I need tires - radial or bias ply

[sbbamafan]

Obviously I need tires rated for trailers but I see I have a choice of radial or bias ply. Which should I get and why. Generally I only tow about 1/2 mile per week to the lake or maybe a mile to get gas on land. Once at each end of the season I might bring the boat to my house for cleanup - 30 miles from the lake.

BTW - should I be pissed that my old tires are about 6 years old and have big chunks coming off of them? Boat is kept out of the sun in a shed and is only used 12-15 times per year as noted above. I also took them on two road trips - 1 about 500 miles round trip and one about 300 miles round trip.

 

[rallyart]

Re: I need tires - radial or bias ply

Strangely rubber last longer if it's used than if it just sits. The tires might last longer if they went on more trips. Maybe they just get lonely.
The volatiles in the rubber dry out if the rubber does not move. You can prevent some of this by spraying them with a pure silicone.
You might do better putting on used car or truck tires if you can find the size. They can sit around and you won't have to worry if they dry out. Other than that, buy what is cheapest.

 

[superbenk]

Re: I need tires - radial or bias ply

Car or truck tires shouldn't be used if it's being towed over the road. For the limited amount of towing you do, however, bias would probably do ok. That being said, radials will do a better job sitting for long periods where bias will develop flat spots and potentially other problems internally. Any trailer tire should probably be replaced every 5 yrs or so, though.

 

[etracer68]

Re: I need tires - radial or bias ply

I have found that the radial tires last longer, and dont dry rot like the bias tires do. But the radials do cost a bit more.

 

[K9Deuce]

Re: I need tires - radial or bias ply

Superbenk is correct.... Dont use car or truck tires, trailer tires carry a different sidewall then standard tires. Because of the load being carried and the fact that your towing the load the sidewall structure is important. Had a friend who refused to listen because he had been using car tires for years without issues until he blew out a side wall one day at 55 mph. His boat and trailer were a total loss....

 

[dingbat]

Re: I need tires - radial or bias ply

Superbenk is correct.... Dont use car or truck tires, trailer tires carry a different sidewall then standard tires. Because of the load being carried and the fact that your towing the load the sidewall structure is important.

The NTSB does not share that opinion. As long as the tire is properly rated for the load, you can use any tire you want on a trailer. On the other hand, you cannot use a trailer tire on a passenger vehicle under any circumstance.

 

[sw33ttooth]

Re: I need tires - radial or bias ply

As long as the tire is properly rated for the load, you can use any tire you want on a trailer. On the other hand, you cannot use a trailer tire on a passenger vehicle under any circumstance.

+1 agree,

i just took bias off my trailer replaced with radials found something odd, 205 75 d14 is taller then a 205 75 r14. if i would have known that i would have gotten the 205 75 r15 as they would carry the load better. also trailer tires dont wear down like a truck tire they either wear because of a bad axle/bearing, or compleatly blow out. the tires i took off the boat were 12 years old and they all looked almost brand new.

 

[JimS123]

Re: I need tires - radial or bias ply

The NTSB does not share that opinion. As long as the tire is properly rated for the load, you can use any tire you want on a trailer. On the other hand, you cannot use a trailer tire on a passenger vehicle under any circumstance.

Apparently, trailer manufacturers are of the same mind. My tandem TeeNee came with bias auto tires from the factory. The next model up came with ST LRC, then ST LRD etc. ALL of the smaller capacity models had car tires.

To the OP, I personally don't like radials because they bounce too much. I ONLY buy bias tires, rated for the load I'm carrying. JMO. Also, if I had chunks come off, my next set would be something different than what i had!

 

[K9Deuce]

Re: I need tires - radial or bias ply

Trailer Tire requirements differ greatly from automotive tires. The stiffer, stronger structure is why trailer tires can never be used on an auto.
Trailers with heavy loads, high vertical sideloads or trailers with inadequate tongue weight can be affected by trailer sway problems. Automotive bias or radial tires with their more flexible sidewalls can accentuate trailer sway problems, whereas the stiffer sidewalls of the ST (special trailer) bias ply tires help to control and reduce sway problems. Best trailer control will be achieved with (ST) Special Trailer tires. You could use the auto tire but the auto tire wasnt designed for the trailer where the trailer tire was designed for load weights placed at the axle points on a trailer. I know my Shorelandr single axle came with "ST" and the trailer under my Sea RAy ( couldnt locate the maker) has " St's".

 

[H20Rat]

Re: I need tires - radial or bias ply

ad a friend who refused to listen because he had been using car tires for years without issues until he blew out a side wall one day at 55 mph. His boat and trailer were a total loss....

And you have never seen a trailer tire blow out?

 

[H20Rat]

Re: I need tires - radial or bias ply

Trailer Tire requirements differ greatly from automotive tires. The stiffer, stronger structure is why trailer tires can never be used on an auto.
Trailers with heavy loads, high vertical sideloads or trailers with inadequate tongue weight can be affected by trailer sway problems. Automotive bias or radial tires with their more flexible sidewalls can accentuate trailer sway problems, .

So i've never understood the sidewall argument, I know that is the conventional wisdom but I'm questioning it... My car and trailer have somewhat similar sized tires. I can push on the hub of the trailer tire with my foot, and the trailer is going to wiggle back and forth at least 1 inch. That is 100% sidewall flex. Now when I go over to my car and do the same, it barely moves, hard to tell but 1/4 inch might be generous.

As far as sidewall loading, the steering tires on a vehicle turning sharply at speed undergo vastly more sidewall force than a trailer tire ever would under normal conditions.

 

[rallyart]

Re: I need tires - radial or bias ply

Trailer Tire requirements differ greatly from automotive tires. The stiffer, stronger structure is why trailer tires can never be used on an auto.

The reason trailer tires are not allowed on cars is because there are people in cars. For some reason they require high standards when they think a kid might be riding on those tires so car tires must meet that standard, and trailer tires don't.

 

[sw33ttooth]

Re: I need tires - radial or bias ply

The reason trailer tires are not allowed on cars is because there are people in cars. For some reason they require high standards when they think a kid might be riding on those tires so car tires must meet that standard, and trailer tires don't.

wrong! you can legally ride in a filth wheel in michigan and they run trailer tires, safty of a snot noise kid has nothing to do with vehical tires verse trailer tires.

 

[K9Deuce]

Re: I need tires - radial or bias ply

http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wc...1151&catalogId=10001&page=Trailer-Tire-Basics

For those interested here is some information on trailer tires.

 

[redright9]

Re: I need tires - radial or bias ply

All of my trailers (boat and car trailers) have had bias ply tires. The new tires I put on my boat trailer are radial. Honestly, the only difference I found is the radial tire seems to be a lot more bouncy when driving and does not flat spot when sitting for periods of time like the bias did. The next tires I will buy will be what is better cost wise, had good luck with radial and bias.

 

[K9Deuce]

Re: I need tires - radial or bias ply

http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wc...1151&catalogId=10001&page=Trailer-Tire-Basics

 

[sbbamafan]

Re: I need tires - radial or bias ply

Last night I pulled the wheels off the trailer. They were looking pretty rough - white looked filthy, some surface rust, etc. I took them home and cleaned them really well and sprayed them with Rustoleum graphite color wheel paint. It was easy having the old tires on there to catch the overspray They look a lot better but I am not sure I like the color but I can always go back to white if I need to. This morning I dropped them at the tire store. Pulled the trigger on the radials even though they were a bit more expensive. Best I could find was $190 for two mounted, balanced, etc. I still have to put them back on since I was afraid to tow the boat the way they were...

By the way, they are 215/75/14 LRC by Duro.

 

[sw33ttooth]

Re: I need tires - radial or bias ply

in a far off hick town city from me is a trailer wholesale place deals with a lot of camper type stuff from the last 2 decades. i picked up st205-75-r14 for $85 a piece on aluminum rims and i picked a spare matching aluminum rim for $20. then i found a radial 14 in the back of the barn and mounted it. i couldnt imagine the price they wanted it was so cheap, on steel rims they wanted $75. i figured it was worth the extra $40. for nice aluminum rims.

 

[H20Rat]

Re: I need tires - radial or bias ply

http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wc...1151&catalogId=10001&page=Trailer-Tire-Basics

They are pretty light on details on that link unfortunately... Yeah, the load capacity is obvious, and no matter what tire you buy, you need to stay within the load range. The sidewall argument still comes down to my post above... At least in my very limited experiment, trailer tires have SOFTER sidewalls.

Its worth mentioning that according to the federal DOT, it is 100% legal to use passenger tires on trailer. And completely illegal to use trailer tires on a passenger car...