Buying The Right Trailer Tires

There is a wrong perception that trailer tires are the same as car tires, and that idea is the reason a lot of people replace their trailer tires too soon and waste money doing it.

Trailer tires and wheels are different than average car tires and that is why it is important to buy the right tires for your trailer.

There is no denying that a critical piece of equipment for any kind of trailer is the tires. Whether it is an enclosed cargo trailer, car hauler, utility trailer, or another type of trailer, it is imperative to use the right tire for the job to ensure that your equipment is safe and the ride is fully comfortable.

Needless to say, if you are using the right tires, your trailer's efficiency will increase, it will be more stable and pull better.

Important Requirement to Consider Before Buying Trailer Tires

You have to keep in mind that there are different requirements for the tires on a trailer than the ones for the tires on a tow vehicle. Two of the most integral elements of a passenger car tire is:

• Comfort: The comfort part is achieved by simply making the sidewalls of the tire soft enough so that they can easily flex under normal driving conditions.
• Traction: The traction is needed for turning, acceleration, and braking.

Other key components of trailer tires that always need to be considered are inflation pressure and load range.

The ST (Special Trailer) tires are specifically engineered for heavier loads and run at higher inflation pressure as compared to passenger car tires.

ST (Special Trailer Tires) vs. Passenger Car (P) Tires

The ST tires are specifically designed for your trailer's requirements. In order to prevent your rig from swaying, these tires have stiff sidewalls.

Their heavy-duty capacity makes them more suitable for your trailer - these tires have 40% more load capacity as compared to Passenger car (P) tires and 10% more than LT tires.

Passenger car tires achieve comfort by softening the sidewalls of the tires (this also enables the sidewalls to flex).

Given the fact that many trailers have a higher center of gravity as compared to a typical tow vehicle, the sidewall flexing can be responsible for an increased trailer sway.

This is where ST tires prove to be very useful with their higher inflation pressure and stiffer sidewalls.

In addition, the polyester cords in ST tires are bigger as compared to an "LT" or "P" tire.

ST tires have steel cords that have greater tensile strength and larger diameter to easily meet the additional load requirements.

With that being said ST trailers tires are what you want to use on your trailer.

Also, be aware you need to do regular maintenance and check-ups on your trailer just like your vehicle.

So we have included some safety tips to make sure your tires are in top shape and you are driving safely.

Trailer Tire Safety Tips

Here are some tips that'll help in increasing the service life of your trailer tires and wheels:

• Maintain the right trailer tire pressure
• Prevent contamination of the internal rubber valve by keeping a cap on the valve stem
• You need to know about the maximum load for the tires of your trailer. Make sure that you do not overload tires of your trailer (extra weight increases the chances of a flat tire because more weight creates more heat)
• You need to get the right size of the tires of your trailer
• Check the tires monthly for any sidewall cracks, air loss, signs of damage, or irregular tread wear patterns
• Have the tires inspected once in a year
• Always have a spare tire
• Regardless of the tread wear, replace trailer tires at around 6 years. That is what NHTSA and the major tire makers recommend, because on a trailer that sits between jobs the rubber ages out long before the tread wears out

Conclusion

All in all, it is fair to say that ST tires provide a better pull and smoother ride to the trailers as compared to other tires.

That is why at NC Trailers we have ST trailer tires for sale.

If you need assistance buying loose tires, wheels, or tire & wheel assemblies for your trailer please don't hesitate to give us a call at 336-203-8479.

See what we stock in our trailer parts department, or book a mount and balance through trailer service.

Custom Wheels and Upgraded Tires

Once you know the size and load range your trailer needs, you have options beyond the plain white spoke wheel most trailers ship with.

We have custom wheel options available. The aluminum mag wheels at the top of this page are all on real trailers off our lot, and they are the easiest single change you can make to how a trailer looks. Ask a trailer pro which wheels will fit your unit.

We also have upgraded tires available. Moving up to a higher load range gets you more plies and a tougher casing, which lowers your chance of a blowout and gets more tread life out of the set. If you tow heavy or you tow a lot of miles, that is where the upgrade pays off.