I was trying to save a little money on a new set of trailer tires and found these on ebay. They are made by DURO.

http://cgi.ebay.com/TRAILER-TIRES-four-ST-205-75-x-14-6-PLY-BIAS_W0QQitemZ330002326674QQihZ014QQcategoryZ1467Q QcmdZViewItem

I checked with Disount Tire locally and they want $335 for a set of Carlisle tires installed. I don't want to risk safety over saving a couple bucks but these seem like a good buy.

I paid almost $500 for a set of tires/wheels 14/205-75 and that was local. I been checking all over since I want to give my trailer a complete overhaul. Ebay's prices are very hard to beat. With that being said, the tires you linked look pretty good with a better looking tread then my new dunlops.

we spent alot more then that on our goodyears id say go with a known brand. imo you dont wana be stuck on the side of the road because you saved some money on the trailer tires. the carlisle are prob a better bet

hrm.. Ive been using Radial trailer tires and have been told they are much better than the bias tires.....

but 4 tires for $145 is a steal....

There's a pretty good thread on corner-carvers.com about trailer tires. Basically do get radial tires, and don't get the Carlisles. I think vodomagoo has it right; it would really suck to change the tires of a loaded trailer.

http://forums.corner-carvers.com/showthread.php?t=30097

we spent alot more then that on our goodyears id say go with a known brand. imo you dont wana be stuck on the side of the road because you saved some money on the trailer tires. the carlisle are prob a better bet

I think Marshall had a problem with goodyears on his old trailer and switched to Carlisle. I could be remembering wrong. I do that a lot. Marshall, you out there?

FWIW, the tires that came on my trailer were made in Sri Lanka. That really fills me with confidence!

Regardless of brand, if I was replacing all 4 (5) tires I'd go with radials.

PS. the forums at rv.net are a great place to get trailer/towing/tow vehicle questions answered.

there are def some problems with goodyears out there, we replaced all 4 of ours with goodyears before i heard about the problems but have had no problems over the past year or two.

I think Marshall had a problem with goodyears on his old trailer and switched to Carlisle. I could be remembering wrong. I do that a lot. Marshall, you out there?

FWIW, the tires that came on my trailer were made in Sri Lanka. That really fills me with confidence!

Regardless of brand, if I was replacing all 4 (5) tires I'd go with radials.

PS. the forums at rv.net are a great place to get trailer/towing/tow vehicle questions answered.

Just checked.. mine are Towmaster Radials.

I think Marshall had a problem with goodyears on his old trailer and switched to Carlisle. I could be remembering wrong. I do that a lot. Marshall, you out there?

FWIW, the tires that came on my trailer were made in Sri Lanka. That really fills me with confidence!

Regardless of brand, if I was replacing all 4 (5) tires I'd go with radials.

PS. the forums at rv.net are a great place to get trailer/towing/tow vehicle questions answered.
sorry for the delay in repying..was out racin'!

yes, i had a set of marathons delaminate on me. i have had two sets of carslisle (also known as crapisle) and have had one tire come apart. the "usa trail" are better than the "sure trail". i would not have any problem using the usa trail on a light open trailer. the 26ft enclosed trailer i just bought has marathons on it..they will be replaced before my next long tow.

regardless of which brand, always run trailer tires at the max inflation pressure and don't go 70+mph...no trailer tires are rated for high speed. cover them from the sun when not towing and replace them every two-three years. doesn't matter how much tread is on a trailer tire, they die from misuse, dis-use and abuse long before any tread wear shows up.

all the rv and truck forums i have seen recommend denman brand trailer tires.

marshall

regardless of which brand, always run trailer tires at the max inflation pressure and don't go 70+mph...no trailer tires are rated for high speed.

On the other hand, I've talked to some truckers who claim trailer tires run cooler as long as you keep the speed up. They recommend running 70+ to keep tire temps down...generally, heat is the killer for trailer tires, at least when we've had problems.

doesn't matter how much tread is on a trailer tire, they die from misuse, dis-use and abuse long before any tread wear shows up.

Most definitely, we just replaced all 6 on our 2-car stacker in preperation for a Northern swing this summer/fall. While rolling home from Barber, we had two tire problems even though the tires had 50% of their tread. They were 2-3 years old though.

sorry for the delay in repying..was out racin'!

yes, i had a set of marathons delaminate on me. i have had two sets of carslisle (also known as crapisle) and have had one tire come apart. the "usa trail" are better than the "sure trail". i would not have any problem using the usa trail on a light open trailer. the 26ft enclosed trailer i just bought has marathons on it..they will be replaced before my next long tow.

regardless of which brand, always run trailer tires at the max inflation pressure and don't go 70+mph...no trailer tires are rated for high speed. cover them from the sun when not towing and replace them every two-three years. doesn't matter how much tread is on a trailer tire, they die from misuse, dis-use and abuse long before any tread wear shows up.

all the rv and truck forums i have seen recommend denman brand trailer tires.

marshall

So would it be a mistake to get a cheap set of radial passenger car tires (like Kuhmo's for $40 each) for my tandem axle open trailer? It weighs around 5000 # with car. I checked the max load weight for the Kuhmo tires and they are rated for 1620 pounds each for a total load weight of almost 6500 pounds.

Is there more to a trailer tire than having a higher load rating? If my load is 5000# and my max tire load rating is 6500# won't that be ok? Sorry for all the questions but I can't see any other reason to spend twice as much on tires if I don't have to.

So would it be a mistake to get a cheap set of radial passenger car tires (like Kuhmo's for $40 each) for my tandem axle open trailer?
YES.

The following is pulled from a PDF available here:
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&ct=res&cd=3&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.taskmasterproducts.com%2Facat alog%2Fwhybuytrailertires.pdf&ei=LPK6RPOgFKiCaqKkuf0C&sig2=D9_tPb8btnf7mPL4kARIyA

<nobr>Special Trailer Tires Vs Passenger Tires

</nobr> <nobr>There are distinct differences in the way passenger tires and trailer tires are </nobr>
<nobr>designed, engineered, and constructed. There are also differences in the service </nobr>
<nobr>requirements between the tires on your car or truck and those on your trailer.

</nobr> <nobr>Traction, or grip, is a key element in the design of passenger tires. Traction </nobr>
<nobr>moves your car or truck down the road. Traction allows you to stop, turn and </nobr>
<nobr>swerve, and traction also gives you the ability to tow your trailer. Another </nobr>
<nobr>important consideration in passenger tire design is “ride”. Ride, traction, and </nobr>
<nobr>handling are all achieved in passenger tire designs by adding flex in the sidewall.</nobr>
<nobr>By making the sidewall more flexible, tire engineers maximize tread contact with </nobr>
<nobr>the road, thus increasing traction and allowing the driver to maintain better</nobr>
<nobr>control over the vehicle.

</nobr> <nobr>Traction is only a factor on trailers equipped with brakes, during braking</nobr>
<nobr>operations, because trailers are followers. In fact, sidewall flexing in a trailer</nobr>
<nobr>application is a negative. Sidewall flexing on trailers carrying heavy loads; </nobr>
<nobr>trailers with high vertical side loads (enclosed/travel trailers); or trailers with light </nobr>
<nobr>tongue weights, is a primary cause of trailer sway. Automotive radial tires with </nobr>
<nobr>their flexible sidewalls notably accentuate trailer sway problems. The stiffer</nobr>
<nobr>sidewalls and higher operating pressures common with Special Trailer (ST) tires </nobr>
<nobr>helps control and reduce the occurrence of trailer sway. Bottom line, trailers are </nobr>
<nobr>more stable and pull better on tires designed specifically for trailer use.

</nobr> <nobr>Also consider that all Light Truck (LT) and Special Trailer (ST) tires are fully rated </nobr>
<nobr>for trailer applications. This means the tires can carry their full sidewall weight </nobr>
<nobr>rating when used on a trailer. When passenger tires are used on a trailer, the </nobr>
<nobr>load capacity of tire must be de-rated by 10%. If the tire has a maximum load </nobr>
<nobr>rating of 1900 lb., it may only be used in a trailer application up to 1710 lb. This</nobr>
<nobr>means the GAWR rating on the trailer Certification Label must not exceed 3420 </nobr>
<nobr>lbs. On a single axle trailer, or 2 times 1710 lbs.

</nobr> <nobr>For trailer use, it is important to match the tires to the application and payload. </nobr>
<nobr>Since Special Trailer (ST) tires are constructed with more and heavier materials, </nobr>
<nobr>they are tougher and more bruise resistant than typical passenger tires. This is a </nobr>
<nobr>plus because trailer suspension systems are generally stiffer and less </nobr>
<nobr>sophisticated than automotive suspension systems. A tire designed to operate in</nobr>
<nobr>the more demanding trailer environment will provide end users a longer service </nobr>
<nobr>life and withstand the added abuse tires on a trailer experience.

</nobr> <nobr>Bias ply Special Trailer tire technology has been moving trailers around America </nobr>
<nobr>for nearly 30 years, and more recently, the ST Radial arrived on the scene </nobr>
<nobr>providing the same durability and dependability in a radial trailer tire. For many</nobr>
<nobr>trailer buyers, tire decisions are purely price based. The allure of an equal price </nobr>
<nobr>and the word “radial” for that price draws some customers to the passenger tire. </nobr>
<nobr>Taskmaster hopes this explanation of the differences will help you make a more </nobr>
<nobr>informed decision on your next trailer tire purchase.</nobr>

Buy GOOD trailer tires...look for a deal, sure, but buy GOOD trailer tires.

Not only does it ensure that you'll be safe, but it ensures the safety of those on the road with you, as a blown tire at the wrong time can make a rig really hard to handle. And then there's all of the trouble associated with a blowout...from trailer damage (I've seen blown trailer tires destroy the sheet metal floor, fender, and body work of the car inside), to long hours spent trying to change out a trailer tire on the side of the highway when all you want to do is get home.

Like a race helmet, trailer tires are something you just don't skimp on.

Buy GOOD trailer tires...look for a deal, sure, but buy GOOD trailer tires.

Not only does it ensure that you'll be safe, but it ensures the safety of those on the road with you, as a blown tire at the wrong time can make a rig really hard to handle. And then there's all of the trouble associated with a blowout...from trailer damage (I've seen blown trailer tires destroy the sheet metal floor, fender, and body work of the car inside), to long hours spent trying to change out a trailer tire on the side of the highway when all you want to do is get home.

Like a race helmet, trailer tires are something you just don't skimp on.

As reigning tow-disaster King, I would chime-in and say that you should research and buy only the highest Ply rating, heaviest weight carrying capacity, largest tires possible for your application. There really is no such thing as over-kill if it will physically fit on the trailer. Nothing can be any more expensive than missing track time, destruction of the trailer and/or car, and being stranded for hours on the road somewhere. We tend to travel at night and on weekends when tire service centers are few and far between to get the help you might really need. I would gladly pay an extra $100.00 per tire more if they were indeed better tires to prevent some of the major problems I've experienced over the years. Worth every penny invested for peace of mind, on-time arrival, and vastly improved FUN!

Thanks for the input guys. Looks like my ebay find (Duro trailer tires) and the cheap passenger tires are a bad choice. I'll do some shopping around and find a good quality trailer tire.

Thanks for the input guys. Looks like my ebay find (Duro trailer tires) and the cheap passenger tires are a bad choice. I'll do some shopping around and find a good quality trailer tire.

You going to be at the NASA event at VIR-North?

I could pick up some Taskmaster Radial ST tires and bring them down for you :)

You going to be at the NASA event at VIR-North?

I could pick up some Taskmaster Radial ST tires and bring them down for you :)
Yeah, I'll be there. If you want to PM me a price for 5 tires. I have 14" wheels so anything 205/75 or bigger would be fine. Whats your source?

Yeah, I'll be there. If you want to PM me a price for 5 tires. I have 14" wheels so anything 205/75 or bigger would be fine. Whats your source?

http://www.radialtire.com

Ill find out tomorrow what kind of price I can get :)

On the other hand, I've talked to some truckers who claim trailer tires run cooler as long as you keep the speed up. They recommend running 70+ to keep tire temps down...generally, heat is the killer for trailer tires, at least when we've had problems.

I'll bet none of those guys ever took a physics class either. It's simply not possible to have LESS heat with MORE speed. Think about it - you'd have to violate the conservation of energy law.

I agree that heat kills. Heat comes from flex times RPM (every time the tire goes round it flexes). Flex comes from underinflation, poor design and construction.

I'll bet none of those guys ever took a physics class either. It's simply not possible to have LESS heat with MORE speed. Think about it - you'd have to violate the conservation of energy law.

I agree that heat kills. Heat comes from flex times RPM (every time the tire goes round it flexes). Flex comes from underinflation, poor design and construction.
So what you're saying is that we need to install water sprayers to cool the tires on heavy trailers. :)

On the other hand, I've talked to some truckers who claim trailer tires run cooler as long as you keep the speed up. They recommend running 70+ to keep tire temps down...generally, heat is the killer for trailer tires, at least when we've had problems.

yup, heat is a big factor...speed and more importantly flex add to it.

also keep in mind that commercial truckers use the larger 16in and bigger wheels on their trailers and run commercial use rated tires. MUCH different and more capable than the variety of 14 and 15in trailer tires most of us can use on our amateur car haulers....

As reigning tow-disaster King, I would chime-in and say that you should research and buy only the highest Ply rating, heaviest weight carrying capacity, largest tires possible for your application. There really is no such thing as over-kill if it will physically fit on the trailer. Nothing can be any more expensive than missing track time, destruction of the trailer and/or car, and being stranded for hours on the road somewhere. We tend to travel at night and on weekends when tire service centers are few and far between to get the help you might really need. I would gladly pay an extra $100.00 per tire more if they were indeed better tires to prevent some of the major problems I've experienced over the years. Worth every penny invested for peace of mind, on-time arrival, and vastly improved FUN!

good words to live by from the undisputed tow-disaster king...:)

and given the time of day we travel to events at...don't forget a good spare tire. in fact, don't forget several. i always carry at least two for the truck and two for the trailer on trips out of the immediate area. and don't go for "junk" spares either. the spares need to be in just as good a shape as the rest of the set. a spare is useless if it blows out 15miles after you put it on because it was a pos.

Heat comes from flex times RPM (every time the tire goes round it flexes). Flex comes from underinflation, poor design and construction.

The argument I've heard from truckers is that at higher speeds, the tires flex less due to centrifugal force, resulting in less heat. I haven't taken the time to wrap my brain around that to figure whether it was possible.