Tire size and rating

E

etripp111

Cadet
Joined
Mar 19, 2009
Messages
19
Hello,

I need to get tires for my trailer. The previous owner had car tires on it. They are p175/80R/13. I want to replace them with the correct tire, unless it is not cost effective. I will only be using the trailer to get the boat into and out of our lake. But just in case, I'd like to have tires that can be used on the highway.

I bought a Carlisle USA Trail 4.80-12 LRB, mounted on the correct lug pattern rim. I know it is smaller than the car tires the P.O. had on it. There is no way of telling what the correct size tire should be. These tires I bought are load range "B", 2 plies nylon cords, and have a maximum load capacity of 785 pounds. Will these tires be sufficient for what I need?

The boat I will be trailering is a 17 foot fiberglass deck boat, with an 85 hp outboard.

Thanks for your help,


Tripp
 
Silvertip

Silvertip

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Sep 22, 2003
Messages
28,762
Re: Tire size and rating

You would have been better off with the car tires. There is no "off-road/on-road" with tires. You either have car tires or trailer tires. Either one must be able to 1) withstand the load and 2) operate at highway speeds. Downsizing a trailer is tire is never a good idea. It is tire capacity you need to be concerned about and you are either very close to the limit with the boat and motor alone. The trailer also counts as weight as well as fuel and everything else you put in the boat. If you never use the trailer on the highway you can use whatever tire you want. But once you leave the driveway, you had best have the proper tire size and load range.
 
E

etripp111

Cadet
Joined
Mar 19, 2009
Messages
19
Re: Tire size and rating

Thank you for the info and the heads up. It is a bit confusing though. The guy at my local tire store said he would not recommend a car tire on my trailer, due to sway? Not sure what he was driving at.

The guy at Wal Mart also said he could not put a car tire on a trailer rim. Don't know how exactly he would know..........

Anyway..........I guess what your saying is that i should just use the rims I have and put a ST175/80/D13 or even the p175/80R-13 car tire?

A guy locally has a pair of ST205/75D15 for sale for 10 bucks. These probably won't fit on my rims though???? Does anyone know if these will fit a rim that takes a 13" tire?

Thanks

Tripp
 
J

Jeff-in-PA

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Dec 27, 2008
Messages
402
Re: Tire size and rating

etripp111 said:
..........

Anyway..........I guess what your saying is that i should just use the rims I have and put a ST175/80/D13 or even the p175/80R-13 car tire?

A guy locally has a pair of ST205/75D15 for sale for 10 bucks. These probably won't fit on my rims though???? Does anyone know if these will fit a rim that takes a 13" tire?

Thanks

Tripp
Click to expand...

The local tires will NOT fit as you have 13" rims and the tires are 15".

Here's a tire / rim combo I found on Ebay for $50 each plus shipping.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/13-B...ptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories

Tire rack dot com also sells trailer tires.

Jeff
 
S

strokeoluck

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Jan 4, 2009
Messages
353
Re: Tire size and rating

I thought trailer tires had stiffer sidewalls and that's why they were preferred over car tires. No?
 
E

etripp111

Cadet
Joined
Mar 19, 2009
Messages
19
Re: Tire size and rating

Thanks for the info on the ebay tires. I found tires by themselves for 60 bucks each. If I can find someone locally to mount them for say 10 bucks, I'm going that way......

Thanks again

Tripp
 
J

Jeff-in-PA

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Dec 27, 2008
Messages
402
Re: Tire size and rating

Tripp,
Go to the tirerack website and they have a clickable link for "recommended installers". Put in your zip code and they have tires mounting prices listed.

That way you know what they charge before you stop in or have to call.

Jeff
 
Silvertip

Silvertip

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Sep 22, 2003
Messages
28,762
Re: Tire size and rating

When I said "you would have been better off with the car tires" I was being cynical since they have a higher load rating than the 12 inchers. As was pointed out, you cannot install tires that take a 15 inch rim on a 13 inch rim. Besides, the tire would be way too tall and would likely hit the fender. Here is another source for trailer tires. $53.00. Check your local WalMart store and if you have a farm store in the area check there. They carry the same brands as anyone else and usually cheaper -- plus they can mount them.

http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_200330358_200330358
 
E

etripp111

Cadet
Joined
Mar 19, 2009
Messages
19
Re: Tire size and rating

Thanks.

I already tried WalMart, those guys didn't seem to know what they were talking about............they wanted to sell me a Goodyear ST for 90 bucks!!! OUCH!!!:mad:

I'm going to check Tractor Supply tomorrow......

If TSC doesn't have something that will work, I'm buying the ones posted in a previous post by Jeff-in-PA on EBAY.........


Tripp
 
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