Trailer tires

[majflyboy]

The tires on my trailer are 12". If I want to pull long distances (100-200 miles) would it benifit me to put on larger tires? Fender clearance would allow 14".

[Gamblinman]

Yes...but you'll have to adjust the ride height, and back the trailer further in the water to compensate for the raised height of the trailer.

Just thinkin'

[Hanr3]

The larger the tire the fewer revolutions it makes per mile it travels. The main advantage to larger tires is less heat in teh tire, and less heat in teh bearings.

[rnvinc]

I think you get a higher load rating in a larger tire also......which probably makes less wear on the tire.....just guessing in my own mind tho....

I do that alot.... guessing in my own mind.....

[rockmike]

Be sure and measure---there's a big jump in diameter between a 12" and 14" wheel. You also need to make sure what your hub will take.

[JBledsoe]

.

Larger tires offer several advantages. Larger diameter mean better ride on rough roads and less shaking of your boat. As already noted, they run cooler and wear longer. The rig will pull easier and see a small improvement in fuel mileage.

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[Hanr3]

I think you get a higher load rating in a larger tire also......which probably makes less wear on the tire.....just guessing in my own mind tho....

I do that alot.... guessing in my own mind.....

Load rating is a function of the tires sidewall construction. More plies the more load. For example in relation to trucks. Passenger tires will get more mpg and do fine for a truck that never leaves pavement or hauls/tows anything. Passenger tires have a thinner sidewall and a lower load rating, they also weigh less which reduces rolling mass and increases mpg. Truck tires have stronger sidewalls and carry more load. The advantages to truck tires is the load rating, especially when towing. If you tow with pasenger tires the trailer sway could be from your tires, they are too soft to handle the weight and it causes the tires to bounce for lack of a better word. Catch a little cross wind and the soft tires will give casuing you to sway and could put you in the ditch.

Truck tires can carry that weight, even when the trailer trys to induce sway from wind, bumps, turns, uneven load, etc.

As for trailer tires, they generally have extremely stiff sidewalls. There main function is to carry weight. Bias ply trailer tires are very common and you would be hard pressed to find a biasply tire for street applications, exception being off-roading. They were phased out when radials came along. A bias ply tire cannot handle the scrub from turning as well as a radial tire. Bias ply tires are also stiffer then radials. they are good fro trailers. Your starting to see more and more radial tires for trailers, however generally speaking bias ply tires are better at carrying the weight than radials. Never put a passenger tire under a trailer, a truck tire would be ok for light loads, however for heavy loads go with the trailer tire. It is designed specifically for the load, plus it offers no road shock absorbancy, hence why empty trailers with trailer tires bounce. The tire isn't absorbing the road imperfections.

The federal government has strict regulations on tires and you can learn just about everything you need form their site.