How Fast For 12 Inch Tires
I have a small utility trailer that I just purchased. It has 4.80 x 12 tires. How fast can these wheels actually go with out burning up the bearings? I don’t need the “legal limit stuff” guys. Real i...
Forum Discussion
SweetLou wrote:CapriRacer wrote:
First, 4.80-12 tires are restricted to 65 mph.
Second, 4.80-12 tires come in different load ranges: Load Range B - 785# at 60 psi, and LR C - 990# at 90 psi.
I'm going to guess the OP has LR B - and if that is so, then towing with 1500# is really marginal on load carrying capacity.
Also, there is a less than well known provision in the tire load tables that if you want to boost the max speed of trailer tires from 65 mph to 75 mph, add 10 psi. If you want to get to 85nph, also reduce the max load by 10%.
So the OP's original question? Like others, I would be more concerned about the tires than the bearings.
Agreed!. I am learning that the bearings won't be the issue. I can handle that with good synthetic grease and Timkins, however the tires will melt going 1500 miles one way with stops of course, then return trip. I think I will switch to passenger tires. The trailer is small, and the loads small as well, but the speed can safely be increased being a passenger tire. The load per tire will be rated around 900lbs which then will make it 1800 lbs. That trailer would never hold that weight so I am safe.
Before I came to this forum I was a member of a Gold Wing MC forum. Many, many guys are building their own cargo trailers using the little red Harbour Freight style trailer. The 4x4' size with 4.80x8 tires. Most just replaced the bearings or repacked them. Those guys racked up 1,000's of miles as I did. I put 4,000 miles on my 4.80x8 tires and never had an issue. It's about the weight on trailer tires. If you running empty or light loads (600lbs say) then I see no problem. Just grab a spare incase you get a flat. FWIW I never had a spare. Just a can of fix a flat. I ran 55-75mph all day long. I also ran my psi at 22lbs not the 60 psi on the sidewall. We ran lower psi's because at max psi the little trailers would bounce over it's own shadow. Tires were Cheng Sinh B rated. Max 590lbs at 60 psi. Think about it for a minute. If you took a tire and rim and just rolled it down the road at 70 mph, then took the same tire mounted to a trailer that had the max load on it, which tire would be under the most stress? Those tires aren't going to fly apart unless they're being stressed. Here's a pic of my setup.
