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Technical Bias Trailer Tires on My Ford?

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by leon bee, Mar 23, 2019.

  1. leon bee
    Joined: Mar 15, 2017
    Posts: 798

    leon bee
    Member

    I've been working on my 50 coupe for a couple years now. Way back then I bought 4 of the cheapest 15" trailer tires I ever saw, so all this time I haven't had to blow up tires to move her around. And they look good. Now I'm getting to where I need to tag the car and go to town.

    I've probably got 20 miles on her ramming up and down the road out front of my shop, seating the rings, etc. Car drives just fine..........surprisingly so- all new steering parts, etc. What about these tires? I tried to read up, never found real world info. Might be illegal? Why? I'm a bias tire guy, don't want radials. What about these tires on my car? I can always put em on one of my ragged ass trailers. Thanks for any info!
     
  2. tfeverfred
    Joined: Nov 11, 2006
    Posts: 15,791

    tfeverfred
    Member Emeritus

    Doesn't sound too safe. Why risk it?
     
  3. missysdad1
    Joined: Dec 9, 2008
    Posts: 3,305

    missysdad1
    Member

    Trailer tires are not speed rated and do not conform to the same standards as passenger car tires.
     
  4. Johnny Gee
    Joined: Dec 3, 2009
    Posts: 12,602

    Johnny Gee
    Member
    from Downey, Ca

    Like any other tire and more so with trailer tires. They did to be swapped out every 5 years.
     

  5. oldiron 440
    Joined: Dec 12, 2018
    Posts: 3,299

    oldiron 440
    Member

    Trailer tires that are! And should be on a trailer............period.
     
  6. Johnny Gee
    Joined: Dec 3, 2009
    Posts: 12,602

    Johnny Gee
    Member
    from Downey, Ca

    ^^^^^ Agree. I even have trouble having them on my travel trailer.
     
  7. leon bee
    Joined: Mar 15, 2017
    Posts: 798

    leon bee
    Member

    But why? I can't find either technical, homespun, or even old wive's tales about why. I don't plan to wreck the car, just would like to know. Thanks, guys!
     
  8. leon bee
    Joined: Mar 15, 2017
    Posts: 798

    leon bee
    Member

    Just realized I should try google again. There's a whole bunch on there I can read tonight.
     
  9. blowby
    Joined: Dec 27, 2012
    Posts: 8,661

    blowby
    Member
    from Nicasio Ca

    Can't think of anything. The load rating is probably way over your needs, trailers get towed at 70+ all the time, they are exposed to cornering and braking loads..

    That said, I doubt anyone is going to recommend it, no one wants to see anyone get hurt.
     
    seb fontana likes this.
  10. Johnny Gee
    Joined: Dec 3, 2009
    Posts: 12,602

    Johnny Gee
    Member
    from Downey, Ca

    Your call. Would I run them on a cruiser (slow speeds and plenty of stopping distance), yes. But beware of going beyond that. They are designed as rollers if you really think about.
     
  11. Rusty O'Toole
    Joined: Sep 17, 2006
    Posts: 9,657

    Rusty O'Toole
    Member

    Generally speaking bias ply trailer tires are built to carry heavy loads, they are built heavier than car tires which makes it hard for them to dissipate heat at high speeds. On trailers it is recommended to keep speed down to 60 or less especially on hot roads. In trailer use, these cheap tires have a habit of blowing apart especially when they get old, if used at high speed.

    I don't know about traction and handling but suspect they are no where near as good as modern radial car tires.

    If you don't expect too much out of them there is no reason you can't drive on them. Even so, I think you would be better off with new car tires.
     
    gnichols likes this.
  12. A Boner
    Joined: Dec 25, 2004
    Posts: 7,419

    A Boner
    Member

    Sidewalls are stiff to carry trailer loads. Run lower air pressure. They are ok on the back of my "T" modified. Can't be any worse than some of the over priced "specialty" tires offered to the traditional crowd.
     
    Last edited: Mar 23, 2019
    RMR&C likes this.
  13. I once bought a set of old, stiff Double Eagle bias ply tires for my 49 ford coupe. I had MoPar cop car wheels in 15X7" and assumed the wide {Cadillac/Buick/Lincoln} tires would be ok. Put them on the car and drove it to DeMoines to a Goodguys event. That car was all over the interstate! Lurched side to side, followed seams in the road surface and was dangerous to drive over 45MPH. When I got home I bitched to my alignment guy and he rechecked the settings...said it was right-on. Tried a pair of radials on the front and it drove like a new car. I sold those old hard tires [similar to trailer tires] to some guy with a caddy and I won't run stiff-sidewall bias ply tires on anything but a trailer...
     
    zzford likes this.
  14. 51504bat
    Joined: May 22, 2010
    Posts: 4,755

    51504bat
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Running trailer tires on a car that gets involved in an accident even if tires aren't an obvious issue will result in a potential ticket/mess/law suit. Not worth the risk. IMO
     
    deucemac and trollst like this.
  15. Mr48chev
    Joined: Dec 28, 2007
    Posts: 33,861

    Mr48chev
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    I don't know about the legalities of it if one blows and you wreck into someone or someone's property.
    That said right now it might depend on how and where you plan to drive the car. Local trips of under 50 miles in one direction and not over 60 mph I probably wouldn't get too excited. If you are going to take off to Lone Star next month and run with some guys who like to run 75 or 80 most of the time it would be time for an upgrade and stick those on trailer.
    '
     
    MO_JUNK and Johnny Gee like this.
  16. leon bee
    Joined: Mar 15, 2017
    Posts: 798

    leon bee
    Member

    This is an interesting discussion. I would not plan to drive on these long term. But I've bought so many goddam tires the last few years it makes my head swim.
     
    Old wolf likes this.
  17. saltflats
    Joined: Aug 14, 2007
    Posts: 12,592

    saltflats
    Member
    from Missouri

    Seem to hear about more trailer tires blowing out than car tires. :eek:
     
  18. 56sedandelivery
    Joined: Nov 21, 2006
    Posts: 6,695

    56sedandelivery
    Member Emeritus

    There was just a thread here on 5 year old tires, they "should" be replaced. But how many of us have tires that are probably 4 times that, sitting on our car right now, and we've never had an issue. BUT, trailer tires? Probably pretty narrow, and nothing fancy about the tread, and probably ride like they're square! W-A-Y back when I was in high school, and worked at a Standard Chevron Dealer (66-69), there was a "family of questionable means. OK, they were crooks, car thieves, and lived in a dilapidated, single-wide trailer, just up the road from the station. They suddenly, turned up with a 55 Chevrolet 2 door hardtop, red and white, with a nice sounding engine and 4 speed transmission. One evening I had to dismount/mount/remount some tires onto the mags that were on the 55. About the time I'm finished, I see they're "trailer tires"! Too late now, and they were OK with it, so I finished up, and sent them on their way. A few weeks later, they were arrested for the 55; they had stolen it, and the county sheriff's deputies got it back to the owner, after making him jump through all their "bureaucratic red tape". 55 sure did look funny with those trailer tires on it; especially since they were white walls. It was years later, when I was working in healthcare as an X-Ray/CAT Scan tech, that one of the brothers (there were 3 of them) came across my CAT Scanner. I remembered him, but he did't remember me (it had been at least 35 years); asked him about that 55 hardtop, and he admitted they stole it and got caught, but he did't remember the trailer tire story I reminded him of. Course he probably did't remember what he had for breakfast. I am Butch/56sedandelivery.
     
  19. Johnny Gee
    Joined: Dec 3, 2009
    Posts: 12,602

    Johnny Gee
    Member
    from Downey, Ca

    Neglect due to age and or bad towing habits. Also, on any travel trailer forum (as is with any tire for any application) there is a lot of talk about inexpensive trailer tires. All of it not good.
     
    blowby likes this.
  20. blowby
    Joined: Dec 27, 2012
    Posts: 8,661

    blowby
    Member
    from Nicasio Ca

    Also low air pressure. Easy to let that slip on trailers. Hmm, I recently bought 4 new trailer tires, brand is Hi Run, whoever that is, for my car trailer. Came with rims already mounted. When it's empty, between about 35-50 mph, the whole trailer just about bounces off the ground. Smooths out after that. Must be out of round.
     
  21. Johnny Gee
    Joined: Dec 3, 2009
    Posts: 12,602

    Johnny Gee
    Member
    from Downey, Ca

    No suspension travel and tires like basket balls will do that. I had a 4 x 8 utility that bounced like crazy empty. Drop the pressure to 25psi and all was good again. Just a pain in the ass either living with the bounce fully aired up or airing tires back up because your loading up.
     
  22. BamaMav
    Joined: Jun 19, 2011
    Posts: 6,709

    BamaMav
    Member
    from Berry, AL

    Trailer tires are designed to run straight down the road, not be side loaded like on a car front end. Might get away with them on the back, but the fronts I'd think would be too stiff in curves.
     
  23. Back when gas was $4 a gallon I wanted to drive a OT 4 cyl pickup. I wanted bias ply. I bought a set of heavy sidewall bias trailer tires. and sanded of the lettering that stated trailer use only. and I drove the fire out of that little gas sipping truck. I even hauled some scrap copper and aluminum rims to Springfield mo. hauled firewood also. Went to auctions and loaded it to the gills. and never a bit of problem. trailer tires usually have a higher tread wear rating. and are made from a harder rubber compound. I kept mine inflated to the 60 PSI max pressure as stated on the sidewall. I still have the truck and the tires are still on it. still round & black and holding air. Shit Happens. and any tire of any kind or any age can fail for a variety of reasons. I think under inflation is the worst thing you can do. A tire with low air pressure flexes a lot and builds up excessive heat. Heat is the worst. look at how many semi tires fail when the summer temps soar.
     

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