Trailer Tires vs Light Truck or Heavy Truck Tires

Trailer Tires vs Light Truck or Heavy Truck Tires - 10/07/11 12:13 AM

Does any one know what the actual truth is about trailer dealers insisting that you MUST buy the more expensive trailer tires and not buying Light Truck or a Heavy Duty Truck tires that you can buy for less money. Will need 4or6 new ones next year, but $800-$1,000 is a lot of $$$$$ - can buy LT Tires for around $500-$600- Thanks HEMI JOE :

Posted By: not_a_charger

Re: Trailer Tires vs Light Truck or Heavy Truck Tires - 10/07/11 12:17 AM

They make trailer tires for a reason. Don't skimp on the trailer by putting truck tires on it.

Is it really worth saving $300-$400 and risk destroying your truck, trailer, cargo, and possibly cars around you, as well as injuring yourself and others?

Posted By: 340SHORTY

Re: Trailer Tires vs Light Truck or Heavy Truck Tires - 10/07/11 12:21 AM

I ran LTs on my open trailer and never had a problem..
Iv seen more blown out trailer tires than LTs...

Posted By: 6PakBee

Re: Trailer Tires vs Light Truck or Heavy Truck Tires - 10/07/11 12:29 AM

This question comes up pretty often. The first time I saw it I panicked as I have run light truck tires on my car trailer for over 25 years. I gave my trailer tires a good look and couldn't see anything amiss and have kept using them. I also looked at other people who used the stiffer sidewall trailer tires and they seemed to be scuffed more than mine. I watched my tires during backing and the LT tire seems to deflect in the sidewall and not slide (scuff).

I don't know, I think as long as you don't overload whatever tire you have, you'll be okay.

Posted By: Dodgeguy101

Re: Trailer Tires vs Light Truck or Heavy Truck Tires - 10/07/11 12:29 AM

weight is weight, doesn't matter if it is on a truck or a trailer. No different than the front tires on a truck, they are going along for the ride. Just make sure you use straight tread and not snow tire type tread, one gets hotter than the other, and use the right load range.

Posted By: not_a_charger

Re: Trailer Tires vs Light Truck or Heavy Truck Tires - 10/07/11 12:34 AM

Maybe I'm just paranoid. We used to tow heavy equipment with our dump truck when I worked for the city, and we would never consider putting truck tires on the trailer. Maybe if you're just towing a bass boat or a car, it's not as crucial.

Posted By: DaveRS23

Re: Trailer Tires vs Light Truck or Heavy Truck Tires - 10/07/11 01:02 AM

You didn't say how much you were hauling. We've used truck tires on our light duty trailers forever. The sidewalls are stiffer on trailer tires, but as long as we've stayed within the capacity of the truck tires, we have not had any problems.

Heavier stuff is a different animal.

Most of the trailer tires I have seen of late, were made overseas and are basically junk.

Posted By: Challenger 1

Re: Trailer Tires vs Light Truck or Heavy Truck Tires - 10/07/11 01:36 AM

Quote:

weight is weight, doesn't matter if it is on a truck or a trailer. No different than the front tires on a truck, they are going along for the ride. Just make sure you use straight tread and not snow tire type tread, one gets hotter than the other, and use the right load range.

I have to disagree strongly. There is definitely a difference in a trailer tire. If your trailer is a single axle no big deal. But a tad um or triple axle trailer those tires are being drug sideways across the pavement and need different sidewall construction. Not even close being the same as a steering axle!!!!

Low air pressure is what destroys trailer tires, plain and simple.

Posted By: Challenger 1

Re: Trailer Tires vs Light Truck or Heavy Truck Tires - 10/07/11 01:40 AM

What's your stuff worth to you, I have seen many folks on the side of the road with trailer tire trouble. What does that say? Tires on trailers are worked harder than your tow vehicle tires is what it says to me.
I have towed a lot and have seen many LT tires tore up on race trailers at the races with tore up fenders.
What is your stuff worth to you?

Some place in Utah in a I-70 west rest area, 4100 miles this trip with no trailer tire trouble. 41K worth of trailing the last 3 summers with this setup. Have pulled a 49' enclosed with a complete alcohol operation in it for over 100K miles with no trailer tire trouble, honest.

Posted By: RobX4406

Re: Trailer Tires vs Light Truck or Heavy Truck Tires - 10/07/11 04:30 AM

IIRC, LT tires used on a trailer get 85% of the load rating.

Posted By: mrrandyj

Re: Trailer Tires vs Light Truck or Heavy Truck Tires - 10/07/11 01:20 PM

In many states it is illegal to use anything besides trailer rated tires on a trailer. If you ever got pulled over by a dot inspector and you have light truck tires on your trailer, you might not be driving away with it.

Posted By: justinp61

Re: Trailer Tires vs Light Truck or Heavy Truck Tires - 10/07/11 02:28 PM

I know several guys that use lt tires on their trailers, not me. I don't like the feel of the trailer with them on it, my trailer has bias tires on it, maybe next time I'll put radials on it.

Posted By: Jwilli500

Re: Trailer Tires vs Light Truck or Heavy Truck Tires - 10/07/11 06:25 PM

My understanding is that the LT tires more flexible sidewalls tend to generate more heat. That plus just the nature of the tire flexing more probably adds to seperation problems. Low tire pressure, I think, causes more problems than anything by allowing the tire to flex. That all being said my trailer has LT tires on it, but I dont pull long distances that gets 'em hot.

Posted By: finadk

Re: Trailer Tires vs Light Truck or Heavy Truck Tires - 10/07/11 06:44 PM

I looked into this the last time my travel trailer needed tires. I concluded it was not worth the risk to try to save a few $$'s Check the RV forums and decide for yourself.
Personally I will spend a bit more to ensure my safety and the safety of the people on the road around me.

Posted By: Challenger 1

Re: Trailer Tires vs Light Truck or Heavy Truck Tires - 10/07/11 06:52 PM

Quote:

I looked into this the last time my travel trailer needed tires. I concluded it was not worth the risk to try to save a few $$'s Check the RV forums and decide for yourself.
Personally I will spend a bit more to ensure my safety and the safety of the people on the road around me.

Thank you...

I was behind a old wrecker truck pulling a old open trailer with a dually pickup truck on it. He destroyed one of the tires on the right rear of the trailer. When I came up on him, he was in the hi speed left lane and he was trying to get off the road on the left side and the tread separated and it just missed my rig, I was pissed. I was in one of the middle lanes.
I hope he got checked out by the Colorado DOT sitting on the side of the road with his old, wore out eqquipment making it dangerous for everyone around him. I don't know what happened to the tread that came off and went by me because I was too busy driving on I-25 with like 4 or 5 lanes wide and this bozo was in the hi speed lane. Pissed me off to think what could have happened to my equipment.

Posted By: 1969RR

Re: Trailer Tires vs Light Truck or Heavy Truck Tires - 10/07/11 07:52 PM

Quote:

Quote:

weight is weight, doesn't matter if it is on a truck or a trailer. No different than the front tires on a truck, they are going along for the ride. Just make sure you use straight tread and not snow tire type tread, one gets hotter than the other, and use the right load range.

I have to disagree strongly. There is definitely a difference in a trailer tire. If your trailer is a single axle no big deal. But a tad um or triple axle trailer those tires are being drug sideways across the pavement and need different sidewall construction. Not even close being the same as a steering axle!!!!

Low air pressure is what destroys trailer tires, plain and simple.

Challenger1 is 100% correct. There are some Lt tires that are designed for a trailer also. Goodyear makes a 12 ply LT that can be used on a trailer also. Sidewalls are totally different on ST tires, please don't skimp! Your stuff (especially if it's a MOPAR) is too valuable! Jeff

Posted By: Challenger 1

Re: Trailer Tires vs Light Truck or Heavy Truck Tires - 10/07/11 10:59 PM

Quote:

My understanding is that the LT tires more flexible sidewalls tend to generate more heat. That plus just the nature of the tire flexing more probably adds to seperation problems. Low tire pressure, I think, causes more problems than anything by allowing the tire to flex. That all being said my trailer has LT tires on it, but I dont pull long distances that gets 'em hot.

Low air pressure is really bad for trailer tire because like you said, it makes too much heat and the tire fails.
I have been for 20 years running my trailer tires 10 pounds over what the sidewall says because I like my trailer fenders.
Then a while back I found this on the Tire Rack website. Check it out, most of us travel over 65mph out on the highways. I was in Colorado or Utah this summer and the speed limit was 80 mph!
Goodyear trailer tire tech.

I am still under the legal speed limit in this picture, your tires better be up for it on both your tow vehicle and trailer.

Posted By: 6PakBee

Re: Trailer Tires vs Light Truck or Heavy Truck Tires - 10/07/11 11:29 PM

Quote:

Quote:

I looked into this the last time my travel trailer needed tires. I concluded it was not worth the risk to try to save a few $$'s Check the RV forums and decide for yourself.
Personally I will spend a bit more to ensure my safety and the safety of the people on the road around me.

Thank you...

I was behind a old wrecker truck pulling a old open trailer with a dually pickup truck on it. He destroyed one of the tires on the right rear of the trailer. When I came up on him, he was in the hi speed left lane and he was trying to get off the road on the left side and the tread separated and it just missed my rig, I was pissed. I was in one of the middle lanes.
I hope he got checked out by the Colorado DOT sitting on the side of the road with his old, wore out eqquipment making it dangerous for everyone around him. I don't know what happened to the tread that came off and went by me because I was too busy driving on I-25 with like 4 or 5 lanes wide and this bozo was in the hi speed lane. Pissed me off to think what could have happened to my equipment.

1) I'm sorry that I can't afford $100,000 of 'new' equipment rather than the 'old, wore out eqquipment' that I do have.
2) If I got 'pissed' every time I encountered a tire that came apart on a highway, I'd be in that condition all the time.

Posted By: savoy64

Re: Trailer Tires vs Light Truck or Heavy Truck Tires - 10/08/11 01:17 AM

personally i like a 7:00 15 truck tire--they have a high profile--carry heavy weight and dont blow up when they turn 5 years old----check with a trailer guy--their tires have a date code--just sitting in the sun destroys them----one of my friends is a guy that always buys good stuff--he was told to replace because of the date code and he did---the tires he took off had 1000 miles on them and had tread like new---he set the old tires and wheels next to his garage and offered them to anyone that would take them---but one blew up just sitting there--then everyone was talking about what in the hell was wrong with those tires then another blew up---- within 3 months 3 of the 4 tires blew up just sitting there----bet i got 20,000 miles on my trailer tires--truck and trailer has hauled through 40 states coast to coast and canada to the mexican border more than half the time loaded with no problems----bob

Posted By: Twostick

Re: Trailer Tires vs Light Truck or Heavy Truck Tires - 10/08/11 01:35 AM

Quote:

Quote:

My understanding is that the LT tires more flexible sidewalls tend to generate more heat. That plus just the nature of the tire flexing more probably adds to seperation problems. Low tire pressure, I think, causes more problems than anything by allowing the tire to flex. That all being said my trailer has LT tires on it, but I dont pull long distances that gets 'em hot.

Low air pressure is really bad for trailer tire because like you said, it makes too much heat and the tire fails.
I have been for 20 years running my trailer tires 10 pounds over what the sidewall says because I like my trailer fenders.
Then a while back I found this on the Tire Rack website. Check it out, most of us travel over 65mph out on the highways. I was in Colorado or Utah this summer and the speed limit was 80 mph!
Goodyear trailer tire tech.

I am still under the legal speed limit in this picture, your tires better be up for it on both your tow vehicle and trailer.

You do realize that the max speed rating for the tires on that rig of yours is 75 MPH assuming you run top shelf tires?

Kevin

Posted By: Challenger 1

Re: Trailer Tires vs Light Truck or Heavy Truck Tires - 10/08/11 05:15 PM

Yup, The truck is geared for 124 mph and I have had it going 100 mph several times according to the GPS.

Even my trailer tires have held up.

No not everyone has to have 100K worth of equipment to tow safe. But if you would have seen the rig I talked about above, I think you would agree with me.

Posted By: Cab_Burge

Re: Trailer Tires vs Light Truck or Heavy Truck Tires - 10/08/11 06:53 PM

Thats a big camper

Good equiptment makes racing a lot easier

Posted By: Chucklehead

Re: Trailer Tires vs Light Truck or Heavy Truck Tires - 10/09/11 05:13 AM

Quote:

Yup, The truck is geared for 124 mph and I have had it going 100 mph several times according to the GPS. Even my trailer tires have held up.

No not everyone has to have 100K worth of equipment to tow safe. But if you would have seen the rig I talked about above, I think you would agree with me.

Be careful with the CSA point system a warning ticket is the same points as a pay ticket. Not trying to tell you how to drive. If care about having the right equipment which you seem to do and care about others safety then keep that rig at a responsible speed with time to react.