Tires on a utility trailer.

[Diggin It]

Once I get the Mean Green Tahoe Machine, I'll be able to do things I never could. One of those will be to haul the Little Blue Diggin' Machine. But I have questions.

Neighbor has a 5 x 10 trailer that has been stuffed off in the woods for many years, 15 at least. I pulled it out of the woods a few days ago and began looking it over. Structure is fine, but it needs work. Deck is probably shot and will need new planks Fenders are dinged a bit but can be straightened. One tail light mount is bent. Tail lights and wiring are shot and will need to be replaced. Trailer jack is tilted several degrees (mount plate is torqued) and will need to be straightened.

But for now, the question is on tires. Both are shot, unusable. It has P205/75R15s on it now, most likely not original. Tire store says those are not suitable and it needs trailer tires at $100/ea.

Tag says GVW is 1,575 and GAW is 6,600 (if I can read it right since it's very faded.)


Opinions?

 

[MTGreen]

$100 each is about the going rate for trailer tires

 

[jonsstihl]

so you need tires rated at 2500lbs minimum to respect the total rating assuming it has two tires not four. but I would have doubts about fully loading a trailer that has been sitting for so long. some people have had good luck with truck tires, I used maxxis trailer tires on my home built 5.5x10 single axle

 

[Diggin It]

Yes, two tires. Plan on replacing the deck planks. Frame seems solid from what I can see so far, only surface rust. No ramp(s) though, so I'll need to work something out there.

SCUT is listed at around 1,500 by itself, no FEL, MMM, etc. Tires are loaded. I figure 2,000 or so, meaning trailer will be less than half loaded if I'm understanding the numbers right.

 

[MTGreen]

I'm thinking the gvw and gaw may not be right or be illegible. GVW is max total weight of trailer + load. 1575 seems pretty low unless this was designed as an ATV/snowmobile/raft type trailer. GAW is max axle load and is not typically listed on utility size trailers.
Knowing what style of hub, the stud bolt pattern, style of axle, and diameter of axle tube if solid would give some clues.
Unlikely a 5x10 commercially built trailer with a single axle would have greater than 5k axle rating

Also most commercial axles will have some kind of a tag attached to them with a load rating. Usually on top of the axle tube maybe with a metal tag

 

[jonsstihl]

I feel like I over built mine and it weighs almost 1000 lbs so at 1500 lbs that is one heavy trailer. i used hemlock 1.25" decking 3/16 thick C channel all around and 3/16 thick angle iron stringers probably every 16"

 

[Diggin It]

Problem is, I can't really read it. Possibly 3,600?

 

[Diggin It]

Could the weight be 575?

 

[MTGreen]

That is almost certainly a 3500 lb axle. I agree 575 lb sounds like the weight of the empty trailer or the tare weight. So your load capacity would be just under 3,000 lb

 

[RustyA]

Looks like original tire was 215/15 on tag. Probably 215-75-15 ST trailer tires load range D 6 plys. Hard to believe gvwr is truly 6600 for single axle trailer with no brakes. Most utility trailers with single axle are under 3500 so they don't need electric brakes.