What are the two types of trailer tires?
There are two types of trailer tires: radial and bias. A radial tire has steel belts that are oriented at a significantly different angle than the 90 degree radial plys. This allows the sidewall and tread to function as two independent features of the tire. Special trailer (st) trailer tires are developed specifically for use on travel trailers, pop-up campers, boat trailers and fifth wheel trailers. Designed to deliver on-highway service for towed trailers, st-sized tires are not intended to be used on cars or light trucks.Stiffer Sidewalls to Reduce Sway ST tires have reinforced, thicker sidewalls that control trailer sway and withstand the vertical load of towing. LT tires, by comparison, have more flexible sidewalls meant for ride comfort, not stability.
Can you put car tires on a small utility trailer?
No, you cannot put car tires on a trailer. Trailer tires and passenger car tires also have different treads for different purposes. Car tire treads used on trailers can cause irregular wear and potentially a blow out. Tyres used for trailers are subject to the same legal standards as car tyres. That means trailer tyres must have a minimum tread depth of 1. Driving a bald tyre (with little to no tread left) is illegal and dangerous.Of course you can put the wide, low aspect ratio tires on a trailer if you want, maybe to match the tow vehicle for show.They might look similar at first glance, but trailer tires and passenger car tires are engineered for completely different purposes. Using the wrong type isn’t just ineffective, it’s dangerous and could lead to catastrophic failure on the road.
Is there a difference between trailer rims and car rims?
Not only is their construction slightly different, but the bolt patterns, widths, offsets, and weight capacities will vary as well. Trailer wheels tend to not have an offset (with the exception of a small portion of wheels) so that the load will be right above the tire which makes for better load bearing tread wear. OEM sizes will have an insignificant, immeasurable difference in towing power to the extent of wheel/tire combo weight is similar.