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Big Tires pulling Small tires.

SweetLou
Explorer
Explorer
A friend of mine asked me a question that I could not answer about his tires and towing. He has a small trailer weighing about 300 lbs unloaded and can carry up to 1000lbs total. Now the trailer has 13 inch wheels on it and his truck is a Dodge with 17 inch wheels. If he is going 60 mph, how fast do you suppose his 13 inch wheels are going? I suspect he means revolutions but you get it. He wasn't sure he could go that fast or faster in fear of burning up the trailer bearings. I really could not answer his question other than to say get them greased with good grease and try it out. Stop every 10-20 miles and see how warm they get. Of course I told him to put some weight in it as well to simulate the trip load and see. Anyone else know how to answer him?
2013 3500 Cummins 6.7 Quadcab 4x4 3.73 68FE Trans, 2007 HitchHiker Discover America 329 RSB
We love our Westie
28 REPLIES 28

Grit_dog
Navigator
Navigator
noteven wrote:
Goodyear 24x8 13" aircraft tire would fix the "tire issue"


24x8.0-13 18 TL 230mph 12500lbs 285psi


Mod the axle to accept the aircraft wheel and that...

Probably wouldn't need 285psi to hold up a boat.

Aircraft tire data


Great solution….:R
2016 Ram 2500, MotorOps.ca EFIlive tuned, 5” turbo back, 6" lift on 37s
2017 Heartland Torque T29 - Sold.
Couple of Arctic Fox TCs - Sold

LanceRKeys
Explorer
Explorer
JRscooby wrote:
NRALIFR wrote:
SweetLou wrote:
So the tire spins 1.3 times faster but we really don't know the speed of those small tires? Can we say 1.3 times faster than the truck, or 78 mph?


No, you can’t.

That would be nothing more than a variation of the trick question: “Which weighs more, a pound of feathers, or a pound of lead?”

The tires spin at a higher RPM, but the MPH is the exact same as the truck pulling it. :S

:):)


A track loader is moving 8 MPH. How fast is the pad on the ground moving?



The bottom of the track isn’t moving at all relative to the ground, same with the tire on a truck, the bottom of the tire on a truck isn’t moving for the moment in time it is touching the ground.

If a truck is moving 70mph, the bottom of the tire is moving 0mph, and the top of the tire is moving 140mph.

Fisherman
Explorer
Explorer
Campinfan wrote:
When I was a cop, I stopped a guy for speeding. When he went to court, he said he was a rocket scientist (and I think he really was based on where I was a cop) and that my radar clocked his tires which were smaller than his car and the tires were going faster than the car which is larger. The judge at one point, may have been off the record, said in a joking manner that we were doing "radar" all wrong. I replied that is the reason we have stop signs and red lights--so the car can catch up to the tires.


Well gotta admit, he tried and lost, but it's a good one.

noteven
Explorer III
Explorer III
Goodyear 24x8 13" aircraft tire would fix the "tire issue"


24x8.0-13 18 TL 230mph 12500lbs 285psi


Mod the axle to accept the aircraft wheel and that...

Probably wouldn't need 285psi to hold up a boat.

Aircraft tire data

Grit_dog
Navigator
Navigator
stevemorris wrote:
LOL, i can remember when some cars had 12 inch wheels and the old austin mini had 10"!!


I can’t, but sure would suck to have a car with 10-12” wheels!
2016 Ram 2500, MotorOps.ca EFIlive tuned, 5” turbo back, 6" lift on 37s
2017 Heartland Torque T29 - Sold.
Couple of Arctic Fox TCs - Sold

Campinfan
Explorer III
Explorer III
When I was a cop, I stopped a guy for speeding. When he went to court, he said he was a rocket scientist (and I think he really was based on where I was a cop) and that my radar clocked his tires which were smaller than his car and the tires were going faster than the car which is larger. The judge at one point, may have been off the record, said in a joking manner that we were doing "radar" all wrong. I replied that is the reason we have stop signs and red lights--so the car can catch up to the tires.
______________________
2016 F 350 FX4 4WD,Lariat, 6.7 Diesel
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stevemorris
Explorer
Explorer
LOL, i can remember when some cars had 12 inch wheels and the old austin mini had 10"!!
2017 Ram 1500 4door, 4x4, 5.7 l hemi, 8 speed
2008 KZ Spree 260

SweetLou
Explorer
Explorer
deltabravo wrote:
SweetLou wrote:
If he is going 60 mph, how fast do you suppose his 13 inch wheels are going?


60 MPH.

If the trailer is going faster than the truck, it came unhitched while going down hill and the trailer is passing him and the safety chains are busted


If the trailer is going slower than the truck, it came unhitched while on flat ground or going downhill and the trailer is way behind him now him and the safety chains are busted. He better plan on taking the next exit and circling back to the previous exit / on ramp so he can retrieve the trailer.
Turn that work into your math teacher
2013 3500 Cummins 6.7 Quadcab 4x4 3.73 68FE Trans, 2007 HitchHiker Discover America 329 RSB
We love our Westie

deltabravo
Nomad
Nomad
SweetLou wrote:
If he is going 60 mph, how fast do you suppose his 13 inch wheels are going?


60 MPH.

If the trailer is going faster than the truck, it came unhitched while going down hill and the trailer is passing him and the safety chains are busted


If the trailer is going slower than the truck, it came unhitched while on flat ground or going downhill and the trailer is way behind him now him and the safety chains are busted. He better plan on taking the next exit and circling back to the previous exit / on ramp so he can retrieve the trailer.
2009 Silverado 3500HD Dually, D/A, CCLB 4x4 (bought new 8/30/09)
2018 Arctic Fox 992 with an Onan 2500i "quiet" model generator

blt2ski
Moderator
Moderator
Grit dog wrote:
time2roll wrote:
CA speed limit is 55 mph for all vehicles towing.


Significance or relevance?


Probably neither. No different than here I Wa st where rigs under 10k g w or no towing can go 70 where marked. Towing or licensed over 10k gvw you can only go 60mph max anywhere. That include licensed rig empty under 10 k, but licensed over 10k.

Marty
92 Navistar dump truck, 7.3L 7 sp, 4.33 gears with a Detroit no spin
2014 Chevy 1500 Dual cab 4x4
92 Red-e-haul 12K equipment trailer

Grit_dog
Navigator
Navigator
time2roll wrote:
CA speed limit is 55 mph for all vehicles towing.


Significance or relevance?
2016 Ram 2500, MotorOps.ca EFIlive tuned, 5” turbo back, 6" lift on 37s
2017 Heartland Torque T29 - Sold.
Couple of Arctic Fox TCs - Sold

Grit_dog
Navigator
Navigator
SweetLou wrote:
Actually his old trailer is an old U-haul but he says it doesn't say that 45 mph rule anywhere. The tires on it are new and for a car since he really doesn't weigh it down any. The tire brand and specs say 937 lbs at max pressure which I don't know what that is. So the tire spins 1.3 times faster but we really don't know the speed of those small tires? Can we say 1.3 times faster than the truck, or 78 mph?


Yes, exactly.
Except the trailer is still going the same speed, but comparing the rpms of the wheel, to something everyone can grasp (mph) is accurate.

Like mooky said, them 10" snomachine/pontoon boat trailer wheels hold up reasonably well at higher highway speeds, although not near as well as larger diameter tires.

PS, the 45mph uhaul max was/is to keep people who don't tow much, driving slower, IE less accidents and liability. Nothing to do with the trailer being able to not go faster without coming apart.
2016 Ram 2500, MotorOps.ca EFIlive tuned, 5” turbo back, 6" lift on 37s
2017 Heartland Torque T29 - Sold.
Couple of Arctic Fox TCs - Sold

SweetLou
Explorer
Explorer
theoldwizard1 wrote:
Bottom line. Re-pack those bearings regularly !

This is exactly what I told him. Also told him to do it himself. I pulled recently cargo trailer wheels that had been done last summer by a place I know that I thought did good work. I was amazed at what they considered packed. Do them yourself save and know.
2013 3500 Cummins 6.7 Quadcab 4x4 3.73 68FE Trans, 2007 HitchHiker Discover America 329 RSB
We love our Westie

SweetLou
Explorer
Explorer
NRALIFR wrote:
SweetLou wrote:
So the tire spins 1.3 times faster but we really don't know the speed of those small tires? Can we say 1.3 times faster than the truck, or 78 mph?


No, you can’t.

That would be nothing more than a variation of the trick question: “Which weighs more, a pound of feathers, or a pound of lead?”

The tires spin at a higher RPM, but the MPH is the exact same as the truck pulling it. :S

:):)

Ya dun caught me
2013 3500 Cummins 6.7 Quadcab 4x4 3.73 68FE Trans, 2007 HitchHiker Discover America 329 RSB
We love our Westie