How to Choose Special Trailer Tires for 5-Horse Featherlite Tandem Gooseneck Horse Trailer

Question:

Looking for tires for a 5 horse featherlite trailer. Just bought the trailer and old tires keep blowing. What are available for the weight load.

asked by: David

Expert Reply:

Since I do not know your tire size or the trailer's GVWR (its gross vehicle weight rating) it is tough to give you a specific tire recommendation but I can help you with the things to think about as you choose new tires. The two tire articles I linked will be helpful too.

First is weight. You want to find the trailer's GVWR on its main sticker. This is the very most the loaded trailer can weigh. Take this figure and divide by the number of tires on the trailer, which is almost surely going to be four tires based on the 5-horse trailers I saw on the Featherlite website.

This will tell you how much weight each tire has to be able to handle. You can look at the current tires' sidewalls to find their size and weight load range, which is a letter code. For example, their tandem axle trailer model 8533 comes with Special Trailer tire size ST235/80R16 in either a Load Range E or G weight rating. The ST235/80R16 radial tires we offer will be rated for 3500-lbs each (Load Range E) like # LHWL401 or 4080-lbs each (Load Range G) like # PRG80235.

I also linked our main page for trailer tires; just click on your size and then click on the weight Load Range you need.

Trailer tires do not need to be balanced the way vehicle tires do but it is important to always observe the correct inflation pressure, weight capacity and speed rating for your tires.

Trailer tires should ALWAYS be fully-inflated to the maximum psi pressure shown on the tire sidewall; it is never appropriate to under- or over-inflate a trailer tire for any reason. Trailer tires should always be rated for more weight than you will actually put on them; this extra capacity gives you safety margin. Trailer tires should be operated within their rated speed. Failing to observe all of these points can lead to excessive heat in the tire and that is the main cause for trailer tire failure.

Tire # PRG80235 has a speed rating M, meaning it is good for highway use up to 81-mph. Westlake tire # LHWL401 is rated as an L tire, good for up to 75-mph. Kenda Karrier # AM10248 is good up to 65-mph.

Please feel free to tell me your trailer GVWR and your tire size and I will be glad to work with you further to get you the right tires for your horse trailer.