Can Pressure be Lowered on Trailer Tires

Updated 05/10/2018 | Published 05/09/2018

Question:

i am looking to buy trailer tires. old tires are worn in the center, edges still good. Can I run tires with lower pressure to prevent this, and how low can I go?

asked by: Gary

Helpful Expert Reply:

When a trailer tire is wearing more down the center of the tread, this does indicate that the tire is over-inflated. Trailer tires should always be inflated to the max psi as listed on the tire's side wall. You should only lower the pressure on your tires if they were inflated past the max psi in order to get them down to the recommended number.

Otherwise, I do not recommend lowering the pressure on your tires to below their recommended max psi. This is because the load capacity of a trailer tire is dependant on them being inflated properly. For example, the Kenda 5.30-12 Bias Trailer Tire # AM30750 that you were looking at features a maximum load of 840 pounds at 55 psi. Lowering the pressure below 55 psi will essentially lower its capacity to an unknown rating, which can potentially lead to you overloading the tires with the weight of your trailer.

Other than always inflating the tires to their maximum psi, you should also make sure to stay below their stated speed limit. This Kenda tire has a maximum speed rating of 65 psi, which is the standard for trailer tires unless otherwise listed.

I have attached a couple additional articles on trailer tires that you might also find helpful.

expert reply by: Chris R