Help Determining Trailer Weight Capacity

Published 01/30/2015

Question:

We have a Custom Frame boat trailer. We believe it is a 1988 with a serial number of R4098 The tag reads GVWR 3000 GAWR ALL AXLES 3500with 14inch tires The trailer has 2 axles and the tires are P215/70R14 The tires also say LOAD RANGE G MAX LOAD 1710LBSAT 50PSI COLD The trailer also has 10# brakes on the front axle Could you please tell me the most weight this trailer is capable of hauling?

asked by: Steve

Expert Reply:

Determining the weight capacity for a custom built trailer is a bit hard to do, but the general guide line is that the lowest rated component in the system will be the overall capacity. What is odd is that the tag reads GVWR 3,000 lbs which would normally indicate that the total the trailer can weigh with cargo is 3,000 lbs. This seems much less than the axle capacities which have 3,500 lbs per axle.

10 inch drums are used almost exclusively on 3,500 lb axles as well. So with all of the information presented it sounds like you have plenty of axle, brake and tire capacity. But the frame of the trailer may not be that strong since it has a GVWR of 3,000 lbs.

Also, you should only use ST tires on a trailer as P tires like what you have are designed only for passenger vehicles. ST stands for specialty trailer. This kind of tire has a stronger sidewall than an automobile or truck tire so it can handle higher air pressures and higher loads.

I would strongly recommend you replace your current tires with the part # TTWTRTM2157514D. This is the same size as yours except it is an ST tire and has a capacity of 2,200 lbs at 65 psi.

expert reply by: Jameson C