Trailer Tyres

[Richie-Van-GTi 70 2 Cars]

Ive been building a trailer over the last couple of weeks, so far it looks like this

 

 

Anyway, its currently on 165/75/13 tyres, would I have any adverse effects do you think by fitting 165/55/13?

Also does it matter if I just throw on some budget specials?

Im hoping to drop the tyre height slightly so I dont get any issues with the doors catching the mudguards when I fit them. Im going to fit them to the swinging arm so they are just clearing the wheels at all times.

[hoody_g 4]

I wouldnt expect you to suffer any adverse effects, as all you are basically doing is reducing the rolling circumfrence of the wheel, which will lowwer the height of the trailer.

 

Are you building the trailer as a kit or off of drawings?

 

Hoody

[Richie-Van-GTi 70 2 Cars]

built the kit from my own head, used a caravan chassis as the basis then widened it, strengthened it and addded the runners and made the ramps and holders. Just wired all the lights up tody as well, just needs the wheel arches on and its road legal

 

total cost = £160ish.

[Ruskyruss 0]

Just mot'd a car today and did you know you now have to change trailer tyres every two years regardless of condition!?! Just thought id let people know cos I didnt!!

[Ruskyruss 0]

I just have standard budget car tyres on my single axle and pulled a fourtrak on it once so they should be fine I would have thought!

[brianthemagical 1]

arn't there weight/speed ratings for tyres? i thought that was the main reason for using twin/tripple axels.

[205turbo 32 2 Cars]

tyre presures would need to be looked at when carrying bigger loads , my brothers ifor willaims 14'x7' trailer runs 195 50 13 and are set to 100psi, these are proper trailer tyres + wheels and not car tyres

[sutol 0]

Lower profiles in my opinion will be safer on a single axle trailer.

They flex less and therefore run cooler (less risk of blowouts)

Budget tyres are OK but keep an eye on the pressures and don't run them soft.

I would put at least 40 psi in them and maybe 45, then you should have no problems.

I ran a single axle trailer for a while carrying a Mini and later a 205 with no tyre issues, just lok after the rubber and it will look after you. 99per cent of blow outs in cars and trucks are due to tyre pressure issues. Large fleets of vehicles have tyres checked by tyre companies on a regular basis, and they check them all.....yea right.. do you know how long it takes to check and adjust the pressures on just one forty four tonner. about fifteen minutes to do it right, now multyply that by a fleet of say fifty trucks. And the tyre man does it in about two hours !!

nuff said

anyway, got sidetracked a bit, My twin axle car trailer ( with a tilt deck ) runs with 45psi in all tyres and never gives any problems.

And yes I am available to shift cars locally for the price of the diesel plus about 20 quid

[Richie-Van-GTi 70 2 Cars]

some gret replys, thanks. lowest profile I can find is 55's for the width, someone suggested mini tyres as they are the correct profile? speed rating isnt really an issue, its never gonna go above 60ish anyway. Ive had a mondeo on this trailer before I added the runners (lifted on without wheels) and it coped fine with the weight so I should be fine with the 205 on

 

been pulling a brian james twin axle thing a fair biut recently, massive trailer and you can feel the difference, lots of drag from the extra axle, but when loaded up it pulls better. Had a 1.6 ton 4x4 on it a few days back, my little rover pulled it no problems. Just glad mr plod didnt come along as it was above the reccomendations for the rover.

[maxi 36 1 Cars]

My Ifor Williams 14ft trailer runs expensive heavy duty tyres that have to be set to 90PSI. Things are getting so hot now in this area of motoring that if you got pulled by the VOSA I would of thought you would be in serious s*it without tyres that are specifically designed to take the weight. They also dont look to kindly on home made trailers, especially for such a heavy duty task. Manufactured and kit trailers are always tested and come plated so they know the exceptable weight limits.

 

The other thing you need to think of is if the tyres arent up to the job, do you fancy having a blow out on a single axel trailer with a car on? I sure as hell wouldnt.

 

Maxi

[Turbo7379 3]

I would suggest that you fit a set of 8-ply tyres on your trailer . They are normally fitted to heavy duty trailers & some vans .

 

I was running normal budget 4-ply car tyres on my 4-wheel transporter & I was plagued with punctures & busted wheels due the bad roads around here . I've now fitted a full set of 8-ply hankook 165-13 tyres at £35 each & not had a puncture since . You can run these tyres safely at up to 50 psi which makes the trailer a lot easier pulled whereas road tyres shouldn't run at any more than 40 psi .

 

PS - when you went to the bother of making your own trailer why didn't you make it twin axle ? I've used both single & twin axle trailers & a twin is a lot easier towed & manoevured and a million times safer .

[Richie-Van-GTi 70 2 Cars]

I started with a single axle caravan chassis, single is also easier to manouvre about which is ideal for me.Only ever going to pull the 205 on it so its capable of that no bother.

[Rob_the_Sparky 9]

Just check the rating of the tyre, they have a rated weight and I bet you are close to exceeding it with a car on the trailer (if not well over). Caravans are quite light and are often close to the limits on the tyre loading.

 

Rob