[weirdbeard]

Hey guys.. I bought a haulmark enclosed trailer for all my tools and I love it. It is used and I am working on a few things. The wheel bearings were way to loose and I have fixed that, but one of the tires got worn pretty bad.

Well I went to Walmart today to price a new tire. They wanted $110 for the tire alone! I did not have time to shop around much, but walmart is normally the cheapest. "even though they are evil and I hate them." That seems outrageous for a little trailer tire.. Thats what my truck tires cost.

I want to know why I can't put a $40 dollar compact car tire on this thing.
What is so special about trailer tires?

Its a ST205/75D14

Thanks for any tips or suggestions.

[S10 Racer]

Originally Posted by weirdbeard

Hey guys.. I bought a haulmark enclosed trailer for all my tools and I love it. It is used and I am working on a few things. The wheel bearings were way to loose and I have fixed that, but one of the tires got worn pretty bad.

Well I went to Walmart today to price a new tire. They wanted $110 for the tire alone! I did not have time to shop around much, but walmart is normally the cheapest. "even though they are evil and I hate them." That seems outrageous for a little trailer tire.. Thats what my truck tires cost.

I want to know why I can't put a $40 dollar compact car tire on this thing.
What is so special about trailer tires?

Its a ST205/75D14

Thanks for any tips or suggestions.

I'd say as long as the load rating is the same with the same amount of plies, it would be ok to use a car tire.

[CustomConspiracy]

I THINK you should be able to find just the tires for about $85 if ya go to a regular tire dealer, then mounting and balance will be added on.
As for using regular car tires.....I have always been told that the side walls on trailer tires should be MORE PLYS than standard car tires.
On my trailer I have ONE 4000lb axle so that would be 2000 pounds each.
On a small car that same weight would be shred between 4 tires.
Also I was always told that because trailers tend to Sway or wobble more than the tow vehicle it puts more stress on the side walls and the heat up and blow out.
Another thing is that the side walls on trailer tires tend to get mroe abuse from curbs, and other damaging stuff because while we may miss them with the tow vehicle, because the trailer tracks in a different track it hits more stuff, and whacks more curbs which are really tough on the tires.
I have about 1 million miles in tractor trailers, and maybe another half million driving Entertainer Coaches that also pull trailers and ANYTIME I have been stuck pulling a trailer with regular car tires I have had huge failure rates.

[302 Z28]

I just replaced the two tires on my trailer. Bought Carlisle tires from Discount Tire, $149 installed.

Vince

[BOBCRMAN@aol.com]

The Managers of the Wal-Marts around here will not sell and install a compact car tire on a trailer. Or sell/mount you a car tire if they think you will install it on a trailer. My friend and I went a few rounds with these guys when the trailer lost a tire on I-75. Pontiac-Flint area..

[TubeTek]

Northern Tool has them for $72 ea for the tire only, also mounted on a white spoke rim on sale for $99. Don't know what brand they are though. Could be something decent, or could be Chinese garbage.

http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/w...atchallpartial

Carlisle as Vince mentioned is a good solid manufacturer of trailer and other specialty tires.

Based on 10 yrs experience as an R&D engineer with Michelin, I'd recommend staying with trailer tires in this size range. There are differences in the construction of a trailer tire, and a lot of those differences are aimed at increased lateral stiffness which reduces the likelihood of swaying. One of the worst things you can do, IMO, is to install passenger car radials on the trailer. Radials have far less lateral stiffness than bias ply tires in general, and that difference is even greater when comparing a passenger radial to a trailer specific bias ply tire such as you have on your trailer now.

[weirdbeard]

Thanks fellas. You have educated me. I will stick with the trailer tires. I guess it is just like with a motorcycle. You can run a car tire, but that don't mean you should do it.

The local tire place wants $82 installed and balanced. From what y'all have said that sounds like a fair price.
I don't know what walmart is thinking. $110 should include the dang wheel!

Thanks very much.