Does 8" Trailer Tire Need to be Upgraded for Safe Travel on a Long Highway Trip

Published 03/25/2024

Question:

Boat Trailer - Single Axle Boat Weight - 550 lbs 1,000 fully loaded Boat Length - 16 Towing Speed - 75 mph 5+ hours Tow Vehicle - Toy Tundra I have it stuck in my head that I should upgrade the 8 tires to 10, 12 or larger FOR SAFETY and more height. Is that true or is a high speed trailer tire sufficient?

asked by: Scott L

Expert Reply:

Hey Scott, thanks for reaching out!

A common misconception is that bigger tires/wheels means they are better. While bigger tires can generally handle more weight, as long as a tire isn't being overloaded or the max speed is exceeded then the tire will be perfectly safe to use.

We've actually had instances where using a larger tire/wheel just causes a bigger headache because then you might have to deal with a different bolt pattern, larger hub size, or even the tire being too wide for the area it is designed to stay inside.

For example, the Kenda 215/60-8 Bias Trailer Tire with 8" White Wheel - 5 on 4-1/2 # AM3H323 has a weight rating of 1,165 lbs at 70 psi (so 2,330 lbs together) and an 81 mph speed rating so it would be more than enough for what you're needing to do.

expert reply by: Jon G