Last Updated on April 9, 2022 by Stephen Tillman
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Have you ever planned a long trip with your family on trailer? There is nothing better than going on a long trip with your family with a fully equipped trailer, but your whole trip will get ruined if you are not prepared properly. You need to check the condition of tires before you start your journey otherwise any mishap can happen because of worn-out tires or wrong tires. It is very essential to check load capacity of tires before you buy them.
Tires should be able to carry whole weight of the trailer and additional weight you put inside. If right tires are not installed then they will not able to carry the whole weight and will not provide adequate stability on the road especially driving at high speeds. This in turn causes tires to wear down quickly and might even explode also. So for all good reasons it is recommended to always choose best trailer tires for heavy loads in order to keep your family safe.
Heavy-duty trailer tires have higher load capacity, so they can carry weight of trailer plus additional weight also. They are also more durable and last long than other tires. So you do not need to replace these tires recurrent times and save up your maintenance cost.
There are various companies that offer passenger car tires, but you will find only few brands that deal in trailer tires for heavy loads. Here, we have listed some best trailer tires for heavy loads along with their pros and cons. You will also find list of factors that you need to consider while choosing best trailer tires.
The 5 Best Trailer Tires For Heavy Loads
5. Maxxis M8008
Maxxis M8008 is one of the best trailer tires for heavy loads and these tires are available with various load capacity such as B, C, D, and E. These tires provide very good stability on highway and also have excellent shock absorption capacity. Apart from that, Maxxis M8008 save your fuel consumption cost by reducing the rolling resistance as they are designed with advanced tread compound. These tires are durable, tough, and are constructed with double steel-belt for additional strength and stability. It comes with 5 years limited warranty.
Pros:
- Better stability on highway
- Safe for heavy loads
- 5 years limited warranty
- Solid construction and durable
- Better fuel economy
Cons:
- Not suitable for off-road
4. Carlisle Trail HD
Carlisle Trail HD is one of the best trailer tires that is designed with variable-pitch to resist overheating. These are the heavy load trailer tires available in load range C, D, E, and F. So you can choose the best one according to the size of your trailer. Apart from that, Carlisle tires are equipped with low rolling resistance technology that helps in saving fuel consumption cost.
These tires provide excellent stability on highway. Carlisle trailer tires are designed with DuraTrail high strength belt and HeatShield heat resistant compound technology to give extra durability. It is designed for use with trailers used for boating, cargo and utility. It is compatible with almost all popular boat, utility and cargo trailer brands. Go through the trailer’s manual booklet to determine the optimum tire size and load capacity for your use.
Pros:
- Better stability on highway and bear the overload
- Overheating resistant
- Strong construction
Cons:
- Not suitable for off-road
3. Trailer King ST Radial tire
Trailer King ST Radial tires is the best trailer tires for heavy loads and you can choose them as a dependable option. The tough nylon overlay construction of these tires allows you to carry heavy loads and provide added strength, durability and better stability on highway. The unique feature of these tires is that they are designed with centre groove that allows them to work equally good on wet surfaces as well, that means you can use them in heavy rain also.
This feature also makes them completely skid resistant and they have better traction capacity than other tires. They feature enhanced shoulder design that allows heat to get dissipated in a better way giving you long tread life and less wear-tear. You may not feel comfortable with these tires as these are not absorption resistant and they are also not good for off-road use. These tires come with 5 years warranty.
Pros:
- Good stability on both dry and wet surfaces
- 5-year warranty
- Tough Nylon Overlay construction for added strength
- Suitable for heavy loads
- Enhanced shoulder design for better heat dissipation
Cons:
- Not suitable for uneven terrain
2. Carlisle Sport Trail LH
If you are looking for the best trailer tires for your short irregular cargo hauling then you can choose this Carlisle Sport Trail LH tire. They are designed mostly for trailers used for construction, agriculture and infrequent boat or cargo hauling. These are the best tires in their category for carrying heavy loads. The best part of these tires is their unique bias-ply construction that makes them best suitable tires to drive with on uneven terrains i.e. off-road surfaces.
Though these tires are best for off-road use but they give average stability while driving on highway and their tread life is also short. They are compatible with almost all popular boat, utility and cargo trailer brands. Before buying them for your application just go through the trailer manual to find appropriate tire size and load capacity.
Pros:
- Affordable
- Good for uneven surfaces
- Good tough construction
- Best suitable for construction, agriculture and cargo
- Good for short-distance hauling
Cons:
- Short treadlife
- Not optimum for highway driving
1. Taskmaster Premium Trailer Tire
You can choose the Taskmaster Premium trailer tire for your heavy trailers. These tires can carry up to 4,400 lbs load. These are the best trailer tires for heavy cargo on board and they also provide better stability on highway. Plus, the tough and durable construction of these tires makes them last long and you do not need to change them recurrently. These tires come with 2-years limited warranty. These heavy duty tires are best suitable for your large trailers. Though they provide better stability and durability on highway, you cannot use them on your agricultural land.
Pros:
- 2-year limited warranty
- Each tire can carry up to 4,400 lbs
- Better stability on highway
- Solid construction
- Best trailer tires for heavy loads
Cons:
- Not suitable for off-road
Things to Consider Before Buying Trailer Tires For Heavy Loads
There are some tires available for passenger cars; though they look similar on the outside but you cannot use them for your heavy-duty trailers. For passenger cars, you need to choose the tires that provide good stability both on dry and wet roads along with excellent traction. But in case of heavy duty trailers, you need to lay more emphasis on tire stability on highway, their toughness/strength and grip.
All trailer tires come with specific load rating/load capacity that you need to check before buying them. Here you have listed some factors that you need to consider while choosing the best trailer tires for heavy loads:
ST-Metric & LT-Metric Tires
Many drivers depend on LT-Metric Tires and they think that LT-Metric Tires can carry heavy loads. But LT-Metric Tires are best for light trucks only as LT stands for Light Truck. So, you cannot use these tires for your heavy trailers, and you need to choose ST Metric tires for heavy loads. The sidewalls of LT-Metric Tires are not as strong as ST-Metric tires.
LT-Metric Tires provide better steering response with excellent traction on hard acceleration. With strong braking performance, you can use these tires to get a comfortable ride. But these tires can wear out quickly and require frequent replacement.
On the other hand, ST-Metric means Special Trailer Tires and are made with strong internal construction. As they have stiffer internal construction they can be left stationary for long periods as well. Because of stronger sidewalls in ST-metric tires they provide very stability on highway even with heavy loads inside.
But LT-Metric tires easily warp in the corners leading to unstable ride on highway. You might not feel comfortable with ST-Metric tires but if you are looking for better stability, strength and grip while carrying heavy loads then you need to go for ST-Metric Tires. For your short cargo hauling, you can choose LT-Metric Tires.
Load Range & Ply Ratings
You should check the load rating before buying tires for your trailers. Tires with insufficient load ratings are not safe on the road and you can lose your control on highway. Plus, overloading on these tires can damage your vehicle and might toss on the road. To save your family, you need to choose the best trailers with heavy loads.
Earlier load ratings were known as Ply Ratings. Even today also you will find some companies that still offer trailer tires in ply ratings. Both are same, the only difference being that load rating is mentioned with alphabets like B, C, and D, whereas Ply Rating is mentioned in numbers like 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12.
- For maximum load pressure of 35 psi (240 kPa): Load Range B (4-Ply Tires)
- For maximum load pressure of 50 psi (350 kPa): Load Range C (6-Ply Tires)
- For maximum load pressure of 65 psi (450 kPa): Load Range D (8-Ply Tires)
- For maximum load pressure of 80 psi (550 kPa): Load Range E (10-Ply tires)
- For maximum load pressure of 95 psi (655 kPa): Load Range F (12-Ply tires)
- For maximum load pressure of 110 psi (760 kPa): Load Range G (14-Ply tires)
For heavy duty trailers, you need to choose minimum Load Range D or 8-Ply tires. You can choose tires with higher load range to stay safe and you must decide the load range according to the weight of your trailer. For example, 6-inch load range E tires (10-ply) have a load capacity of around 3,000-pounds per tire, that means you can carry up to 12,000 pounds on four such tires.
Radial Trailer Tires vs. Bias-Ply Trailer Tires
Once you decide the size and load range of the tires, now is the time to check tire types. There are two types of trailer tires available – radial and bias-ply tires. For passenger cars, radial tires are preferred as plies are radially constructed in them. As a result of this, they are lightweight and more responsive in the corners. They stick on the road in a better way and are good to use on paved roads especially. Radial tires have low rolling resistance that helps you save your fuel consumption cost. They have also much longer treadlife as compared to bias-ply tires.
But if you are looking for the toughest tires for your heavy duty trailer then you need to choose bias-ply tires. These tires are designed with 45-angle plies that gives stiffer construction. This makes them suitable choice for use on uneven surfaces, off-road driving and agriculture use. But, they are not the best tires for highway use as they are less stable and responsive. They give you bad fuel economy and short treadlife.
So, radial tires are good for highway use while bias-ply tires are good for commercial and off-road use.
Maintenance
You need to maintain your trailer tires in order to keep them in proper shape. You must maintain the exact tire pressure as prescribed by the manufacturer. Tires with less pressure will give bad performance on the highway and you might also lose stability on road. Even, inflated tires can warp easily and overinflated tires can explode on road. So you need to maintain optimum pressure in tires.
Tires also get affected by sun’s heat and can become plastic-like material. So, do not leave your tires in the sun for long or you can cover your trailer to prevent this issue. Apart from that, keep a check on their grooves and replace the tires if needed.
You must choose the best trailer tires for heavy loads with better shock absorption capacity. Large shock absorption capacity will keep your trailer safe from external damages and give you a comfortable ride on uneven surfaces. Plus, tread of the tires will provide more grip on the road and grooves in the rubber will add more traction. So keep checking these two things to keep your trailer safe. Better grooves also prevent the vehicle from sliding on a wet surface. You can check the tread of your tires via Tread Wear Indicator; else you can use the Lincoln penny test to check the grooves of your tire. For your safety you need to change the tires every 4-5 years.
Conclusion
So now you can choose the best trailer tires for heavy loads by keeping in mind all the above mentioned factors. You will be using your trailer on the highway, so you must choose the best quality tires with better grooves, treadlife and internal construction.
In the end, it will all depend on what kind of trailer you have. For example, if you own a horse trailer, i recommend you look at our list of the best horse trailer tires instead of this one.
Maintenance of tires is also crucial as without proper maintenance your tires will not last long. Know about their grooves, pressure and treadlife from an expert to keep a check on these factors. If you find anything wrong then you must change your tires because compromising with trailer tires can lead to serious road accidents.
You must adhere to the speed limits as tires cannot save your life if you cross speed limits. So, be careful and maintain all road safety measurements.