Hi Everyone, I have a question that I have posed to the people that work at the Sears Auto center. The answer I got didn't make any sense to me so I thought I would ask all of you because you always have great knowledge. The question is this:I have a 3 horse LQ trailer that weighs empty about 10,100 lbs. The tires I have on there are G rated and they read that at 110 psi (max. pressure) the tire can support 3750 lbs. The trailer sticker says I should put 80 psi in the tire. The people at Sears told me that it doesn't matter what the tire says I should go with what the trailer says because the air in the tire doesn't really have that much to do with what the tire can support and if I'm running the tire at max pressure that I can very easily have a blow out.What do you guys think??? If I have the tires at 80 psi is that enough air to support the trailer? Any advise would be greatly appreciated.Thanks to all.
Posted 2009-06-30 5:40 PM (#107368 - in reply to #107367) Subject: RE: Trailer tires
Expert
Posts: 2453 Location: Northern Utah
Go with what is printed on the tires. The trailer mfg has no control over what tires you install on the trailer.
If you have exactly the size of tire the trailer maker shipped the trailer with, then the trailer sticker would be correct.
80 psi is the pressure for an "E" tire not a "G" tire. So somebody has switched the tire on the trailer out to a heavier load rating.
So the correct presure is printed on the tires. That doesn't mean that the axles, lug nuts, springs etc will support the heavier weight that a "G" rated tire will carry. The other components are probably all designed around the "E" rated tire that the trailer shipped with.
Now with that understanding, you can run "G" rated tires on a trailer designed for "E" rated tires and run them at them at 80 psi. go to the manufactures website and see what load capacity the tires will handle at 80 psi. The Goodyear website shows the G614 at 3042 lbs at 80 psi. Which is the same load capacity as the E range tires. So you want to run those tires at the higher pressure to gain the extra load capacity.
Posted 2009-06-30 6:02 PM (#107370 - in reply to #107367) Subject: RE: Trailer tires
Expert
Posts: 3802 Location: Rocky Mount N.C.
Quote the SEARS guy.... The people at Sears told me that it doesn't matter what the tire says I should go with what the trailer says because the air in the tire doesn't really have that much to do with what the tire can supportand if I'm running the tire at max pressure that I can very easily have a blow out.
You have blowouts running tires that are rotten and or under inflated and overloaded.
Your tire jockey needs more schooling... Maybe stick to flippin' burgers....
If you want to inflate your "G" tire above 80 psi, you should make sure your rims will support more than 80 psi... The "G" tire is rated at 3750# at 110 psi, it's also rated at 3550# at 100psi and 3042# at 80 psi, being same 3042# as a "E" at 80 psi. You may be good at the 80 psi, only way of knowing for sure is to weigh the trailer with it loaded.... Then you'll know where to go from there.
I'll assume the tire you have is a Goodyear Unisteel G614RST....?
Posted 2009-06-30 10:00 PM (#107381 - in reply to #107367) Subject: RE: Trailer tires
Member
Posts: 35 Location: PA
The tires that I have on the trailer are the tires that came with the trailer and yes they are the Good Year. Thank you for the advise I will call the Manf. of the trailer and make sure that the rims and everything can support the "G" rated tire at the higher psi.
Posted 2009-07-01 7:34 AM (#107389 - in reply to #107367) Subject: RE: Trailer tires
Location: Where the wind comes sweepin' down the plain...
There is a good chance that if the tires were changed out, then the wheels were changed out also. The wheels will have a stamp in the back of it giving you the wheel weight load and psi load. As far as the axles go, everything will be the same between a 16" E rated tire and a 16" G rated tire. Check the wheel and you will be good to go.
By the way, running less than the maximum in the tire will result in a lower weight capacity. That tire is rated for 3750# at 110 psi.
Posted 2009-07-01 9:56 AM (#107404 - in reply to #107367) Subject: RE: Trailer tires
Regular
Posts: 70 Location: Temecula, CA
You follow the tire recommendations for both the tire rating and air pressure. Remember the tires are what carry the total weight of your trailer and the tire recommendations are set by the DOT.
Posted 2009-07-01 10:06 AM (#107408 - in reply to #107367) Subject: RE: Trailer tires
Elite Veteran
Posts: 1069 Location: MI.
Question......Why do some trailer manufacturer's put a lesser quality/under rated tire on their trailers when it is a safety issue? Cutting cost in certain area's is one thing but.......
Posted 2009-07-01 10:27 AM (#107412 - in reply to #107367) Subject: RE: Trailer tires
Member
Posts: 7
Location: Southern IL
Agreed! There seems to be an awful lot of Mfg's using these import tires to make the cost of the trailer less. That's not really playing fair with those that put a name brand (Goodyear, etc..) on as standard equipment.
Trailer tires
and if I'm running the tire at max pressure that I can very easily have a blow out.