GEAR REVIEW
GEAR REVIEW
By MARK Heid
TRAILER TIRES the years , Tammy
OVER and I have gone from riding two-up to each having our own bike to now riding two bikes and pulling a trailer . The first trailer was strictly to haul all the gear an Evangelist seems to acquire and need for the job . Once I got comfortable pulling a trailer , we decided we might pull a small camper with storage space and move up from sleeping on the ground .
Having a trailer allows us to take everything we need and even more . It makes the whole packing process much easier . If we want it , or even think we might need it , it gets thrown in .
A typical eight-inch trailer tire is an β ST 4.80 / 4.00 x 8 4PR .β The second number is often omitted , and the tire size is listed simply as 4.80 x 8 . The β ST β designation tells you that it is a β Special Trailer β series , meaning it is for road use and not for lawnmowers or yard equipment . The β 4.80 β is the tire β s width in inches , and the second number , β 4.00 ,β is the height of the tire section . The third number , β 8 β, is the rim diameter . An approximate tire height can be determined by adding the two tire sections and the rim diameter , four plus four plus eight , for a 16 β tall tire .
The final sequence , β 4PR β describes a four-ply rating , which is also called β Load Range B .β The other common trailer tire is a β 6PR ,β six-ply , β Load Range C β. The load range or ply determines the safe weight a tire can carry . Fourply is rated at 615 pounds each ( 1,230 pounds total ) and six-ply has a 745-pound rating ( 1,490 pounds total ).
One of the few downsides to pulling a trailer was the need to travel at slower speeds . This wasn β t because of the trailer itself but because of trailer tire specification ratings .
The limiting factor with many eight-inch trailer tires is that they carry a speed rating of J - 62 mph or K - 68 mph . If a trailer tire has no designation , it is assumed to have a 65-mph rating . Any of these will significantly reduce your safe travel speed . I recommend looking for a tire with a speed rating of L - 75 mph or M - 81 mph when changing out trailer tires
next time . Surprisingly , they are not much more expensive than a lower-speed rated tire and allow you to travel safely at highway speeds .
Many good tire manufacturers and brands are on the market , but the important thing is to use the proper DOT size , load , and speed rating . Whatever you ride and wherever you go , travel safely . CMA
Mark and Tammy Heid oversee the Rocky Mountain Region as
National Evangelist .
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