Value of Changing Trailer Tire to Larger 225/75/16 Size

Question:

my 36foot travel trailer comes with 15inch st tires. is there any advantage to going with 16inch st tires? for a given size tire like 225/75/15 is it the same as a 225/75/16

asked by: Bill B

Expert Reply:

A larger tire size on your trailer in and of itself does not offer any advantages unless your existing tires are under-rated for their application, which would be unlikely in a stock tire. The overall diameter of a ST225/75/15 trailer tire is 28.4-inches. The larger size ST225/75/16 would have an overall diameter of 29.2-inches. If your trailer has enough clearance at the fenders for the taller tire you could certainly use it. Your trailer owner's manual is a good place to check on the manufacturer's thinking on the subject.

Please note that we do not offer any 16-inch trailer tires in a 225-mm width. 16-inch tires start at a 235-mm width as shown on the linked page, such as part # TTWPRG235R16, which is a Load Range G radial tire rated for 4,400-lb max load at 110 psi. This particular tire is rated for a speed of 81-mph (speed rating M).

The worst enemy of a trailer tire is heat. Excessive heat can cause a tire to break down and fail. The most common causes for heat build-up are overloading a tire beyond it's rated weight capacity, incorrect inflation pressure and driving at speeds higher than recommended (65-mph unless stated otherwise on the tire itself).

The linked article on trailer tires will give you a lot of useful information to help guide your choice of new tires when that becomes necessary.

expert reply by: Adam R