Can Car Tires be Used on a Trailer

Updated 03/02/2015 | Published 02/28/2015

Question:

I have 175/80/13 on my trailer and would like to put a car tire on it what size car tire will fit my rim

asked by: Robert M

Expert Reply:

I strongly advise against putting passenger vehicle tires on a trailer. This is because trailer tires and passenger vehicle tires are constructed differently. Trailer tires (they will have ST in front of the size which stands for special trailer) are built with a thicker sidewall to handle more vertical load. Passenger vehicle tires are not built this way since they are designed to handle more lateral forces from turning.

A passenger vehicle tire could work as a temporary fix only if you absolutely had no other options but should not be used permanently on any trailer. I have included a link to our help article on trailer tires for you as well.

We have options for ST175/80-13 tires. I have included a link to them for you. We have both bias ply and radial options available. You will want to stay with the same type for all the tires on the trailer or you could end up with uneven wear and tracking problems.

expert reply by: Michael H