Difference Between 175/80-13 Radial & Bias Trailer Tires

Question:

Hello, my first language is not english so I want to be sure that I understood. The difference between 175/80D13 and 175/80R13 is the life of the tire? How resistant they are.

asked by: Amaya

Expert Reply:

The difference between radial and bias 175/80-13 trailer tires doesn't have to do with resistance, it is really just the application of the tires. Bias tires are really only best for agricultural use while radial tires are best for normal, everyday roadways.

The reason for that is bias tires have cords which run diagonally while radial tires have cords that run from side-to-side. What this does is result in radial tires flexing more, running cooler (which means they do last longer), and providing better road traction. The stiffness of a bias tire though means it is better able to handle the uneven, shorter trips of agricultural use. So here is what you can use depending on if you want radial or bias tires:

- Radial: Karrier ST175/80R13 Radial Trailer Tire # AM10199

- Bias: Kenda ST175/80D13 Bias Trailer Tire # AM1ST51

expert reply by: Kyle S