Should Trailer Tires be Inflated to Max PSI Listed on Sidewall

Question:

My boat and trailer weigh 5100 lbs. The tandem axle trailer has 4 Carlisle ST20575D14 tires with load rating C. What would be correct air pressure. PSI listed on the tire to carry 1750 lbs is 50 psi. Tire currently have 30 lbs each. Thanks,

asked by: Phillip T

Helpful Expert Reply:

Trailer tires should always be inflated to their max psi as listed on the tire's sidewall, regardless of the trailer's weight. The max psi on a trailer tire is needed for the tire to safely support its listed capacity, which means under-inflating a trailer tire will essentially reduce its capacity to an unknown number. Doing this can lead to you overloading the tires with the weight of your trailer which can cause tire failure.

You will need to always follow the max 50 psi listed for your ST205/75D14.

I have attached a couple additional articles on trailer tires and wheels that you might also find helpful.

expert reply by: Chris R