Have often wondered about SNOW TIRES and STUDS on a trailer.
Have never tried that on any of my trailers.
Have you found that to make a NOTICEABLE difference?
Dedicated Winter SNOW TIRES
- Thread starter christopher
- Start date
Have never tried that on any of my trailers.
Have you found that to make a NOTICEABLE difference?
We ran a 7'x25' enclosed trailer for a few years and had a set of snow tires on that (no studs). There was a noticeable difference in braking on ice with the snow tires. It "seemed" more stable on windy days on bad roads but I'll be honest it might have been a placebo effect with that as there was nothing tangible we could measure that against. Just a seat of the pant feeling from both drivers who pulled that trailer. However when breaking on icy roads the trailer how much more drag with the snow tires then it did with the stock all season tires. That was noticeable. If I remember right it was tough to find snow tires in that size. Also I believe load range was an issue back then and we had to get a different set of tires to get us to the load range needed for the trailer. How to get them ordered in special. But that was 5 years ago.
Its only happened to me ONCE, but it scared the Bejesus out of me.
Was pulling off the highway and making a 90 degree right turn onto a road while traveling downhill.
Truck made the turn and the trailer BROKE FREE.
Trailer pivoted 270 degrees as the truck turned.
Had there been any traffic in the other lane, it would have taken all the cars out.
And i doubt I was going 15mph...
Load range is still an issue with finding studable snow tires for a trailer. Went through it last year and ended up putting some on that will handle what the trailer scaled at loaded, but won't match the axle capacity. We've had a trailer step out sideways in bad crosswinds, solid ice, flat ground, going 45mph. Had to slow down even more and drive the rumble strips/edge of the grass. Not fun.
Been there done that, sucks, get in the habit of pulling the trailer brake like a trigger. It becomes a habit and helps going threw busy areas and lights.
This is also where manufactures cut corners, tandem with only one set of breaks or even better brakes only on one side.
AYKM , ya that one kissed my ass
I hate to admit this, but of the last 5 trailers I have owned, I have never even CONSIDERED that they might have anything less than 4 brakes on them.
Never even OCCURRED to me to take a peek.
In my opinion, you don't want brakes on both axles (all four wheels) of a tandem trailer. If on slick roads, the trailer fishtails much easier when all wheels lock up rather than one of two axles. You want one axle to keep rolling freely to make the trailer track better. That is one of the benefits of a tandem axle vs. a single axle on slick roads; on a tandem, you can have one axle with braking and the other free rolling. When you have a single axle with brakes and those tires lock up on slick road, the trailer is much less controllable. Same reason why a rear wheel drive vehicle that is a "one wheel wonder" is easier to regain control from a fishtail when compared to a rear wheel drive vehicle with a rear locker engaged. And same reason why antilock brakes offer better control (steering, recovery from fishtail/slides, etc.) than locked up brakes.
For all out stopping power on dry roads in a straight line, then yes, brakes on both axles have the potential for greater maximum stopping power. But brakes on all wheels works against you on any surface with compromised traction (gravel over a hard road surface (think marbles), rain-slicked roads, snowy/icy roads or anywhere you have the brake controller set too high for an intermittently slippery road condition). Most of us tend to set our trailer brake controller on each trip and adjust it for the weight of the load and for the road conditions where we test/set it, but keep in mind that when we encounter a road surface with less traction than where we test/set the controller that day, the controller can easily overpower the available amount of traction and lock up the trailer brakes. Having one axle NOT lock up is best for control. My 16" enclosed, tandem axles has electric brakes on only one axle. The manufacturer offers brakes on the second axle as an option, but I personally don't want them because I value trailer control on slick roads over dry road, straight line, all-out braking power. I encounter such a braking scenario (dry road, straight line, emergency braking) about once every 5 years, but drive slick roads, where both axles would easily lock up if equipped with brakes, every weekend all winter long and that would compromise trailer control so the decision is easy for me. Everyone should evaluate their typical driving conditions/road surface conditions and let that guide their tandem trailer brake setup.
Single axle trailers of course don't have a choice. But that is why most of my summer-only trailers are single axle but the 16' enclosed trailer we use for both summer and winter, I bought with tandem axles (I didn't need tandem axle for the weights I carry); so I'd have one axle with brakes and the other free-wheeling for trailer control on slick roads.
For all out stopping power on dry roads in a straight line, then yes, brakes on both axles have the potential for greater maximum stopping power. But brakes on all wheels works against you on any surface with compromised traction (gravel over a hard road surface (think marbles), rain-slicked roads, snowy/icy roads or anywhere you have the brake controller set too high for an intermittently slippery road condition). Most of us tend to set our trailer brake controller on each trip and adjust it for the weight of the load and for the road conditions where we test/set it, but keep in mind that when we encounter a road surface with less traction than where we test/set the controller that day, the controller can easily overpower the available amount of traction and lock up the trailer brakes. Having one axle NOT lock up is best for control. My 16" enclosed, tandem axles has electric brakes on only one axle. The manufacturer offers brakes on the second axle as an option, but I personally don't want them because I value trailer control on slick roads over dry road, straight line, all-out braking power. I encounter such a braking scenario (dry road, straight line, emergency braking) about once every 5 years, but drive slick roads, where both axles would easily lock up if equipped with brakes, every weekend all winter long and that would compromise trailer control so the decision is easy for me. Everyone should evaluate their typical driving conditions/road surface conditions and let that guide their tandem trailer brake setup.
Single axle trailers of course don't have a choice. But that is why most of my summer-only trailers are single axle but the 16' enclosed trailer we use for both summer and winter, I bought with tandem axles (I didn't need tandem axle for the weights I carry); so I'd have one axle with brakes and the other free-wheeling for trailer control on slick roads.
Thanks for the added insight!
I run General Arctic LTs on my 3500 with studs.
2 sets of wheels, it gets Michelin AT2 in the summer months.
Once you've run studded snow tires, you'll never go back. AT tires with 3 peak ratings are a joke on packed snow and ice.
They can work ok in loose deep snow, but that's generally where you want a very aggressive tire with paddle like tread.... Almost like a snowmobile track works in deep snow and is worthless on hard pack and ice? And then you add studs to a track if you need it to hook on ice?
I have studded Hankook iPike on my other 3500. They do well but I'm not a fan of the directional tread. They do work very well forward but can screw you trying to back up. Also can't really rotate them properly.
I've had Toyo at 2 & 3, Falken wildpeak, bfg at ko, hankook ATM... they all fall way short and completely suck compared to real snow tires.
I especially enjoy driving around people putting chains on, and I haven't even pulled the lever for 4wd yet.
2 sets of wheels, it gets Michelin AT2 in the summer months.
Once you've run studded snow tires, you'll never go back. AT tires with 3 peak ratings are a joke on packed snow and ice.
They can work ok in loose deep snow, but that's generally where you want a very aggressive tire with paddle like tread.... Almost like a snowmobile track works in deep snow and is worthless on hard pack and ice? And then you add studs to a track if you need it to hook on ice?
I have studded Hankook iPike on my other 3500. They do well but I'm not a fan of the directional tread. They do work very well forward but can screw you trying to back up. Also can't really rotate them properly.
I've had Toyo at 2 & 3, Falken wildpeak, bfg at ko, hankook ATM... they all fall way short and completely suck compared to real snow tires.
I especially enjoy driving around people putting chains on, and I haven't even pulled the lever for 4wd yet.
Use LT or E rated truck tires. Trailer tires are a bad joke anyways.
I agree that would be the way to go about it, but the problem is in the sizing. They don't make dedicated LT and E rated snow tires in sizes that are common to trailers with 15" rims.
Grabber™ Arctic LT
The Grabber™ Arctic LT is a studdable winter tire for light trucks and SUVs. Developed for heavy-duty traction on wet, snow and ice-covered roads, this tire comes complete with Duragen Technology, which provides robust strength and durability. This tire also carries the 3-Peak Mountain Snowflake...
![Grabber_Arctic_LT_Lt3Q[1].png](https://www.snowest.com/forum/data/attachments/341/341925-923135e5858b0cdc1b9a84244061b4ec.jpg?hash=kjE15YWLDN "Grabber_Arctic_LT_Lt3Q[1].png")
The Grabber™ Arctic LT is a studdable winter tire for light trucks and SUVs. Developed for heavy-duty traction on wet, snow and ice-covered roads, this tire comes complete with Duragen Technology, which provides robust strength and durability. This tire also carries the 3-Peak Mountain Snowflake symbol for severe winter conditions.
- Excellent grip in low temperatures
- Reliable braking on wet, snow or ice-covered roads
- Robust durability
- Superb steering response and dry handling
- Long-lasting treadwear
- Duragen Technology
- 3-Peak Mountain Snowflake + studdable capability
Something didn't seem right about this and I don't want to make an argument.
I think you misread what I said , a majority of manufactures are only putting brakes on one side . There are no brakes on the other side.
I also reread mine and I did see how it was poorly written.
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@Hawkster I think I was following what you meant when you said some manufactures are only putting brakes on one side of an axle. I've personally never seen that so I didn't have any comment on it. Admittedly, I only have experience with the dozen or so trailers I've owned over the years. All single axle trailers with brakes have had brakes on both sides and the only two tandems I've owned have had brakes on both sides of the front axle and no brakes on the rear axle. Having brakes on both sides of the front axle makes it easy to set brake controller gain because I can see in the side mirrors if the wheels are locking up when I do the low speed test to dial in brake controller gain for that days loaded trailer weight.
Any insight as to why a manufacturer would only put brakes on only one side of an axle but on both axles? Perhaps is has to do with what I posted about locked up wheels being less controllable so they don't want all wheels of a trailer to have brakes, but, for some reason, they think it better to spread the braking force over two axles. On tandem trailers with brakes on only one side of each axle, are the brakes in different sides or on the same side? I would think they would avoid having all the brakes on the same side of the trailer because if that particular side of the road has a strip of ice and the other side doesn't, you still have no brakes. If the brakes are spread to have one one each side of the trailer, even if only one per axle, at least you'd still have some brake force one the non-slick side of the road. I'll have to start looking under some buddies tandem trailers and see which wheels/axles have brakes.
In any case, my post was regarding most owners assuming that all tandem axle trailer with brakes have brakes on both axles and all four wheels and an explanation as to why that would be a non-typical, and generally non-desirable, brake setup on slick roads.
I think trailer brakes in general are sketchy.
There's a 24' enclosed with dual 3500s running around somewhere with 3 brakes because I lost 2 sets of bearings on a road trip and couldn't find a brake on the 4th of July. Had spare loaded drums, so I gutted the broken brake parts and motored on.
Sold the trailer a month later and only remembered the brake fiasco a year later when the wife was commenting on my hillbilly roadside adventures.
There's a 24' enclosed with dual 3500s running around somewhere with 3 brakes because I lost 2 sets of bearings on a road trip and couldn't find a brake on the 4th of July. Had spare loaded drums, so I gutted the broken brake parts and motored on.
Sold the trailer a month later and only remembered the brake fiasco a year later when the wife was commenting on my hillbilly roadside adventures.
The true all season tire.
Tires on the truck are 275/60R20 115T ( 33" x 10.8" R20")
I see Blizzacks are available as well as the HAKKAPELIITTA LT3
I see Blizzacks are available as well as the HAKKAPELIITTA LT3
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Was actually thinking about going back to having a set of dedicated winter/summer tires. I used to run Cooper Discoverer M+S and they were great dedicated tires for plowing. But looks like they have been replaced with the snow claw. Looks like a more closed tread. Seems most reviews mention its not as good. Anyone ran the new snow claw?
