Using Passenger Car Tires on Trailers
Updated 04/24/2020 | Published 06/25/2016
Question:
My car weighs 3400 lbs and has four tires. Assuming approximately equal weight distribution, each tire is subject to 850 lbs load. My car tires have 30,000 miles with plenty of tread remaining. I bought a 7ft x 12 ft cargo trailer with a single axle. It weighs 1500 lbs empty, which is 750 lbs load per tire same as my car. After purchasing the trailer, and towing empty at 50 mph, one of the tires blew out after only 90 miles. Pressure was checked at the dealer when I left and the tires were new. The blow out was the sidewall not a puncture. It is a stark contrast between the tire durability on my car versus my trailer. My assumption is that trailer manufacturers are mounting the cheapest tire they can possibly find. Why not mount highly durable passenger tires?
asked by: Mike
Expert Reply:
With a few possible exceptions (large fifth wheels that use LT or Light Truck Tires), we recommended that only trailer tires be used on trailers because they have stiffer sidewalls which do a better job dealing with the vertical load tires experience when installed on a trailer. Also, trailers don't have steering axles, which means the cornering forces trailer tires experience are different than those passenger car tires would.
For a tire to blow out at the sidewall like you described, I can only guess that the tire was faulty because the tire wasn't over or under inflated and the trailer wasn't operating at high speed nor was the trailer loaded.
Taskmaster manufactures many of the trailer tires we sell. Their Provider branded tires are extensively used as the OEM tire by many different trailer manufacturers, so they're a respected name in the trailer tire business.
If you're determined to use your old passenger car tires on your trailer, be sure the weight of the trailer plus its load NEVER exceeds the combined load rating of the tires. The load rating should be listed on the tire's sidewall.
If you'd rather use trailer tires as is recommended, please let me know the tire size and load rating based on the gvwr of your trailer and I'd be happy to make a recommendation for you. I've linked you to our trailer tire FAQ article.
Product Page this Question was Asked From
Karrier ST235/85R16 Radial Trailer Tire - Load Range F
- Trailer Tires and Wheels
- Tire Only
- Radial Tire
- Load Range F
- 235/85-16
- 16 Inch
- M - 81 mph
- Kenda
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Martin T.
4/22/2020
I have a home made, small horse trailer for our miniature horses. It currently has 205/60 r15 91H tires. They work well because they are low profile allowing for an easy loading of horses. I need to replace them, but dont want to buy the Wrong type of tire for the trailer. What do you recommend?The horses only weigh 200 and 250 each, so its not a heavy load.