Can 5.30-12 Trailer Tires be Used to Replace ST205/65-10 Tires on a Snowmobile Trailer

Question:

I have a 18 foot 1995 Karavan snowmobile trailer . I put a 2008 arctic cat prowler side by side, a 300 Honda fourtrax and a 250 timber wolf. I put 600 miles one way going to Maine with trailer. My question is right now I have four 205/65-10 tires on the trailer. Should I try to replace the four 205/65-10 with 5.30x12. Is it better to have a taller tire that wont spin as much and get hot or is it better to have the wider tire that will grip more. I need to replace tires anyway they have cracks in them. Just want to know which tire would be better to go with?

asked by: Denis M

Helpful Expert Reply:

The more narrow the tire the less contact with the road it will have which means the ride will be smoother. But I would go with the tires the trailer manufacturer recommends for the trailer. It should indicate the proper size on the tongue or frame somewhere.

The ST205/65-10 tires, if they are a load range D or E will have a higher capacity than all sizes for a 5.30-12 tire so you would be limited to the lower capacity if you did make the switch. The 5.30-12 will only be about 1.4 inches taller than the 205s and only half of that would apply to the top part of the tire (above the axle centerline) so if you have fenders you would need to make sure you have at least 3/4 of an inch of space above the existing 205s for the taller 5.30-12s.

expert reply by: Michael H