How to Choose the Best Trailer Wheel and Tire Packages
In This Article:
How to Choose the Best Wheel and Tire Package for Your Trailer
What Exactly Is a Trailer Wheel and Tire Trailer Combo?
Wheel and Tire Packages Offer Several Advantages
Some Tips for Choosing the Best Size Trailer Assembly for You
Larger Trailer Tires and Wheels Are Not Always Better
Consider the Bolt Pattern When Selecting Rim and Tire Packages
Choose Wheel and Tire Packages with Radial Ply Tires or Bias Ply Tires for Your Trailer?
First, What’s the Difference Between Bias Ply Tire and Radial Ply Tire Packages?
So—Bias vs. Radial, Which is Better for My Trailer?
Top Quality RubberMaster Trailer Tires Mounted on Tough SteelMaster Wheels
At Treadworld, You’ll Find the Right Wheel and Tire Package for ANY Trailer!
When You Need Trailer Tires and Wheels, Count on Us
How to Choose the Best Wheel and Tire Packages for Your Trailer
Maybe you just picked up a second-hand trailer and the tires and wheels are shot, maybe new rims and tires for trailers are what you need to make your old trailer road-worthy, or maybe it’s just time to upgrade the trailer tires and wheels on the work trailer you use nearly every day—whatever your reason for wanting new trailer wheels and tires, you’ve come to the right place. The tire experts at Treadworld are here to simplify the process of getting the right assemblies for your needs by sharing the tips and tricks we’ve learned in nearly five decades of providing the finest tires, wheels, tubes and rim and tire packages anywhere. No matter what type of towable trailer you have—travel trailer, trailer for work, dump trailer, livestock trailer, boat trailer, snowmobile trailer, construction trailer, flatbed trailer, personal trailer, tilt trailer—you name it, you’ll find the trailer wheel and tire packages you want.
What Exactly Is a Trailer Wheel and Tire Trailer Combo?
Also known as tire and wheel assemblies, wheel and rim packages, and tire and rim combos, trailer tire and wheel packages provide you with fully inflated tires already fitted, mounted and balanced on a wheel, with a valve stem installed—so all you have to do is put them on your trailer, tighten up the lug nuts and go. Quick and easy. To make your best choice, you’ll need to know the size trailer wheel and tire you want, the type of trailer tire you want in terms of load range/ply and tread, and the bolt pattern you need to attach to your trailer.
Wheel and Tire Packages Offer Several Advantages
Time Savings. There’s little doubt that getting wheels and tires for trailers together instead of separately offers a big dose of convenience and time-savings, both in selection and installation time. You don’t have to choose each component—tire, wheel, valve stem—separately, which saves you time right off the bat. Plus, with a tire and wheel assembly, worries about getting mismatched sizes are eliminated because everything is compatible, the tire matched to the wheel. You also save time because you don’t have to first mount the tires to the wheels and install the valve stems, then put the wheels on the trailer. That has already been expertly done for you at the factory, where the tire and rim are also balanced. By buying your trailer tires and wheels together, you’ve cut the steps down to two—selecting the right tire and wheel combo and bolting that combo to your trailer. If you’re able to do it yourself, you’ll be ready to go in minutes, hauling your boat, equipment, livestock, mobile home, you name it.
Safety. Because the tire and rim combos are a matched set consisting of the right tire matched to the right wheel, it also gives you a safety advantage. Mismatched wheel and tire combinations result in uneven and premature wear that can lead to failures and blowouts, as well as stress added to other parts of your equipment. Plus, you can be confident the newly installed packages will fit freely in the wheel wells, without friction and scuffing.
Money Savings. Additionally, trailer wheel and tire combos save you money. Two ways. First, the trailer tire wheel combo costs you less than buying the tire and the wheel, and the valve stem (which is included with every Treadworld wheel and tire package), separately. And second, you don’t have to pay to have the tire mounted on the wheel, or if you do it yourself, you save the value of your time spent.
Convenience, safety, and savings in dollars and cents, what’s not to love?
Some Tips for Choosing the Best Size Trailer Assembly for You
The easiest way for you to select the size trailer wheels and tires to provide a level load bed and optimal performance is to match the size wheel/tires your trailer was equipped with when you bought it. There are as many trailer wheel/tire sizes as there are types of trailers. Just for instance, here at Treadworld, we carry 19 sizes of wheel and tire packages for boat trailers, 22 sizes of wheel and tire packages for cargo trailers and 15 wheel and tire packages for car haulers.
On the other hand, there can be an advantage of swapping out the original wheels and tires for larger ones, since in many cases trailer manufacturers use smaller tires to save on weight and cost—which means you may have the option of going slightly bigger with your trailer tire and rim combos. The biggest advantage to a larger trailer tire is not better ride quality, which is negligible (even though larger tires do tend to absorb the effect of bumps in the road better than smaller tires) but rather it’s the higher load rating larger tires offer.
But—it’s important to note that adding larger wheels and tires doesn’t mean your trailer’s carrying capacity automatically increases. The trailer carrying capacity is set by the manufacturer based a number of factors, including the frame’s strength and the axle rating, not just the tire size. Though tires with higher load ratings can handle a heavier load than those with lower ratings, they do not impact the overall carrying capacity of your trailer.
Larger Trailer Tires and Wheels Are Not Always Better
If you decide to go with larger trailer tires and rims, you need to make sure as you have enough room for the larger size. Pay attention to clearance, from the top of the tire to the fender, and from the inside wall of the tire to the trailer wall/frame, keeping in mind that trailer tires have a tendency to bounce as they travel down the road. Additionally, before you upgrade the size of your wheels and tires, you want to be certain the increased size won’t put too much stress on the axle and other components, which can lead to decreased performance and/or premature wear and tear. Or worse.
Consider the Bolt Pattern When Selecting Rim and Tire Packages
Another factor that you will want to consider is the bolt pattern of the wheel. If your current wheels have a 4 on 4 inch bolt pattern to connect to the hub, then the new wheels must have a 4 on 4 inch bolt pattern as well. Along with 4 on 4, other common bolt patterns include 5 on 4.5, 5 on 5, 6 on 5.5, and 8 on 6.5. The first number indicates the number of lug holes, and the second number indicates the diameter of the circle that those holes sit on.
Choose Radial Ply Tire or Bias Ply Tire Wheel and Tire Packages for Your Trailer?
You’ve probably heard that radial ply tires tend to offer superior performance when driven on the highway, providing a smoother ride and better traction, while also running smoother than bias ply tires. That’s definitely true—when you’re talking about passenger tires. It’s not as clear cut when you’re talking about trailer tires, which have no cornering responsibilities and are designed to carry a load and reduce swaying.
First, What’s the Difference Between Bias Ply Tire and Radial Ply Tire Packages?
Trailer tires are constructed in one of two ways…bias ply or radial ply. The difference lies in the belt construction. With bias ply tires, the ply cords (typically a combination of polyester and steel) extend diagonally from bead to bead. They cross the tire at a 30-45 degree angle to the direction of travel, with successive plies laid in a crisscross pattern. With radial tires, the cord plies are arranged at 90 degree angles to the direction of travel, and the under-tread area is wrapped around the circumference of the tire by steel or fabric radial belts.
What that all means is that, while both constructions retain the same functionality, how they roll is different. Radial ply tires typically are more flexible, and the tread and sidewalls function as two independent features of the tire because sidewall flex is not transferred to the tread; bias ply tires tend to have less flex and stiffer, stronger sidewalls, which work in tandem with the tread as a single unit.
So—Bias vs. Radial, Which is Better for My Trailer?
Neither bias ply or radials are better—in all situations and for all applications. If you drive your trailer most often on country roads, on rough or unpaved roads, or at slow speeds, you’ll likely get better performance from bias ply tires. Same if you only put your trailer to work once in a while. But, if most of your hauling is done at higher speeds on highways, for longer distances, and more often, then radial trailer tires will serve you best. If punctures are a particular source of concern, you’ll likely be better off with trailer tires that are bias ply. That’s because bias construction features multiple rubber layers overlapping each other that make the tires rugged and durable, while tending to localize punctures, often allowing you to make a temporary repair until a proper repair can be made—rather than expanding those tears and going flat immediately.
Top Quality RubberMaster Trailer Tires Mounted on Tough SteelMaster Wheels
Obviously, any time or savings advantage gained by getting a rim and tire package is lost if the individual components that make up the tire and wheel combo are not reliable. With Treadworld Tire and Wheel Assemblies, you don’t have to give quality a second thought. Every RubberMaster Tire is manufactured to strict tolerances from top rubber compounds, then triple-tested for quality, balance and uniformity before being X-rayed to be sure each one is perfect. That tire is then matched to a tough, durable SteelMaster Rim that undergoes its own battery of quality tests before it leaves the factory. SteelMaster Wheels are dent-proof, crack-proof and virtually indestructible. Add in a quality valve stem, and precision mounting and balancing, and you’ve got a wheel and tire package you can depend on for the long haul. Literally.
At Treadworld, You’ll Find the Right Wheel and Tire Package for ANY Trailer!
That’s right, our selection of RubberMaster Tires/SteelMaster Wheels Trailer Packages is huge, for any trailer. You’ll find 22 assemblies for small trailers and utility trailers. At the other end of the scale, you’ll find four options for toy haulers, four options for towable RV trailers and two options for heavy equipment trailers. Need a tire and wheel assembly for your horse trailer? You’ll find four options here. And how about your motorcycle trailer? Seven options. Snowmobile trailer? Three options. Construction trailers, four options and equipment trailers—18 options. The point is, you’ll find the trailer wheel and tire packages you need right here, in the sizes, load ranges and bolt patterns you need, and they’ll all arrive at your doorstep, fully inflated, and ready to bolt up to the trailer.
When You Need Trailer Tires and Wheels, Count on Us
No matter what trailer tire and wheel package you’re looking for, count on us here at Treadworld to provide you with exactly what you want, from our wide range of sizes and options. Use the convenient Treadworld Product Selector Tool on the Treadworld.com home page to quickly find what you need. As mentioned, RubberMaster Tires and SteelMaster Wheels undergo several strict quality checks to provide you with “never-let-you-down” quality. You can expect easy ordering and fast shipping, plus your satisfaction is guaranteed with our no-hassle Ultimate Advantage Warranty. Don’t hesitate to contact our tire experts via live chat or email with any questions you may have, and to get the ideal trailer tire and wheel packages—or the perfect ATV tires, UTV tires, agricultural tires, lawn and garden tires, and many others—from our extensive selection.
