What Air Pressure Should I Run in My Trailer Tires?

Question

Question:

I have a 5 x 8 utility trailer with st205/75d15 6pr tires that say 50psi max. pressure. What happens if I run 40psi in the tires due to not hauling nothing but a 4 wheeler?

asked by: Joe D

0

Expert Reply:

We recommend that all trailer tires be inflated to the max psi stated on the sidewall of the tire. If the tire is under inflated, the weight capacity is lowered to an unknown amount for that tire.

Although running lower air pressures can improve the ride of the trailer with lighter loads, the weight rating that the tire can carry will be reduced. If a heavier load is put on the trailer without changing the air pressure to the recommended amount, the sidewall of the tire could heat up and may cause a tire failure.

Outside temperature can be an issue in tire inflation. The warmer the outside temperature is the air pressure in the tires will increase. However, in colder weather, air pressure will decrease in tires. If the tire pressure is already lower than the stated amount, tire pressure could decrease more and could cause tire failure. It is recommend to inflate your trailer tires when the tire is cold.

It is recommeded that all trailer tires be inflated to the stated air pressure amount on the tire.

expert reply by: Jared P

0

John

1/11/2021

Should the tires of a utility trailer be inflated to max psi before load or should it be adjusted to max psi after load?

Jon G.

1/14/2021

Before you load the trailer.

Jennifer

3/17/2022

@JonG What if you’ve got your utility trailer filled with a bit of an office type of a structure made out of wood it’s a 3 x 5 trailer and I put my 80 pounds of pressure in the trailer tires after I built the structure is that gonna be OK

Les D.

3/18/2022

Under normal circumstances the pressure in a tire remains the same regardless if there is a load on them or not. Since the volume of the tire does not change when under a load (only the shape) the pressure does not increase. In an extreme situation you may see an increase of around 1 psi. So you will want to inflate the tires to their max psi rating when cold and you will be good to go.

Cfm

8/10/2024

Details on trailer tire air pressure. My current trailer tires state maximum tire pressure of 80psi. If I check the tire pressure cold and inflate to 80 psi. Driving the trailer will increase the psi to over the max pressure. Should I allow for this thermal expansion and reduce the cold psi reading? FYI: This trailer is an enclosed car hauler and the trailer manufacturer recommends 65 psi. Thank you in advance for any suggestions. Regards, C. F. Mauro.

Kevin C.

8/12/2024

@Cfm The max pressure listed on the sidewall of the tires is the "cold" max pressure, meaning that the psi rating already takes thermal expansion into account. If you went over the max cold pressure rating that's where you could run into an issue with pressure as the tire heats up. For every 10 degrees the tire heats up you'll gain about 1 psi. Most tires will run around 150 - 165 degrees Fahrenheit so you'd likely be looking at less than 10 psi rise.

Answer 1

I can end this debate for you real fast! Trailer tires, which will have an ST in front of the size, should always be inflated to the maximum psi indicated on the tire. Trailer tires usually do not have a recommended and maximum psi indication so I am…

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Answer 2

On a towing setup you are always limited by the lowest rated component as the overall towing capacity since that is the weakest point. When it comes to trailer tires you always want to have them inflated to their max psi when cold. Not only do you…

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Answer 3

Trailer tires should be inflated when they are cold and should be inflated to the max psi rating on the sidewall. In your case you would want to run 80 psi. If you don't inflate them to the max psi figure you will lose weight capacity and…

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Answer 4

Thanks for getting me all the info needed to pick out a hub! Based on what you listed the correct hub you need for a replacement is the part #84545BX. This uses the same bearings as what you have and has a matching bolt pattern.

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Answer 5

In the size of 5.30-12 the best option we have with the highest capacity is the Kenda Wheel and Tire part #AM30861 which has a tire with a Load Range of D and a tire capacity of 1,250 lbs at 105 psi. I attached a review video for this wheel combo for…

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Answer 6

The 5.30-12 tires, being wider, are going to make more contact with the road. This means that the noise, and heat build up will be higher than a 4.80-12 tire but the rolling resistance will actually be less because the tire is larger diameter. The…

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Answer 7

Hey Bart! The Tie Down Side-Mount Spare Tire Mount #TD68FR can be used with a 3" tall trailer tongue. It actually comes with two different U-bolts so it will work with a 4" or a shorter 3" like yours. What kind of trailer do you have?

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Answer 8

For your 2008 Chevy Express 3500 the Tekonsha harness part #118392 that you referenced is your best option. This installs easily and gives you a reliable 4-way harness.

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Answer 9

The UFP H-1377 correlates to a Dexter #84 spindle, which is for a 3,500 pound axle. This will utilize an inner bearing #L68149 and an outer bearing #L44649. As this is being used on a boat trailer, I highly suggest going with the etrailer.com…

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Answer 10

The psi of your trailer tires will be listed on the side wall. It will list the max psi which is what you will want to fill them to regardless of how much weight you have. For reference, the 4.80 x 12 tires we carry have a 60 psi max for load range B…

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Answer 11

If a trailer tire and wheel each have different weight capacities then the lower-rated item of the two determines the overall capacity of the combination. You can certainly run a tire with a lower or higher weight rating than the wheel its used on…

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Answer 12

The size 400/480 and 4.00/4.80are the same tire size. The 400/4.00 designation referrers to an older tire size that is no longer available and the 480/4.80 size will replace the older model sized. Therefore, a tire like the Kenda Bias Trailer Tire,…

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What Air Pressure Should I Run in My Trailer Tires?

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