off road trailer tire tech opinions please

[christover1]

I'm lookin at 235/75 tires for my off road trailer.
I'm guessing only sideways traction is important?
And maybe overall strength for rocks etc flying off the car wheels.
Not running same size as car, but same stud pattern.
Therefore no need to use same tires as on the car.
(All car/trailer tires and car spare will still fit, if needed, on non welded diffs axles use)

I'm thinking All Terrains, but does it matter, what do peoples think?
christover

[GQ Toy]

does not realy matter much - legal tread is about all I worry about. Sideways traction if you do lots of curving gravel may be a consideration. Sidewalls for tight bushtracks will be important if you carry heavy loads.

I ran 33's with patch on the tread where a star picket went through - did several thousand km's before i relaced it

[Ruffy]

I reckon it dependes on how heavy your trailer is. I Ran AT's on mine and it tracks real sweet in greasey mud and doesn't really get out of shape at all. I'ts too light for M/T's as they dont get any bite to speak of and it's all over the shop!
I don't see any benefit to M/T's, it's just that's what i had handy at the time.
I'd go A/T's for sure.

[christover1]

thanx peoples

It will be a very light trailer, and not loaded with much more than a roof top type tent.

It will be used on harder type tracks and maybe touring and a bit of highway stuff.

Think price and availability may influence decisions, too

christover

[Ryano]

Try to pick a pattern with a fair amount of solid rubber and avoid patterns with lots of water siping. The water siping tends to lead to excessive chipping.

Cheers,
Ryano

[Guy]

Chis what size are the Vit rims .. if they are 16's would a 7.50x16 fit the bill, should be similar in height to your mongrels

[christover1]

Chis what size are the Vit rims .. if they are 16's would a 7.50x16 fit the bill, should be similar in height to your mongrels

I'd like that, and it was seriously considered,
but alas they are 15's.

Though I don't need same size on trailer to achieve same ground clearance as zook, as trailer axle is only 40mm thick, much less than the diff pumpkin.

I'm told less diaeter = less "get going" resistance.
It could be so?

christover

[grimbo]

I'd be trying to match as close as possible to your tyres on the Zuk

[christover1]

Try to pick a pattern with a fair amount of solid rubber and avoid patterns with lots of water siping. The water siping tends to lead to excessive chipping.

Cheers,
Ryano

That makes sense, thanks.

[christover1]

I'd be trying to match as close as possible to your tyres on the Zuk

I agree, very sensible, but alas common sense is not always the driving factor
Taller and skinny to suit 15's not easy or cheap.

[RUFF]

I'm told less diaeter = less "get going" resistance.
It could be so?

christover

Maybe if they were driving wheels but they are only getting rolled along. I would think width would have more variation on this than height on a trailer. Also the smaller you go the faster your wheelbearings are wearing out.

[christover1]

I'm told less diaeter = less "get going" resistance.
It could be so?

christover

Maybe if they were driving wheels but they are only getting rolled along. I would think width would have more variation on this than height on a trailer. Also the smaller you go the faster your wheelbearings are wearing out.

That is a good point, and makes sense to me, thanks.
Bigger is always better anyway, thats why I drive a zook

[christover1]

Bumped for more input.

I already have matching wheel stud pattern, car to camper, but not the same offsets.
I believe it to be the safest idea, I can't carry 2 spare wheels on my poor liitle beast..
My trailer wheels will fit the car if ever needed, (with care if used on the front steering)
And car wheels would fit camper, though sticking outside of guards quite a few cm's.
(Cars spare is different offset also)

My question is, should I run smaller diameter tyres on the camper, for easier towing,
less strain on little engines etc? With a small loss of clearance.
They could still be used in emergencies on the car.
(Not on rear, locked, both tyres need to be the same, but on the front be ok if free wheeling)

Presently running incorrect rim width for tyre size,
and having clearance issues with shock to tyre wall, on deep compression.
This could be solved by buying correct rim width, or by going down to correct tyre for the rims I have.
After recently upgrading the slippers to eye to eye springs,
the camper now sits higher, ie not level with car.
(They may bed down with weight and use)

PS. I just went out and measured track widths of car and trailer.
Tyre wall to tyre wall of car is 65" (summit in metric too )
and Trailer is 67" tyre wall to tyre wall.
so a loss in track width of trailer may be a good thing?

christover

[bogged]

This could be solved by buying correct rim width,

do it/
or buy/make bigger guards for trailer to fit same on trailer and car which would be my preference.

[christover1]

This could be solved by buying correct rim width,

do it/
or buy/make bigger guards for trailer to fit same on trailer and car which would be my preference.

It will be getting correct tyre/rim combo fer sure.
Can't fit same offset rims as zook, as trailer would need widening by 130mm, but can fit stock F100 15x8 rims as thier offset would only add 15mm each side.

[Gwagensteve]

I vote the smallest, lightest possible tyre with close to the appropriate diameter.

I'd go 6.00/6.50/7.00 LT tyres and 16X4.5" LJ or sierra rims.

I've got some fresh bar treads out the back.

Can't see the point in an expensive/fat/good on road radial. It's a trailer.

I'd put money on you never picking the difference to tow almost regardless of what you run.

You already know you're not going to match your car ( due to offset/wrong type of tyre) so I'd just run the best trailer tyre possible, and that's my vote.

Steve.

Steve.

[christover1]

Trying hard to use what I have.
I got 2 perfect 31" mudders and 4 perfect 15 X 5.5" rims.
Tall and skinny would be good, as long as they a common size for replacements.
LJ rims are made of gold these days, but I'm sure there could be something equivalent available.

Matching track width could be an advantage in sand and similar.

[THICKNICK]

i run 235/75/15 all terrains on my camper trailer and find them very good and bag out well at low pressure even under not much wieght. I mainly do beach work and for this i find it best to have a tyre narrower than the tyres on your car and all same track, that way the trailer tyres roll in the track your car has created, instead of being dragged through the sand.

[christover1]

i run 235/75/15 all terrains on my camper trailer and find them very good and bag out well at low pressure even under not much wieght. I mainly do beach work and for this i find it best to have a tyre narrower than the tyres on your car and all same track, that way the trailer tyres roll in the track your car has created, instead of being dragged through the sand.

I noticed this issue on our Big Desert trip.
I originally designed the camper with 28 or 29's in mind.
That size would keep the trailer tyres within the cars track.
So 235/75's would probably be good.
Still useable as car spares, too.
I ran 235/75's on my 5.5" car rims for a long time without issue.
Tall and skinny and within my cars track sounds like the go.
See what comes up.