8 – 9 – 10 – 12 – Inch Trailer Tire Sizing
Older Size |
Tire Size |
Overall Diameter |
– |
4.80/4.00-8 |
16.1 inches |
– |
5.70-8 |
18.1 inches |
16.5 x 6.5 – 8 |
165/65-8 |
16.5 inches |
18.5 x 8.5 – 8 |
215/60-8 |
18.3 inches |
Do you need a spare tire on a trailer?
While it’s generally recommended that you have a spare tire for your trailer, there are a few instances where it may not be necessary including: Your tow vehicle has the same size wheels/tires – If this is the case, one spare for both the trailer and the vehicle will probably work just fine.
Where should I mount my spare tire on my boat trailer?
Just place the bolts in the trailer throat and tighten them. Spare tires are mounted on the side of the trailer protector.
Do boat trailers require special tires?
Your Trailer Needs a Certain Type
It may be tempting to put any tire that fits on your boat trailer, but there are specifications in place for trailer tires. Special Trailer (ST) tires are the only type you should use on your boat trailer unless you’re willing to risk damage or potentially an accident.
What size tire goes on a boat trailer? – Related Questions
Is it OK to put car tires on a trailer?
Don’t. Trailer tires and passenger car tires have different structures to respond to different stresses. Using a trailer tire on your car, or a car tire on your trailer, could lead to disastrous consequences. Passenger vehicles interact with the road through their tires.
Should boat trailer tires be inflated to max psi?
Boat-trailer tires require a lot of air pressure — in most cases, between 50 and 65 psi. In fact, the correct tire pressure for your boat trailer is almost always the maximum-rated pressure for that tire, which is molded right on the sidewall. Maintaining that trailer tire PSI is critically important to towing safety.
Why do trailers need special tires?
Their unique construction provides enhanced durability even with the higher inflation pressure heavier payloads require. Trailer tires also have stiffer sidewalls than most passenger tires so you get more bruise resistance and less sway — keeping your cargo stable for the long haul.
Do single axle trailer tires need to be balanced?
Do single axle trailer tires need to be balanced? It’s not necessary to balance single axle trailer tires. This is because the load on each tire will be different, which can lead to uneven wear of your RV or travel trailer’s tires, which could reduce their lifespan.
What does load range D mean on trailer tires?
D Load Range Tires
This load range can hold between 2,000 and 2,500 pounds of trailer weight per tire with the tires’ pressure being 65 psi. For a tire with a 14” diameter, you don’t want to have a load capacity much heavier than 2,000 pounds per tire.
What does load range B mean on trailer tires?
The stronger the reinforcements, the greater pressure the tire can hold. Most alphanumeric tires feature a load range of B, which indicates that they are restricted to the load that can be carried at a maximum inflation pressure of 32 psi.
How often should you change boat trailer tires?
After a few years, the laminates rot from within, and that can lead to blowouts. So you can’t really judge an old trailer tire by its looks. That’s why it is a good idea to replace your trailer tires every five to six years, no matter what they look like. This applies to spare tires as well.
Can I use car tires on a boat trailer?
They aren’t built to handle the weight of a boat and its contents, and their load capacity is typically lower than that of trailer tires, which can cause tread separation or other failure as the tire struggles to support the combined weight of the vehicle and its cargo.
Should you rotate boat trailer tires?
The final thing to remember is that you should rotate and balance your boat trailer tires just as you do on your car or truck. Even rotating your tires side to side on a single axel trailer will help even out irregular treadwear and extend the life of the tire.
Why do my boat trailer tires wear on the outside?
Under Inflation This is the most common problem in trailers. This type of wear usually results from consistent under inflation. When a tire is under inflated, there is too much contact with the road by the outer treads, which wear prematurely.
Why are my boat trailer tires wearing on the inside?
Tire wear on the inside generally indicates an overloaded trailer. If you have not been carrying heavy loads, check to see if the axle has been flipped. If it has, that would be why the tires are wearing. An axle has a bow in it that should be curved up.
Are boat trailer tires balanced?
Expert Reply: Trailer tires and wheels do not typically come balanced from the factory like what you see with standard passenger vehicle tires.
Why do trailer tires wear out so fast?
That said, rapid or significantly uneven trailer tire wear can be caused by: Riding with the wrong tire pressure. Exceeding your tires’ load capacity. Trailer misalignment or bent wheels from hitting curbs, potholes or debris.
How do you keep an empty trailer from bouncing?
The easiest way to reduce utility trailer bounce is to adjust tire pressure. By lowering pressure, the tires act more like a partially filled basketball and they bounce less. How much pressure? That depends on trailer weight, tire size, and tire type (trailer tires or automotive tires).
Is it good to balance trailer tires?
Though it is commonplace to have car and truck tires balanced, it is just as important to balance those on trailers if they’ll be driven at 30 mph or faster.
How windy is too windy for a travel trailer?
A good rule thumb is to avoid driving an RV in winds that exceed 50 mph. Wind speeds approaching 60 mph are enough to overturn an RV. The larger the RV the more surface area. And the more surface area the more likely it is that the wind can tip you over.