PWC Trailer Tire pressure ÔÇö maximum? Or some reduced ÔÇ£recommended?ÔÇØ

[Thor]

I'm getting ready (week after next) to drive 1-hour and 15 mins on roads both ways with posted limits at 65mph in order to pickup our '23 GP1800 and I am having a tough time rationalizing taking the pressure in the tires on our single ski Triton to the ÔÇ£MaximumÔÇØ 90psi which appears on the sidewall.

I seem to remember passenger vehicle / truck tires having a Max but also a ÔÇ£recommendedÔÇØ which iirc may have been 25% lower than the max.

Is there a formula to reach a lower ÔÇ£recommended,ÔÇØ psi or simply a % lower than Max?

Or is trailering with load and tires at Max psi the safest thing to do?

Oh yeah, Happy New Year!

[Mr. GP1800]

What does the sticker on the trailer say?

[Team Bilford]

Tire pressure and weight ratings alway take precedence over the trailer placard with the exception of gross weight. Trailer manafactuers will normally equip a trailer with tires that are each one half of the trailer rating.

That being said, if your gross weight of the ski and trailer is less than the specified capacity on the trailer label and your trailer is equipped with the same size and ply rating as the trailer tag, run the tire pressure on the trailer's placard.

[Thor]

What does the sticker on the trailer say?

I failed to look at the trailer sticker (again!) but, will try and get back over to the storage area next week (first gotta fell two massive tall pines the roots of which have blown up our concrete drive - major headache!)

Tire pressure and weight ratings alway take precedence over the trailer placard with the exception of gross weight. Trailer manafactuers will normally equip a trailer with tires that are each one half of the trailer rating.

That being said, if your gross weight of the ski and trailer is less than the specified capacity on the trailer label and your trailer is equipped with the same size and ply rating as the trailer tag, run the tire pressure on the trailer's placard.

Thanks Team, I am going to have to travel back to where we have the trailers and skis stored and consult the trailer placard / tag; but, I am certain the tires are the same size and ply called out on that trailer decal …

[K447]

- consult the trailer placard / tag; but, I am certain the tires are the same size and ply called out on that trailer decal -

Take photos of trailer label(s) and tire sidewall info

[Xspook]

My understanding is that the trailer placard applies to tires with specific size, weight and speed ratings.

If you replace the tires with different specs, the placard is useless.

It is also my understanding that you run whatever is listed on the side of the tire, (unlike car tires). If the tire lists 90 psi as max, that's what you run.

Others who may be more knowledgeable, please comment as needed.

[Team Bilford]

My understanding is that the trailer placard applies to tires with specific size, weight and speed ratings.

If you replace the tires with different specs, the placard is useless.

It is also my understanding that you run whatever is listed on the side of the tire, (unlike car tires). If the tire lists 90 psi as max, that's what you run.

Others who may be more knowledgeable, please comment as needed.

The pressure listed on the side of the tire is the Max pressure. Many times, I am running about half of that depending on the load. Running the max pressure is going to provide a very rough and bouncy ride in most applications.

[K447]

The pressure listed on the side of the tire is the Max pressure. -

The sidewall pressure is also the rated pressure.

The sidewall 'max' air pressure is specified for the trailer tire to provide the rated load carrying capacity, speed rating, impact resistance, tread life.

[steve45]

Heat is the main enemy of tire life. Lower tire pressure = extra tire flexing, heat buildup in the sidewalls, followed by a blow out. Run the max unless you're running much less than rated load.

[Mudcon]

Never run you ski trailer at MAX pressure or any trailer for that goes unless you are hauling the max the trailer was built for. You will never hit that on a ski trailer. Always run what the trailer placard says and if you change tires from what the factory put on you will need to figure out what to run by the specs on the new tires. If you run at MAX you are going to wear out the center thread ALOT faster than you should and you will loose cornering characteristics. Just like any tire they need to be able to flex. I have ran mine always at 50psi and never had a problem.

[TimeBandit]

I have several trailers... some boat, ski, & utility, etc... my rule is based on tires - period - not the trailer sticker. Sorry, not all my trailers are new - can't trust the 'other' guy.
For the most-part, there's ply on most trailers, and these have significantly weaker sidewalls, so this justifies running at max pressure (with load on trailer). Sure, I get the logic on center-tire wear based on the "bow" of the tread pattern, but plys are designed this way, and the tread material is quite hard, most light-duty trailers don't do braking, the wheels are not hub-locked, they are passive wheels and will pivot nicely on the tread "hump" point (if not over-loaded) so tread-wear is going to be a moot-concern if you factor safety and life of the product. Heck, one could say lower pressures on ply will promote more center tread ware due to the thread pattern constantly cycling/flexing flat to the road contact patch -vs- being stiff hump. And as mentioned, all that flexing is not good for ply, and that's all too often the catalyst for blow-outs.
Simply-put, even if you did subscribe to max pressure on ply = premature center thread ware .... IMHO if it came down to tread-ware -vs- blow-out, I'm favoring the blow-out mitigation.

For radial tires - it's treated like car tires ... run recommended pressure - not max. This is due to the fortified side walls and the steel belts maintaining tread surface contact patch, and radials (costing more) are going to offer better trailer tracking, sway, and cornering.

[steve45]

I've got a bunch of trailers, 15 to be exact. Yes, running too much pressure can cause wear in the center of the tread, but I've never had a tire last long enough to actually wear out. I've had more blowouts than I can count, though. I haven't had a blowout since switching to radial tires a couple of years ago.

[Thor]

I've got a bunch of trailers, 15 to be exact. - I've had more blowouts than I can count, though. I haven't had a blowout since switching to radial tires a couple of years ago.

Dayum! Reading that reminds me why/how another thread here in the trailering forums motivated me to make some relatively minor investments and assemble a grab-n-go roadside tire/wheel swap out toolbox, complete with tools, scizzor jack, chocks, etc. AND 2 spares.

Now I am curious if radials are even offered in the tiny size 4.80 x 12 (5 lug on 4-1/2ÔÇØ pattern) tires on our single ski 2018 Triton?

I am ASSuming radials are already on or will be available for our 2019 double ski Triton, those tires are ST145/R12E (assuming that ÔÇ£RÔÇØ stands for radial;

- hope so, when I think about it the trailer is typically towing in the nhood of $40k worth of skis - it's coming up on time to prolly replace those tires due to age, even though they probably have less than 250 miles on them (blessed to have indoor storage and 2x year splash/retrieve ramp less than 15 miles apart -)

Hopefully, I can find someone local who can use the tires on a farm or ranch -

[Beernutz]

Dayum! Reading that reminds me why/how another thread here in the trailering forums motivated me to make some relatively minor investments and assemble a grab-n-go roadside tire/wheel swap out toolbox, complete with tools, scizzor jack, chocks, etc. AND 2 spares.

Now I am curious if radials are even offered in the tiny size 4.80 x 12 (5 lug on 4-1/2” pattern) tires on our single ski 2018 Triton? I simply googled 4.80-12 radial and found Taskmaster 4.80R12 Radial Trailer Tire - Load Range C

I am ASSuming radials are already on or will be available for our 2019 double ski Triton, those tires are ST145/R12E (assuming that “R” stands for radial;

… hope so, when I think about it the trailer is typically towing in the nhood of $40k worth of skis … it’s coming up on time to prolly replace those tires due to age, even though they probably have less than 250 miles on them (blessed to have indoor storage and 2x year splash/retrieve ramp less than 15 miles apart …) I dont know what machines you have on the two place, but they do have load range E radials available. Not as cheap as they used to be! Kenda Karrier S-Trail ST145/R12 Radial Trailer Tire - Load Range E

Hopefully, I can find someone local who can use the tires on a farm or ranch …

I should really get a roadside box together.. you never know when you're going to need it.

[K447]

- assemble a grab-n-go roadside tire/wheel swap out toolbox, complete with tools, scissor jack, chocks, etc. AND 2 spares.

- when I think about it the trailer is typically towing in the nhood of $40k worth of skis -

My trailer box holds all the tools needed to do a roadside tire change.

When I had a blowout at speed a few years ago, I was happy to have a D-Jack in the kit. Meant for trailers, a D-Jack makes raising the trailer axle and wheel a few seconds job. Place the jack, drive forward a few inches, done. Change tire, reverse the trailer a few inches, trailer is on the ground. I don't have to get under the trailer.

The time savings alone was valuable as the failure tire was on the trailer side closest to highway traffic (of course it was). The less time my backside was hanging out in the breeze while doing the tire swap with fast traffic zooming past only a couple of feet away, the better.

Same for minimizing total time spent stopped on the shoulder. There were cars veering onto the shoulder maybe a couple hundred yards directly behind, then swerving backing into the traffic lane as they went past. I was grateful that I had the right tools and was able to execute a rapid tire change.

Take the time to actually do one or two trial run tire changes, somewhere safe. With the trailer actually coupled to the car, loaded and road ready.

For added realism, deflate the tire. This lowers the trailer and makes the working room underneath much tighter.
Does your jack actually fit under with the tire flat?
How high must the trailer be raised using the jack to accept the inflated replacement tire?

Measure how long it takes to get ready to actually do the change, then do the change, then get everything packed up and rolling away.

Things I have in my tire change kit for the trailer;

High visibility vest

spare set of tire nuts (if I kick the removed nuts down the drain)

X shape tire wrench, that actually fits the trailer nuts, AND clears the trailer fender and the ground.
Often the nut size on the trailer is different than the nut size on the tow car.
Sometimes the nut size for the spare tire mount is different again

I also have an extendable L-shape tire wrench in the tow vehicle. That longer handle provides useful leverage to crack stubborn nuts loose.

Remember that you must crack all the nuts loose while the flat tire is still on the ground, then raise the trailer. So the lowest tire nut is going to be quite close to the ground when you start.