Komet trailer tires

I want to replace the tires on my Komet trailer. The original tire
size is P165/80 R13, which is now hard to find.

The choice seems to be either a Firestone passenger car radial in the
correct size or a slightly taller Towmaster made by Greenball. The
trailer tire will have a taller but stiffer sidewall. It will come a
little closer to the fender, but my mechanic says less than half an
inch closer. The size is 175/80 R13.

I plan to tow about 75 mph most of the time. I really want to avoid
sway.

Any experience with these tires out there?

Thanks,
Robin RF

On Feb 22, 5:12*pm, Robin wrote:
I want to replace the tires on my Komet trailer. The original tire
size is P165/80 R13, which is now hard to find.

The choice seems to be either a Firestone passenger car radial in the
correct size or a slightly taller Towmaster made by Greenball. *The
trailer tire will have a taller but stiffer sidewall. It will come a
little closer to the fender, but my mechanic says less than half an
inch closer. The size is 175/80 R13.

*I plan to tow about 75 mph most of the time. I really want to avoid
sway.

Any experience with these tires out there?

Thanks,
Robin RF

I use 185/70R 13 tires on my Komet. They are the same diameter as
your 165/80R 13 (within 1/4") but 2cm wider.

-T8

Truck or trailer tires will be more stable than car tires. If you're
concerned with clearance, then first try sticking 1" blocks of
styrofoam inside the fenders. Drive around with your existing tires
and see if they rub on or damage the blocks.
The trailer tires are only one part of the equation. Keep the proper
weight and balance on the trailer. Maintain the tow vehicle's shock
absorbers, tires and wheel alignment.
Jim

RF

A number of us have switched to Maxxis, which makes a radial trailer tire.
(www.maxxis.com ST8008). All of MGSA's trailers and a number of private
owners have these tires, with no sway issues reported.

Here in Atlanta they are easy to get from their regional warehouse. I
suspect in JAX, they should be readily available.

I switched from a 165/80 14 to 175/80 14 which gave a slightly taller tire
and better ground clearance. I have Maxxis for about six years, and just
replaced my first set last month with a new set, obeying the John Murray
"five year" rule.



"Robin" wrote in message
...
I want to replace the tires on my Komet trailer. The original tire
size is P165/80 R13, which is now hard to find.

The choice seems to be either a Firestone passenger car radial in the
correct size or a slightly taller Towmaster made by Greenball. The
trailer tire will have a taller but stiffer sidewall. It will come a
little closer to the fender, but my mechanic says less than half an
inch closer. The size is 175/80 R13.

I plan to tow about 75 mph most of the time. I really want to avoid
sway.

Any experience with these tires out there?

Thanks,
Robin RF

On Feb 22, 5:12*pm, Robin wrote:
I want to replace the tires on my Komet trailer. The original tire
size is P165/80 R13, which is now hard to find.

The choice seems to be either a Firestone passenger car radial in the
correct size or a slightly taller Towmaster made by Greenball. *The
trailer tire will have a taller but stiffer sidewall. It will come a
little closer to the fender, but my mechanic says less than half an
inch closer. The size is 175/80 R13.

*I plan to tow about 75 mph most of the time. I really want to avoid
sway.

Any experience with these tires out there?

Thanks,
Robin RF

Robin,
Bought tires from a trailer repair place on W. Beaver.
Normandy to Chaffee, Chaffee across I10, across rr tracks, turn
right, just down the road on the right.
They mounted them for me. I had the trailer on blocks in Shawns
hangar.
I was advised to stay away from radials because they create sway.

r/Jim
LS-1f/N20GA/1J

Robin---
I'll second Mitch's vote!
I'm happy with the Maxxis.
Sway is more a function of the tow vehicle than anything else. Demonstrated
by towing same trailer, same road, same day, same speed--two different
vehicles, vastly different result. (as closely controlled experiment as we
could). Replaced poor performing vehicle with different vehicle--marked
improvement.
--
Hartley Falbaum
"KF" USA

"Mitch Deutsch" wrote in message
m...
RF

A number of us have switched to Maxxis, which makes a radial trailer tire.
(www.maxxis.com ST8008). All of MGSA's trailers and a number of private
owners have these tires, with no sway issues reported.

Here in Atlanta they are easy to get from their regional warehouse. I
suspect in JAX, they should be readily available.

I switched from a 165/80 14 to 175/80 14 which gave a slightly taller tire
and better ground clearance. I have Maxxis for about six years, and just
replaced my first set last month with a new set, obeying the John Murray
"five year" rule.



"Robin" wrote in message
...
I want to replace the tires on my Komet trailer. The original tire
size is P165/80 R13, which is now hard to find.

The choice seems to be either a Firestone passenger car radial in the
correct size or a slightly taller Towmaster made by Greenball. The
trailer tire will have a taller but stiffer sidewall. It will come a
little closer to the fender, but my mechanic says less than half an
inch closer. The size is 175/80 R13.

I plan to tow about 75 mph most of the time. I really want to avoid
sway.

Any experience with these tires out there?

Thanks,
Robin RF

Robin wrote:
I want to replace the tires on my Komet trailer. The original tire
size is P165/80 R13, which is now hard to find.

The choice seems to be either a Firestone passenger car radial in the
correct size or a slightly taller Towmaster made by Greenball. The
trailer tire will have a taller but stiffer sidewall. It will come a
little closer to the fender, but my mechanic says less than half an
inch closer. The size is 175/80 R13.

I plan to tow about 75 mph most of the time. I really want to avoid
sway.
Don't use trailer tires (ST type) if you tow that fast. From an article
I wrote for the ASH 26 E "tech site":

Commonly available tire types are P (passenger car), LT (light truck)
and ST (special trailer). While each tire series shares basic
construction methods, the details vary meaningfully among the three.

There are other differences:

1. P tires use a load rating system that is different from ST and
LT tires; generally, you have to discount their rating 10% to
get the equivalent ST or LT rating.
2. ST tires speed rating is 65 mph. The speed rating increases to
75 mph IF you increase the tire pressure to 10 psi above the
pressure required for your load at 65 mph. These are not the
tires for folks that like to drive 80 mph across the Nevada
highways in 100 deg F temperatures.
3. ST tires come in both bias-belted and radial construction. The
only advantage to a bias-belted trailer tire is it's cheaper.
4. LT tires are a bit "stiffer" than either P or ST tires, and are
available in speed ratings to at least 118 mph.

P tires might work fine, but I don't know what speed and load ratings
would ensure this. If I decided to use P tires, I'd use them at the
pressure that gave a load rating of ~40% more load rating than the load
they has to carry. I'd choose a speed rating at least 20 mph higher than
the speed rating on my tow vehicles tires. Rules of thumb - no real
documented tests.

Currently, I'm using Michelin LT tires on my Cobra, 105 mph rating.

If avoiding sway is really important to you, you should drive slower.
It's very effective.

--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA (netto to net to email me)

- "Transponders in Sailplanes - Feb/2010" also ADS-B, PCAS, Flarm http://tinyurl.com/yb3xywl

- "A Guide to Self-launching Sailplane Operation Mar/2004" Much of what you need to know tinyurl.com/yfs7tnz

Robin wrote:
I want to replace the tires on my Komet trailer. The original tire
size is P165/80 R13, which is now hard to find.

The choice seems to be either a Firestone passenger car radial in the
correct size or a slightly taller Towmaster made by Greenball. The
trailer tire will have a taller but stiffer sidewall. It will come a
little closer to the fender, but my mechanic says less than half an
inch closer. The size is 175/80 R13.

I plan to tow about 75 mph most of the time. I really want to avoid
sway.
Don't use trailer tires (ST type) if you tow that fast. From an article
I wrote for the ASH 26 E "tech site":

Commonly available tire types are P (passenger car), LT (light truck)
and ST (special trailer). While each tire series shares basic
construction methods, the details vary meaningfully among the three.

There are other differences:

1. P tires use a load rating system that is different from ST and
LT tires; generally, you have to discount their rating 10% to
get the equivalent ST or LT rating.
2. ST tires speed rating is 65 mph. The speed rating increases to
75 mph IF you increase the tire pressure to 10 psi above the
pressure required for your load at 65 mph. These are not the
tires for folks that like to drive 80 mph across the Nevada
highways in 100 deg F temperatures.
3. ST tires come in both bias-belted and radial construction. The
only advantage to a bias-belted trailer tire is it's cheaper.
4. LT tires are a bit "stiffer" than either P or ST tires, and are
available in speed ratings to at least 118 mph.

P tires might work fine, but I don't know what speed and load ratings
would ensure this. If I decided to use P tires, I'd use them at the
pressure that gave a load rating of ~40% more load rating than the load
they has to carry. I'd choose a speed rating at least 20 mph higher than
the speed rating on my tow vehicles tires. Rules of thumb - no real
documented tests.

Currently, I'm using Michelin LT tires on my Cobra, 105 mph rating.

If avoiding sway is really important to you, you should drive slower.
It's very effective.

--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA (netto to net to email me)

- "Transponders in Sailplanes - Feb/2010" also ADS-B, PCAS, Flarm http://tinyurl.com/yb3xywl

- "A Guide to Self-launching Sailplane Operation Mar/2004" Much of what you need to know tinyurl.com/yfs7tnz

wrote:
Robin,
Bought tires from a trailer repair place on W. Beaver.
Normandy to Chaffee, Chaffee across I10, across rr tracks, turn
right, just down the road on the right.
They mounted them for me. I had the trailer on blocks in Shawns
hangar.
I was advised to stay away from radials because they create sway.

Bad advice. ST tires come in both bias-belted and radial construction.
The only advantage to a bias-belted trailer tire is it's cheaper. Cobra
trailers have come with radials for decades; also, wander through a new
travel trailer lot, and notice how they all have radials. Also, last
time I looked, there was very little choice in non-radial sizes. Some
major companies don't even sell them.

--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA (netto to net to email me)

- "Transponders in Sailplanes - Feb/2010" also ADS-B, PCAS, Flarm http://tinyurl.com/yb3xywl

- "A Guide to Self-launching Sailplane Operation Mar/2004" Much of what you need to know tinyurl.com/yfs7tnz

"Robin" wrote

I want to replace the tires on my Komet trailer. The original tire
size is P165/80 R13, which is now hard to find.

I plan to tow about 75 mph most of the time. I really want to avoid
sway.

Yes, add another axle behind the one there, then use any tire you want, and
it will never sway again.
--
Jim in NC