Tyres, Wheels, Ply and Interchangability

ShinyShoe · 29 August 2015, 13:39

This might be a dumb question. I have an unplated, unbraked trailer that needs a new wheel. (Goes flat in 24hours - wheel is quite rusty - assume tyre is fine and wheel is not!)

I have two trailers and a caravan all of which have different wheels! I had a previous trailer and still have spare wheels from it which - guess what had different wheels again!

Trailer 1:
Small box trailer sporting 500/10's - 4 ply. Unplated but would never carry more than 500kg.

Trailer 2:
Stacking dinghy trailer sporting 145 R 10's. Unplated but I am working on a max working load of 630kg based on the tyres being the lowest rated component.

145R10s (315kg per tyre) cost more than 4 ply 500/10s (359kg per tyre), but about the same as 6 plys (375kg per tyre).

Pretty sure they are both on 4 x 4" PCD's

So can I buy 3 500/10 6 plys for trailer 2 (1 as a spare) and use the spare on Trailer 1 with the 4ply? By can I - I mean (a) practically and (b) legally. The box trailer is rarely towed far so I might be persuadable not to carry a spare and if I got a puncture to "abandon" the trailer and go get the 6ply... to get home only - happy to risk the law on that but not if its a genuine safety risk...

Thoughts...

jeffstevens763@g · 29 August 2015, 17:50

Shiny
Why not carry one of the tyre repair foam canisters for the box trailer as a back up also have a look at tow sure for spare wheels, there's a company down south and I buggered if I can remember it where I got 6 ply for same price as 4ply might be Taunton trailers.

Cheers

ShinyShoe · 29 August 2015, 18:48

I've never been convinced by foam. I've only ever had two punctures in well over 1/4million road miles of driving, and neither noticeably destroyed the tyre. However one was in a 2 day old tyre in contraflow road works for 10miles and when I took it in for my 'free' repair it was unrepairable. As the inside of the Tyre had been damaged by wheel. Not sure what that would do with foam.

Mind you I mostly don't like foam for car tyres because it makes a half hour repair take 3 hours. On a trailer I bin my wheels with the tyres...

Poly · 29 August 2015, 20:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by ShinyShoe

As the inside of the Tyre had been damaged by wheel. Not sure what that would do with foam.

If its been foamed it won't be repairable anyway (as I understand it), but TBH 90% of the time its too close to the wall or in an old tyre thats not worth the effort to fix.

ShinyShoe · 29 August 2015, 21:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by Poly

If its been foamed it won't be repairable anyway (as I understand it), but TBH 90% of the time its too close to the wall or in an old tyre thats not worth the effort to fix.

I meant presumably the foam would have filled the tyre and made it look good. I'd have carried on with my journey happily assuming my tyre was now fine and planning to buy a new wheel when I get home - perhaps 500 miles later if it was on my big trailer. BUT the tyre structure was compromised. Would it breakdown over the 500miles and leave me with my trailer on the hard shoulder for a second time and this time with no means to replace it as I'm not carrying a spare?

jeffstevens763@g · 30 August 2015, 09:05

Don't like foam either but if you choice is no spare it will get you out the s--t or to a safe place whilst getting sorted as poly said in my expeariance if it's anywhere near the shoulder of the tyre they won't repair for two reasons more profit out of a new tyre and second Health and safety implications on repairs.
For me I have a spare for both trailers &I carry foam as a back up there is the stuff you squeeze in same as cycle tyres green with small fibres as an alternative.

ShinyShoe · 30 August 2015, 10:07

So I've now concluded:
- 145R10s x2 for trailer 2. Replace both wheels. Keep better of the two as a spare on the trailer.
-Foam for Trailer 1. In the event its knackered and can't be foamed I go get the spare from Trailer 2. Wrong size but close enough to limp home at 30mph Max with minimal load.

jeffstevens763@g · 30 August 2015, 11:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by ShinyShoe

So I've now concluded:
- 145R10s x2 for trailer 2. Replace both wheels. Keep better of the two as a spare on the trailer.
-Foam for Trailer 1. In the event its knackered and can't be foamed I go get the spare from Trailer 2. Wrong size but close enough to limp home at 30mph Max with minimal load.

Sounds like a plan mean time look for a cheap one on e-bay or try on here with the size.

paintman · 31 August 2015, 15:35

Whilst the foam works on small punctures & is useful to carry as an extra you can't beat a proper size spare wheel with each trailer.
As my eldest found out some time ago when he decided to check the tyre pressures on his car (which comes with 2 cans of Renault logo'd gunk & no spare wheel despite the full size spare wheel well) & the valve snapped off. Made even better as the wheels have sensors as part of the valve assembly & the nearest ones were in Germany.......

ShinyShoe · 31 August 2015, 16:03

Apparently lots of manufacturers are supplying cans to reduce weight. Reduced weight = better emissions on the lab test...

My small trailer has never been more than 30 miles from home...