Why do My New Radial Trailer Tires Look so much Taller than the Old Bias Ply Tires

Updated 05/17/2011 | Published 05/15/2011

Question:

have st205/75d14,got a st205/75r14. the st205/75r14 is alot taller.do i need to get a st205/75r14 for ather side? why a big dif in size

asked by: Erick

Expert Reply:

The ST205/75D14 and ST205/75R14 should be essentially the same size. There are differences between tire brands and to a lesser degree between bias and radial. Normally the bias ply tire will look taller because of the difference in construction from the radial tire. If you have had the ST205/75R14 tire mounted yet, the tire will look much taller until it is seated on a properly sized wheel.

I recommend using tires of the same height and construction, radial or bias on both sides of the trailer. With different tire heights or designs you can run into tire wear problems and trailer handling problems.

All of the ST205/75-14 tires we carry have an outer diameter of 26.3 inches, see link.

expert reply by: Robert G