Trailer Tires - Bias Ply or Radial?

[GregK9]

What type's on your trailer?
What brand?
And why?

[GregK9]

Thanks for all your replies! Keep em comin'. :wink:

[Super D]

Hey Greg,
Wow - a real hotbed of discussion here! I had a similar question recently with just about the same results. Anyway, go with the radial, they have less rolling resistance and I hear are just better. I have Carlisles - got them at Discount tire when I had a blowout a couple years ago, were priced well and are a name brand (I heard some bad pr on them years ago, they seem fine). I previously got mail order tires (Treadstone?) no namers that seemed just fine. I use a bias-ply for my spare, 'cause, well, it's a spare and it was cheaper (hopefully never have to use).
My opinion - do not go with car or truck tires, sidewall strength is not there and it's just cheap insurance to buy the real deal.
Anyway, hope this helps.
:)

[rshrp2003]

post this question on the sandbar .
I went to les schwaab recently for tires and asked the same question about car tires for my trailer and they told me that the size of tires that you use for trailers are about the same as small car tires . The diference is that they can not handle the load

[conquestcat]

Maxxis you can buy them through Discount & Amercian Tire

[SleekcraftHouston]

Super D is right. Unless you have an extremely heavy rig, radial tires will work much better. When I bought my boat, the trailer had car tires. Every time a large vehicle would pass, or a cross wind would blow, the trailer would shimmy back and fourth. So much so that there were times that I thought I was going to lose control. I bought radials and have never looked back.
I have heard rumors that radials work better for highway travel because bias ply tires will get hotter and tend to throw the tread. I don't know if that is right, so take it for what it's worth.

[Beer-30]

TOWMASTER! I have installed several different brands for people and have all but this brand come back. Every trailer I have put these on; the owner(s) has/have been very happy with and no early failures.
The Towmaster V (5) is a great radial trailer tire.

[BigDogIvan]

I have tow masters on my trailer and won't have anything els. I had radials on the first boat trailer I had. It was the worst trailer I had ever towed. Only got 2 season on them and the were seperating. Put Bias plys under it and it was a tottaly different trailer to pull. No more bouncing and swaying. I have never had a bias ply seperate or toss a tread.

[Beer-30]

Yes, radials will handle heat much better. Bias will shred to "rags" as they were called "rag tires" back in the day. The name is actually due to the cloth that is inside instead of steel belts. But they do look like rags when they come apart. The radial construction is much sturdier and will track significantly better.
After selling several sets, and running them myself, I firmly believe anyone who switches to TM Vs (5s) will be extremely happy with their purchase.

[Schiada Time]

My opinion is that running Radials vs. Bias Ply trailer tires really depends on the weight of the boat. I ran 15"radials on my old 19 foot jet boat trailer for years and it was fine and the guy I sold the boat to is still running them. However, once the weight gets quite a bit heavier say for example a 30 foot cruiser I would stick with trailer tires. My 2 cents. I think small trailers with low pro radials slammed under stainless fenders looks awesome.
Travis

[Beer-30]

My opinion is that running Radials vs. Bias Ply trailer tires really depends on the weight of the boat. I ran 15"radials on my old 19 foot jet boat trailer for years and it was fine and the guy I sold the boat to is still running them. However, once the weight gets quite a bit heavier say for example a 30 foot cruiser I would stick with trailer tires. My 2 cents. I think small trailers with low pro radials slammed under stainless fenders looks awesome.
Travis
If you are meaning car tires vs. trailer tires, you are correct. It used to be the "thing" to run low-pro passenger tires on trailers. It still is, if you are running larger than 16s, as there are no trailer tires in those sizes.
But, to clarify, radial trailer tires as opposed to bias trailer tires will be the better choice for todays roads, traffic, boat weights and vehicle speed(s).