Recommended tires for trailer

[88k5blazin]

I have a 17' fiber glass boat and trailer I picked up from ohio a few years ago. It is a tandem trailer I think I need to upgrade the tires. They are 4.80/12. Load b rating. My guesstimate is the boat weights 3k The load rating on each tire is 765lbs. I think I have some room to up the size but I'm not sure what my best bet would be. Any thoughts?

 

[76zimmer]

do you do long distance hauling?

I would get a bigger tire as those are real close to the limit of the trailer/boat.

You should oversize to allow about a 20% safety margin on weight capacity

ST tires are only rated to 65mph....the suggested speed of towing a trailer.

Trailer rated tires have stiffer sidewalls generally to accomodate load and scuffing of the tires against curbs on turns.

Be wary of cheap China tires....they cut easily and the sidewalls may deteriorate quickly from cheap rubber.

 

[88k5blazin]

Maybe a half dozen trips a year that are 250 miles each way. Then a few shorter distance trips that are only 50 miles or so.

 

[76zimmer]

I would get a reasonably good quality tire then...something that can take the load and the heat of high mileage trips.

 

[skunked]

and pickup a spare wheel/tire.

 

[shady]

myself, I use regular LT tires. Ive never had an issue with them and they have the same load rating as a same size trailer tire..... with a much higher speed rating. the side wall stiffness helps with the tandem axle turning issue more than anything. trailer tires rape you in $$ for less of a tire in my book

 

[76zimmer]

myself, I use regular LT tires. Ive never had an issue with them and they have the same load rating as a same size trailer tire..... with a much higher speed rating. the side wall stiffness helps with the tandem axle turning issue more than anything. trailer tires rape you in $$ for less of a tire in my book

I think it might be hard to find LT tires in a 12-13" size?
And whatever tires you use, also check the max pressure ratings of the tire and wheels...ST tires are rated for 65mph, but if running up to 75mph increase the pressure another 5#, but not the weight being carried.

 

[shady]

I got "P"s on my junk trailer. 1250# rated a piece 13"s

 

[88k5blazin]

From what I'm reading I think I may be ok sticking with the same size tire it just get a better load and speed rating