Can Bias Ply Trailer Tires be Used in Place of Radial Tires on a Boat Trailer

Question:

I currently have 205 75 R14 tires on my trailer I found a set of really nice wheels and tires and I want to get them. However they are 205 75 D14 tires. Can I use these or would it be an issue?

asked by: Justin

Expert Reply:

The only difference between the tires that you have now and the ones you are interested in is the type of tire construction. Right now you have radial tires. The ones you are interested in are bias ply. The difference is in how the plies or belts are oriented: on a radial they go straight across the tread and on bias they run at an angle across the tire.

You can certainly use the bias ply tires as long as you change over all of the tires and not just some. Mixing the type of tire can cause uneven tire wear, tracking problems, and can cause one tire to run hotter than the other.

The other issue is that you need to make sure the new tires have the appropriate weight carrying capacity for the trailer. I have included a link to our help article on trailer tires for you.

expert reply by: Michael H