Educate me on trailer tires

I was recently told (while on the side of the road for a flat trailer tire) that trailer tires are really not good enough for horse trailers with as much weight as we put on them and as fast as we go (interstate)- that you should get heavy duty truck tires for your horse trailer.

I have always just told the trailer people to put the best on but I’m fed up with blown tires and since this person has significant cross country hauling mileage, I took his suggestion seriously.

What are the best tires for horse trailers?

TIA!

I always get the highest rated hickest ply ones for my trailer. The ones on my LQ trailer I think are 12 or 15 ply (i’ll have to check) and are the tires that 18 wheelers use (that’s what I was told). I haven’t had any issues with them…on my little trailer I have 15" tires so those aren’t available but I get the thickest ply ones they had $100 a tire vs $50 a tire for the cheap ones (just had this done last week).

I ALWAYS get the best tires possible, knock on wood no issues but as soon as I see dry rot starting they get replaced.

Also, the tire guy told me that the best trailer tires are only rated for 70 mph so if you are driving over that you may have more blow outs.

I just have to say, driving over 70 with a horse trailer would make me super nervous just in general!!! So I hardly ever go over.

All recent blow outs have been under 65mph or even just standing still.

I have a 2H BP, so I’m interested in your tires on the little trailer… are those trailer tires or truck tires?

They are trailer tires, I can take a picture when I get home…they are a lot beefier than what was on there before. It’s the best one they had in stock. I “think” the brand is Hercules.

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As I understand it, putting tires not rated for hauling on a vehicle you haul is a fool’s move. I believe it has to do with the sidewall stress associated with hauling.

That said I have seen more than a few trailers with too small rims and tires that are not in the right load range. Gotta say, Sundowners were notorious in this regard. What I would consider a proper size rim is always offered as the upgrade, and too few people take them up on it. And I think when it comes to tires not holding up, that is probably the root cause of a lot more blowouts than anything (followed by not using your trailer for extended time periods and having it sit in grass/vegetation)

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I would place a bet that the reason for most horse trailer tire blowouts is dry rotted tires.

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is there some flaw in the design of your trailer where maybe it is causing uneven wear/ stress on your tires? We have always used trailer tires and never had any problem except when they had some dry rot because of age.

Maybe you need to have your trailer looked at?

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I just brought tires last week (at Walmart of all places!) They are load range E and are 16" radials. I’ve always used specifically trailer tires and never car or light trailer tires. I’m pretty happy with them and the price was right: a little over $400 for all four mounted and balanced. Plus they had them in the very next day that I ordered them. Good on Walmart and I hate Walmart.

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just replaced the Chinese things on the trail daughter bought with made in USA Goodyear Endurance trailer tires

For years, hobbyists who tow boats, jet skis and snowmobiles to recreational destinations have asked for an American-manufactured trailer tire to help carry their cargo with confidence. Millions of workers who haul equipment from job to job have echoed that desire.

The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company has answered that call with the new Endurance trailer tire, which was unveiled this week during Goodyear’s 2017 Customer Conference in Orlando, Fla.

“Goodyear is proud and excited to introduce the Endurance, the only radial special trailer tire built in the United States,” said Ryan Patterson, president of Goodyear’s North American consumer tire business.

A tire capable of transporting the heaviest and most crucial cargo, The Goodyear Endurance features Goodyear Durawall Technology, which helps resist sidewall cuts and punctures.

Available in Load Ranges D and E to accommodate larger trailer load capacities, the entire Endurance trailer line carries the N speed rating allowing consumers to travel at highway speeds. The Endurance also contains a wide range of features, including:

  • An optimized tread depth and decoupling groove, which help it remain cool while towing heavy loads;
  • Rugged fabric-steel construction, which offers improved durability and carrying capacity while remaining compatible with tire pressure monitoring systems and typical tire inflation stations;
  • A specialized inner liner, which minimizes air loss in trailer applications; and
  • A scuff guard, which helps protect sidewalls.

https://corporate.goodyear.com/en-US…iler_tire.html

N is approved for speeds up to just 81 mph (130 km/h) under optimal conditions.

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Michelin made great tyres in France and to my amazement they are still great when made in South Carolina

I am running these on both a 16’ stock trailer and a 3 horse LQ trailer with a 6’ shortwall. I have a friend who hauls much larger loads of cattle on a 24’ stock trailer and he recommended them, plus they were already on my LQ trailer when I bought it. These are load range “G”, 14 ply, and speed rated “N” which is 87 mph.

https://www.tires-easy.com/235-85-16/gladiator-tires/qr35-tr-trailer-service/tirecode/1933273865?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIiM_MzZS14QIVEj0MCh0EoQ4-EAQYAiABEgKK8fD_BwE

There are a couple tricks to trailer tires.

  1. Look at the reviews for tires online before making your decision. Check out horse trailer groups and RV and camper groups, online as well as on Facebook.
    People love to both brag and complain!

  2. Buy the tire with the most “ply” that you can afford. Do not go cheap. Those tires are cheaper for a reason. I am responsible for taking care of trailer maintenance in our household, and I have always set a budget of $1200 for 5 tires when replacing them. I can usually get it done for just under $1000.

  3. When you park the trailer, put a board or rubber mat under the tires to help reduce the chance of dry rot. Trailer tires should be replaced every 5 years, even if the condition looks good because the tires will usually dry rot before they wear out. I also read somewhere recently that trailer tires are not treated to withstand the sun like car or truck tires.

  4. Look at the speed ratings on the tires. Some can be rated as low as 65 mph, which means you should not exceed 65 mph. I live in a state where the minimum speed limit on interstates is 70 mph, and if you are not doing the minimum you will get run over. I try to drive right at the speed limit in those situations, and I want tires that are not going to get hot and blow because they were not rated for that speed.

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I just bought these Monday with the USEF discount.

We put those on one of our trailers last year, also using the discount. Going to replace the tires on the GN with these next.

Cutter, I park my trailer in a barn with a gravel floor, would I still need to put a board under the tires?

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There’s a discount for Goodyear Endurance tires? More info please. Those seem to be the tire of choice now that the Marathons are crap.

It’s on the USEF website somewhere, I had to dig around to find it.

Yes, you probably should. Contact with the ground is part of the problem that causes dry rot.

And I am jealous of your barn trailer parking!

Yeah, Goodyear is one of the United States Equestrian Partners; a free Fan Membership got us a 20% discount on the Goodyear tires. They had to be ordered online, and there was a one or two day delay to get them to our local dealership, but worth it.

ETA: directions from email I received about Goodyear perk:

[I]Goodyear has teamed up with US Equestrian to give its members 20% savings on tires through Goodyear.com. Save with our special promo code, then get even more savings with current manufacturer rebates!

Find this offer by logging in to usef.org and clicking the Goodyear offer from the MemberPerks page.

Using your discount is easy:

  1. Find Tires on Goodyear.com
    Search for tires by vehicle, trailer or size.

  2. Schedule your Installation Online
    Choose any time and location.

  3. Complete Your Order
    Enter USEF for 20% off tires.[/I]

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Truck tires do not have strong enough side walls. Use tires specifically for trailers. Look for an ST on the tire, I think LT might also be used but I would stick with ST. Use the same size that originally came with the trailer, there should be something on the trailer on the left front that has specifications. The size should be on your receipt. If you have a 15" tire and a two horse bumper pull a class C should be fine but you can only drive 65 mph. A Class D is available for that size tire and the speed can be greater and some stated have some pretty high speed limits. Tires are recommended to be replaced on horse trailers at 5 years for dry rot and the time is measured from manufactured date not purchase date (we just got bit on that from a long term dealer, grrrr, can’t trust anyone, cost us two years). All tires should be made to specifications wherever made but I’m looking at the Goodyear Endurance for new ones. There are several good articles online for horse trailer tires. My trailer came with a lot of generic tire information in pamphlets and printouts, not so much in the operator manual. Check your paperwork.

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just wondering what the 20% discounted cost was, I checked my invoice for the four I bought…the tires were $111.00 each plus mounting which also included balancing

I also made sure they used short stems made in USA rather than those that look like tire stems form China