Trailer tires for trailer use only....why can't these be used.....

[Cranky]

I have an enclosed trailer with tires that have less than 500 miles on them. What is keeping me from using these on a light duty pickup? The tires are D rated and the pickup in question is a 95 Dakota. The trailer is being used mainly as a storage building for now and well, don't want the tires going to waste just sitting....

 

[WileERobby]

They are engineered differently. Trailer tires have basically the job of supporting weight. Tires on a driven axle have torsional forces exerted on them to move the vehicle directly, in addition to supporting the weight. The car/truck tires require traction. The sidewalls of the tires are designed differently.

 

[Cranky]

I would think the trailer tires would need some traction too....at least for braking. The truck in question is mostly an in town vehicle and rarely sees 60 mph when it does get on the freeway.

 

[satman72]

"Dakota" begins with D. Tires are D rated. Problem solved.

 

[YY1]

Are they bias ply?

LOTS of trailer tires are still bias ply.

 

[Azure]

The sidewalls are very different. Passenger vehicle tires on a tandem axel trailer will normally fail after some time due to sidewall bruising. The trailer tires are designed to withstand this, but are not designed to withstand the steering forces on the front axle of a car. additionally the poly and steel belts are different on trailer tire and may exhibit issues when used on a traction axle. The trailer tires will also ride horribly. Personally, I wouldn't do it.

 

[Bb70charger500]

I've seen people do this before. As long as you don't go crazy you'll be fine. They won't last as long as regular tires because they are not designed to turn (steer axle) or take loads of tourqe(but it's a little Dakota) so I feel you should be fine . Be very careful in the rain as these tire don't have much traction at all .

 

[Cranky]

Are they bias ply?

LOTS of trailer tires are still bias ply.

No....they are radials.

The sidewalls are very different. Passenger vehicle tires on a tandem axel trailer will normally fail after some time due to sidewall bruising. The trailer tires are designed to withstand this, but are not designed to withstand the steering forces on the front axle of a car. additionally the poly and steel belts are different on trailer tire and may exhibit issues when used on a traction axle. The trailer tires will also ride horribly. Personally, I wouldn't do it.

Well, I've used 'P' series radials on my open flat bed for decades now and I've never had one come apart and I've towed vehicles that were close to 5000 lbs but have mostly towed cars that were 3500 or less. That trailer weighs around 1150 but the trailer with the ST tires on it is 4400 empty with a 9500 GVW. I think maybe one of the things that keep things going good is that I rarely if ever 90 degree my trailers. 45 is max and will only go 90 if the trailer is empty. I have buddy that jack knifes his triple axle rig all the time and is always having problem with tire coming apart out on the road. I know he drives fast and is usually max loaded so that might be the problem. Also, if a tire can withstand the scrubbing that a trailer puts them through, I wouldn't think the turning forces induced on the front end of car or truck would mess them up. I've also never experience trailer sway using 'P' series tires. I also read over this site.... http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=219

After reading that, I'm under the impression that using a trailer tire on a motor vehicle isn't nearly as bad as using a P series tire on a heavy duty trailer. I don't drive the 'yard cart' all that fast these days so I'm going to see how things go and see how horrible of a ride they are.

I've seen people do this before. As long as you don't go crazy you'll be fine. They won't last as long as regular tires because they are not designed to turn (steer axle) or take loads of tourqe(but it's a little Dakota) so I feel you should be fine . Be very careful in the rain as these tire don't have much traction at all .

They can't be any worse than a set of BFG Long Trail tires I had on it not too long ago lol. Man, they were the worse tires I ever had in the rain! They sucked when they were brand new and only got worse with age.....of course, I did have some fun with them too :grin:

 

[niteshift70]

Sidewalls on trailer tires, bias or radial, are not designed to handle loads in axial directions (side loads in either direction) that steering and driven car/light truck tires are subjected to. The belts within the sidewalls are oriented differently from the belts in car tires to support greater downforce versus the side to side load requirements.

 

[niteshift70]

Side loads on a single axle trailer are negligible. In tight manuvers on a multiple axle trailer, the inside turn sidewall of a trailer tire is designed to roll upwards, reducing the tire's contact patch, letting the tire slip (most noticable on the leading axle when backing in a tight turn.) The sidewall on passenger car tire is designed NOT to roll up. Its trying to force the inside turn edge down to maintain as much contact patch as possible, making the vehicle more stable in turns.

 

[CtownChris]

Go ahead and put them on your truck. It's OK because (insert opinion here................)

 

[Cranky]

This doesn't mean anything? Consider that Special Trailer (ST), as well as Light Truck (LT) tires are fully rated for trailer applications. This means ST- and LT-sized tires can carry the full weight rating branded on the sidewalls when used on a trailer.

However when P-metric or Euro-metric tires are used on a trailer, the load capacity branded on the sidewalls must be reduced by 9%. This means P-metric or Euro-metric tires with a maximum branded load rating of 1,874 lbs. for use on a car is only rated to carry 1,705 lbs. when used on a trailer.

Comparing the load capacities of a pair of tires of the same dimensions fitted to a single axle trailer, ST225/75R15 Load Range C-sized tires inflated to their maximum of 50 psi provide 4,300 lbs. of load capacity, where P225/75R15 Standard Load-sized tires inflated to their maximum of 35 psi would be limited to 3,410 lbs. of load capacity, a total reduction of 890 pounds.

Trailers will be more stable and pull better on tires designed specifically for trailer use. Since Special Trailer (ST) tires are constructed with heavier duty materials, they are tougher than typical passenger vehicle tires. This is a plus because trailer suspension systems are generally stiffer and less sophisticated than automotive suspension systems.




So, if trailer tires are tougher than passenger car tires....... I guess I don't get it. I'm thinking they can be used on a motor vehicle. Racing tires that are not DOT approved but are used all the time by 'idiots' like me but when they are used with discretion, good results usually happen unless it rains but that doesn't mean they can't be used on the street.? Has anyone used trailer tires on their street vehicle with bad results? Maybe that is what I should have asked in the first place. Look, I don't mean to be an ahole about this but there's always been disclaimers about products because of morons using products that are not totally designed for a particular use. Kinda like a lawn mower is not designed to trim hedges but if you know how to do it, it will work....especially if you are strong enough to hold it up and over the hedge :grin: I'm going to do this and will get back here with a report in about 3 months or less if something happens. Thanks

 

[niteshift70]

You asked for opinions, no need to get bent when you didn't get the opinions you wanted to hear. Sorry.

 

[niteshift70]

As in "sorry about that", NOT as in "you are sorry." Not intended as a slight....

 

[Cranky]

You asked for opinions, no need to get bent when you didn't get the opinions you wanted to hear. Sorry.

As in "sorry about that", NOT as in "you are sorry." Not intended as a slight....

Oh I'm not bent by any means and didn't take it as a slight and I apologize if my text led you to believe I was bent. I just can't grasp it when I read that "Special Trailer (ST) tires are constructed with heavier duty materials, they are tougher than typical passenger vehicle tires" why they wouldn't work. After all, it seems to me that a trailer is actually harder on a tire than a light weight motor vehicle would be. My trailer is a lot heavier empty than the truck is. I understand that they are made differently but seems no one has ever done it. There's a lot of things you don't do just because common sense takes over...like using a lawn mower to trim bushes but the tire sense isn't kicking in right now. Maybe I should have asked if anyone has ever used ST tires on a motor vehicle instead? Plus I'm seeing a set of new tires going to waste sitting on a trailer that isn't being used....

 

[tomlin]

I doubt you would have any issues with how the truck drives. It may ride rougher because of the stiffer sidewalls. That being said, the tire is not DOT rated for use on a drive vehicle. In todays sue happy world you may just find yourself in a world of hurt if you got in a accident and somebody got hurt or killed.

 

[A383Wing]

from what I learned while in the tire biz is that the trailer tires will not work on a passenger car or truck very well because of the hardness of the rubber and construction of the tire. It will not flex like a standard tire, and if roads are wet, then trying to stop in a hurry will be like a pool ball on ice....the rubber has no grip or flex for everyday driving

 

[WileERobby]

Plus I'm seeing a set of new tires going to waste sitting on a trailer that isn't being used....

... then, it's time to sell the trailer.

 

[monaco66coupe]

it may be ok to run ST tires on the truck, but as far as P rated tires on a trailer I can say that is a bad idea. ok on a single axle, but on a car trailer, danger lurks. The trailer, if it has a 4,000+ load will wallow like a duck. The sidewalls tend to heat up,and POP! I blew many until I could afford the trailer tires. But, the post Isn't about that. I would buy them cranky if you were closer, Trailer tires are pricey!