Higher Capacity Trailer Tires and Wheels to Replace 235/80-16 Trailer Tires  

Question:

Expert Reply:

You will want to go by the lowest rated component so if the tire is rated for 3,960 pounds and the wheel is rated 3,750 pounds then you would need to go by the 3,750 pounds.

If you have the trailer loaded to the max gross vehicle weight rating then it would exceed the capacity of 4 tires rated for 3,520 pounds each. So a higher capacity tire is a good idea.

If using the same wheels rated for 3,750 pounds then 4 higher capacity tires would have a combined capacity of 15,000 pounds. That is at least closer to the 16,196 pound gross trailer weight capacity.

The issue is that the trailer manufacturers are counting on the tow vehicle to carry some of the weight. The problem is that not everyone can tow the trailer level and if it rides high in the front that puts more weight on the trailer axles and could lead to overloading, excessive heat, and eventually failure.

You could go with tire # AM10501 on the wheels you have and the set up would be rated for 3,750 pounds per tire. But remember that going with a higher capacity tire will not increase the capacity of the trailer. This tire is 1.7 inches taller than the ones you have and 0.85 inches of that is applied above the tire.

If you went with replacement tire and wheel combo # AM35099 for an 8 on 6-1/2 bolt pattern then the capacity of the tires and wheels would be 15,840 pounds for 4 of them. But if you went with # TTWA16RGWSHD, also for an 8 on 6-1/2 bolt pattern, the capacity would be 4,400 pounds per tire and wheel or 17,600 pounds total.

Trailer tires should always be inflated to the maximum psi indicated on the tire sidewall. This is because trailer tires are built with a thicker sidewall than passenger vehicle tires to handle more vertical load. If under inflated the thicker sidewall generates excessive heat and can lead to failure. I have included a link to our help article on trailer tires for you.

expert reply by: Michael H

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