Tire Wear Concern with 18K-Rated Triple-Axle Toy Hauler 5th Wheel

Updated 05/26/2015 | Published 05/22/2015

Products Featured in This Question

Karrier ST235/85R16 Radial Trailer Tire - Load Range F

(2231)

$191.82

Provider HD 215/75R17.5 Radial Trailer Tire - Load Range H

(249)

$310.42

Question:

I have a fuzion toy hauler with a 18k lb gvw. With 3 axles. My tires on the tread area have rounded out instead of being squared off. These tires are put under a lot of stress when making a sharp turn. Is this a common problem with triple axle fifth wheels? And what tire do you recommend?

asked by: Chip C

Expert Reply:

Triple-axle trailers can show the effects of "scrubbing" especially on the rear axle since when the trailer turns the front axle wheels are the pivot point and the center and especially rear axles will be "pulled along for the ride", so to speak. This effect is unavoidable with triple-axle trailers.

If you are finding that the outside edges of all tires are showing more wear than the center of the treads, this indicates that the tires may be under-inflated.

Trailer tires should ALWAYS be inflated to their maximum psi pressure rating as noted on the tire sidewall. They should never be run with lower or higher pressure than what is indicated on the tire. Lower pressure will result in reduced load capacity and the potential for excessive heat build-up which can destroy a tire. Over-inflation can result in reduced tire/road contact and increase the chances for a blowout. Always run the same tires on all axles.

Tire selection must be based on load requirements. You need to make sure your wheels and tires both are rated correctly for the load that they carry. I have linked our main page for trailer tires and wheels and you can use the filters on the page to select the appropriate load range tires. The highest-rated tire we offer is the Taskmaster Provider # TTWP15175 which is a 215/75R17.5 radial tire in Load Range H. This tire has a 4,805 lbs capacity at 123 psi when mounted on a suitable wheel.

expert reply by: Adam R