Should Westlake 215/75R17.5 Trailer Tire Be Inflated to Max PSI

Question:

Just bought a Cedar Creek 38fbh, with Westlake 215 75 x 17.5 tires. When I got the trailer home started checking everything, the tires only had 88 lbs in them. The tag on the side of the trailer says 123 lbs. The trailer is approximately 14,500 from the manufacturer. Kind of concerning. Should I bump them up to 123 psi. The place I bought it does not have a reassuring service dept.

asked by: Denver M

Expert Reply:

The Westlake 215/75R17.5 Radial Trailer Tires # LHWL097 that your Cedar Creek 38FBH came equipped with should always be inflated to its max 123 psi. I absolutely recommend filing the tires up on the trailer to meet this spec.

A lot of customers (and some service departments it seems) tend to let out air on trailer tires to better match a trailer's loaded weight to try and smooth out the ride. Some trailer tire manufactures are okay with this and have an official chart that lays out different psi levels based on trailer weight. Most manufacturers though, including Westlake, recommend that their trailer tires always be inflated to their listed maximum psi, regardless of trailer weight.

This ensures that the tire's load capacity, which is 4,805 pounds on your particular unit, is properly maintained. Reducing the air pressure also reduces the tire's capacity, so doing this can lead to unknowingly overloading it which can lead to tire failure on the road.

expert reply by: Chris R

Terry

7/27/2020

I have a set of Westlake 215-75R/17.5 (CR960A) What does the following info mean that is on the tire? 135/153L and 18PR Thanks!

Jon G.

8/3/2020

From my understanding the 135/153L and 18PR numbers are a different version of the tire weight rating, speed rating, and ply rating. The 135/153 would have to do with the weight rating (dual tires vs single tires), L has to do with the speed rating (should mean "L" or 75 mph), and then the 18PR should mean that your tire has a ply rating of 18.