Which 8" or 10" Trailer Tires are Best?

[Coldfinger]

Ok, just bought a new tire for my Triton 2-place. I'm not liking the way it looks.

Original tires were Titans. Lasted a long time.

Two years ago installed new tires - Duro 18.5 x 8.5 x 8.

Now, one Duro has a slow carcass leak, unfixable. Dealer says Hi-Run is a good tire and installs that.

My initial impression is that the tire is of questionable quality because at 45psi it appears the tread profile is really rounded to the point that just the center tread will be touching the road.

Anyone have experience with Hi-Run tires or recommendations on a really good small trailer tire?

 

[suitcase]

Are those a 4 or 5 bolt? I'm not to farmilar with triton. I tend to go with the tallest tire that will fit good under the trailer, it seems to save on the bearings and with my zimen I have had good luck with a small car tire. I get why more milage out of them than I did with the dounut tires.

 

[Coldfinger]

5 bolt rims if that matters.

Unmounted, the Hi-Run, aired to 50psi is approx 19.25" tall. The original Titans were real close to 18.5-18.75 tall, and the Duros are way shorter than the Titans, maybe by .5-1.0 inch but I didn't crawl under the trailer to measure.

If there is a car tire that will fit let me know what it is cause next set of tires I'll switch. I'd say the O.D. can't be much more than 19.25 otherwise it will not leave enough clearance between tire and deck. Right now there is only 3 fingers of clearance with a sled on deck.

 

[Hawkeye]

there isn't a car tire small enough to match up with the 8" trailer tire, need to put spacers in and go with a 10" or 13", but then your ramp is steeper, good luck

 

[Coldfinger]

Ya, I looked at the spacers a few years ago and decided to just stay with the 8" wheels, after all, they've served their purpose well so far in their 10 years of service.

 

[sledhed]

Local triton dealer recommends 12" or 13" trailer tires but they were kinda pricey and he was not sure they would fit under my trailer. I used to run Geo Metro 12" car radial tires on a different light 4x8 trailer, not a sled trailer, those might work if the load rating covers it... I am running 12" narrow bias trailer tires right now, load range C 80 PSI, but I have had some flats (one that damaged the tire beyond repair), and one has a slow leak right now that no-one ever seemed to be able to fix, and am going to switch to some 18.5x8.5-8 load range C tires a buddy of mine swapped me for. That size originally came on the sledbed open trailer I have. The two tires I got from him have good tread and the rims are not rusty. But they are "load star" brand and made in China... same brand on my newer travel trailer (but larger) and they are starting to weather check after only a couple years (trailer is a 2006 model).

But they do seem baloon-ish, but if I remember right they flatten out some with a full load on them. They are 50PSI tires and that is where I run them. Last trailer I had, these are the size that was on it, and I never had a flat all the years I ran that one. Heck I never even used to carry a spare.

The car tire option, if they fit and carry the load, would give you an option for studded tires if you wanted...

All mine have been 5 hole standard, other than the old 4x8 which was 4 hole wheels.

Probably TMI. But I understand the frustration with lightweight trailer tire issues...