Recommended 5.30-12 Tires for 2,000 Lb Boat and Trailer

Question:

I just weighed my boat and trailer and it came in at 1880 lbs. The trailer previously had 5.30-12 4 lug tires rated at 850lbs which caused issues. I purchased some larger tires ST175/80 from you and they were too wide and are very close to rubbing my trailer and may occasionally when I hit a bump. So now I dont quite know what to do! I was looking at your Kendra 5.30-12 Item # AM30780 that are rated at 1045 lbs 2090 for both and I will often drive 70 mph. Are there concerns with running tires that close to their max load? Also - I may be interested in upgrading to premium so they handle more weight with the ST145/R12 item AM35351DX but I am afraid the tire will be wider than the existing 5.30-12 and rub on my trailer like the ones I just purchased. How much wider is this tire itself than the 5.30-12? Thank you!

asked by: Paul W

Expert Reply:

I do have some great trailer tire options for you but the total weight capacity of the tires on a trailer does not need to account for the loaded weight of the trailer, at least directly. The reason for this is that 10-15% of the trailer's weight is carried on the vehicle via the tongue. If you're looking for a greater margin of error however I can understand that and the Kenda 5.30-12 Bias Trailer Tire with 12" Galvanized Wheel part # AM30790 would be a great option. It has galvanized wheels as well which are better for boat trailers.

Unfortunately, these smaller tires cannot handle higher speeds so you'll be limited to 65 mph.

expert reply by: Conner L