell you what my trailer has for tires. They are 205/75/15 trailer tires with a load rating of b (1280 lbs). Real crappy tires. I'd like to get a c or d rated tire in that size or at least the same height. I had heard tires other than trailer tires will cause sway. Is that true?

 

[LarryRB]

Here in Ct, at least with 7,000 lbs or more trailer, they have to run load range E tires..

 

[Jimbrown]

You most certainly can put P rated or Lt rated tires on a trailer. Lots of trailers come from the factory with P rated tires. Specially if they are under 10,000 GVW. Go look anywhere they sell horse trailers almost all of the smaller two horse ones come from the factory with P rated tires. In my opinion most of the 15 in trailer tires are pretty much junk. Some of the 16 in ones are OK. I personaly like to run load range E LT's on mine. I have one three horse trailer that has never had anything on it but P235 75 15"s. I have a newer 30ft goose neck that came from the factory with some sort of who knows where made trailer tires that appear to be junk. I will replace them with load range E LT's as they die from rock damage. 205/75 15's I almost bet that those are Carlise and you are correct they are pretty poor.

 

[workinallthetime]

I am with you on the argument on car or trailer tires, i however never use car tires on my trailers. I have 2 18 foot car hauler trailers i use for everything and I always buy trailer tires. The last set I bought cost like 65 to 75 each nounted and balanced. I have a budy who pulls cars all over the place and never uses anything but car tires on his and swears by it even though he has had two blow outs on his trailer while hauling a car. take into consideration the strain that is put on trailer tires as oposed to car tires, when you turn the trailer tires on a tandom axel trailer flex like ****, car tires are not made to do this. Spend the money cause you always get what you paid for. I also have a buddy who borrowed a trailer with car tires to haul a 1/2 ton truck home, tire blew out, he lost control and the trailer, and both trucks were a complete total he was lucky to get out alive. Always load a car on a trailer foreward for weight reasons, watch your truck as you load your trailer, you will know when the load is in the right position by how much drop you have on your truck. you want weight on that hitch.

 

[Bird]

Can I put car or truck tires on a trailer without any problems? I have heard from some people that you can't and others you can. Whats the real deal?

Tom, I've been out of the tire business a few years, but I think what I'm about to say still holds true. There are two reasons to use ST (trailer) tires instead of P (car) or LT (light truck tires).
1) There's a slight difference in the chemical composition of the rubber used. The ST tires are built to withstand the ultraviolet rays of the sun a little better and resist "weather cracking".
2) As has been mentioned, with a tandem axle trailer, turning puts a considerable stress on the sidewalls and the ST tires are designed to handle it a little better.

Those were the facts from long ago. What I never actually experimented with myself, but have heard (and believe) is that you DO NOT want to use trailer tires on your car or pickup. But you CAN use car or pickup tires on your trailer. You'll probably have better luck; i.e., longer lasting tires on your trailer if you use the ST tires.

 

[VT_Hokie]

According to the expert at the tire store, trailer tires have more plys in the side wall helping to keep them from deforming and more importantly improving heat tolerance. I gathered from the discussion that heat build up in the side wall causes the plys to separate resulting in a blow out. I think your choice in tires will revolve around your load and how far you are going haul and environmental temp.

 

[rutwad]

I've heard reently what bird mentioned. Trailer tires are designed to resist dry-rot moreso than car/truck tires. Trailer tires are designed knowing that it is likely to "sit" for long periods of time.

I have never heard where it would make a trailer sway. I have recently pulled a trailer with ?? non-trailer tires on it and it pulled great. But on the other hand I drove a car that had radial and bias ply tires on it and the car swayed greatly.

I don't know about trailer tires being designed to "flex" more or not, but I sure hate looking back at my tandem axle trailer in sharp turns and seeing the tires beng drug around. That can't be good for any tire!

 

[BTDT]

I think it is fine for a single axle trailer (landscape trailer hauling mower,leaves, grass clippings, etc), car/light truck tires will probably be fine. If you look at a front wheel drive vehicle, the rear tires are basically doing a trailers job--just holding up and carrying the back of the vehicle. For carrying equipment, or anything else on a tandem axle trailer, put on tires consistent with how much you value what your hauling. Like the old motorcycle helmet commercial used to say, "If your head is worth $10.00, wear a $10.00 helmet, if it's worth more, wear a Bell".