What Causes Uneven Trailer Tire Tread Wear with New 5.30-12 Tires

Question

Question:

Hello, Tire is Carlisyle 5.3 x 12, less than 9 months old with less than 250-275 miles on tires. Inflated both tires to 70 lbs due to heavy load I was on my way to pick up. The tires looked like new prior to inflation. The sidewall said to not inflate over 80 lbs cold Drove ~30-40 miles and upon exiting a gravel road, I had a flat tire. Both tires were purchases on same day, both were completely worn in center about 1 inch wide, one was flat the other was about to be flat. I took these back to store I purchased them they did not believe me that I had such few miles on them and that I hadnt had a heavy load. They dont think it is possible for tire to look like this even inflated at 70lbs for 30-40 miles. I stated it was the only explanation. cant post pics left tires at store.

asked by: Hall T

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Expert Reply:

All trailer tires must always be inflated to the specified maximum cold psi pressure as noted on the tire sidewall. Tires should never be under- or over-inflated at any time as this can lead to heat build up, uneven tread wear, loss of weight capacity or a blowout. A trailer tire cannot meets its load rating unless it is inflated to the cold tire pressure noted on the sidewall.

Usually an under-inflated tire will wear more on the outside edges of the tread surface; an over-inflated tire will usually show more wear in the center of the tread. If a trailer is overloaded beyond its axle capacity then this tends to cause wear on the inside edges of the tread surface, caused by the axle bending down in the center from the excess load on it.

We do offer three choices of Load Range in your 5.30-12 size tire; all can be seen on the link provided for you. Part # AM10068 is a load range D, part # AM10066 is a load range C and part # AM10064 is load range B, which is a maximum of 1045-lbs at 80-psi. You'll want to make sure you use tires that are rated for your load and that the trailer itself is rated to carry the overall weight you need it to.

expert reply by: Adam R

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Answer 1

You are definitely going to need radial tires for highway speeds and the best option is the Taskmaster 4.80R12 Radial Trailer Tire #TT48012C. Radial trailer tires are constructed in a manner so they have cords which run at 90 degrees to the direction…

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Answer 2

A 4.80-12 size tire will only fit on a 12 x 4-inch rim such as the one in wheel/tire part #AM30670 and wheel #AM22319HWT. The smaller tire size 4.80-8 like item #AM10002 that you referenced will fit an 8 x 3-3/4-inch wide rim but again not a 12 x…

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Answer 3

Thank you for all of the info! We recommend having at least 2" of sidewall to trailer frame clearance and 4" of tire to fender clearance. These give enough room for suspension tolerances so your tires don't make contact with those parts…

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Answer 4

Yes, the Kenda Karrier S-Trail ST145/R12 Radial Trailer Tire #AM10140 referenced in your question will fit the same 12 inch wheel with a 4 inch width that your existing 4.80-12 size tires are mounted to. Just note that the ST145/R12 tire will be…

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Answer 5

The Kenda K353 Bias Trailer Tire #AM10066 that is on the Wheel and Tire Combo #AM30820 will need 80psi of pressure when the tire is cold. It is best to verify the pressure in the coldest temperature it will operate before driving. The manufacturer…

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Answer 6

The psi should be listed on the sidewall of the tire. It is recommended that tires always be inflated to the max psi. The max psi of the tire will depend on the tire's load range, not the weight of the trailer. For instance, we carry 5.30-12…

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Answer 7

Trailer tires are designed to run at max psi capacity all the time. Running a tire under or over that psi can cause uneven tread wear and greatly increase the possibility of a blow out. I recommend running tires like the Kenda K353 Bias Trailer Tire…

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Answer 8

The 4.80-12 tires you have on your jet ski trailer are 20.7" diameter x 4.9" wide. The best option we have to go with a larger width is a 5.30-12 tire which measures 21.9" diameter x 5.5" wide. For a 5.30x12 tire the highest rated…

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Answer 9

Trailer tires are made with a thicker side wall than passenger car tires. Because of the thicker side wall they generate more heat. If they are under inflated and/or overloaded, that generates even more heat and can cause the tire to fail. Always…

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Answer 10

Most trailer tires are rated for speeds up to 65-mph, despite some roads having posted limits up to 80-mph as you note. Of course, towing a trailer at 80-mph is not recommended. Generally a radial trailer tire will give you better handling than a…

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Answer 11

The most common tire size people go to from the 4.80-12 is the 5.30-12 like the Taskmaster 5.30R12 Radial Trailer Tire #TT53012C. This will give you a width increase of 1/2 inch and a diameter increase of 1.4 inches. This tire also has a speed rating…

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Answer 12

Yes, the 4.80-12 tire size and the 5.30-12 tire size are both designed to fit the same rim width of 4 inches. So the tire you would want would be the part #AM10068 to fit your current trailer rim. This tire is a Load Range D tire with a capacity of…

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