I just looked and Goodyear doesn't make them for a 12" rim. My recommendation in that size would be Carlisle. Here's a link to them, they have a 1520lb load rating and are radials

https://www.trailer-wheels.com...77.html#.Xum7KrySlPY

I had the same thing happen on my four wheeler trailer,the sun just cooked the tire and it even split the side wide open

The diameter of those 12” tires is also a problem at highway speeds. The rotational speed is much higher than the tow vehicle.
Around town they wouldn’t be much of a problem but on an interstate is another matter.
Add the third world tires available in that size and you have your problem.
I’m afraid the real solution is to get a dolly with larger tires like the rental company’s use. Even those show a 55 mph limit. They have more drop in the axle to keep the overall vehicle height in the same range.
If you are going to continue to travel a lot, I would buy the trailer but be sure to get one that is rated well over the actual weight you will carry or you will be back with similar problems. Be sure to check tire size availability for that too.

quote:

Originally posted by Johnny 3eagles:
I just noticed something, those rims don't match. Maybe someone swapped a bad tire on you.

The rims are the same, just showing opposite sides.

quote:

Originally posted by smlsig:
I was not able to find a Kenda 12” tire with an “E” rating and I don’t think you need anything that heavy duty to tow a Mini around...

The Kenda tires I found on e trailer had a D rating (65 psi max pressure) and I would think that’s more than enough to carry your car on a tow dolly...heck even most 1/2 ton pick ups these days come with C rated tires...

Is there any way to mount a larger diameter wheel/tire combination?

Comparing the letters between different size tires is useless. Yes, some 1/2 tons come with C tires, some come with passenger tires as well. In trailer (ST) and light truck (LT) tires the most the letters tell you is what the max inflation is: C=50psi, D=65psi, E=80psi, F=95psi, G=110psi, etc. There are some oddball exceptions, so always check you sidewall information. The air in the tire carries the load. This is true of all pneumatic tires. More air increases the load a tire can carry. Increasing the amount of air in a tire can be accomplished in two ways, increase the volume, or increase the pressure. Given two tires of the same load range, the bigger tire will be rated to carry more load. Given two tires the same size, the one rate for more psi will be rated to carry more load. How does on tire hold more psi than another? That's easy, it's built with stronger materials. For example, the G tires on my 5th wheel have a steel casing instead of a polyester casing.

Load index on the other hand is directly comparable between tires irrespective of size or load rating. Any tire with a 126 load index is rated for 3,748lbs. This is important when looking for replacement tires if you are changing sizes. For example, if you want a bigger tire, the replacement tire has to have at least the same load index as the old tire to maintain the payload rating of your truck.

Everyone that has suggested matching pressure to the load is correct, sort of. I do this on my truck. When towing, I use the 80psi the door tag calls for, but when empty, I use 65psi in the rear. I can do this because I have the load inflation table for my tire size, I've weighed my truck, and know the 3,300 pounds on my rear axle empty is well within the tires carrying capacity at 65psi. In fact, the table says I can go all the way down to 35psi, but I've found under 60psi the ride is too mushy. I've settled at 65psi because I don't get a low pressure warning on the dash.

How does a load inflation table apply to trailer tires. The same way, but it gets tricky. Take my 5th wheel as an example. According to the CAT scale, I have 11,700lbs on the axles of the 5th wheel. It has two 7,000lb axles and came with 4 tires with load indexes of 125 (3,640). The product of which exceeds the axle ratings which should be good, right? Why then did I blow a tire that was properly inflated, never damaged, from tbe DOT code 8 months old, and only had 1,200 miles on it?

This is where life gets interesting, ST tires (trailer tires) don't go through the same rigorous testing that LT (light truck) tires do. The only test an ST tire has to pass is being able to carry its rated load at its rated speed for 30 minutes. An LT tire has to pass 2 1/2 hours of testing on drive and steer axles at greater than rated load and greater than rated speed. What you will find is that at the same size and same pressure, an ST tire will be rated to carry more than an LT tire even though they have the same amount of air. Back to my blown 5th wheel tire. On average, the tires were will within their rating. Without weighing each tire, I have no idea if each tire was within its rating. I suspect the right side tires have more weight on the as the full 18cuft fridge is on that side. Also, most roads are crown away from the middle, so being in the right lane puts more load on the right side as well. The tire gave out. The tire weighed 35lbs and could be found online for $50. The same size replacement weighs 58lbs and cost $300. The replacement is an LT tire with a load index of 126 (only 1 more than the previous tire) and 110psi max. If the difference in testing between ST tires and LT tires didn't convince you, then maybe the actual physical difference between an ST tire and LT tire of the same size and almost same load index will. So far the new tires have gone 15,000 miles with out issue and I inflate them to their max of 110psi.

I could get each tire weighed and come up with the exact right pressure, but why bother? I'd have to do that everytime we pack it because everytime is different. Plus, crosswinds will affect the load on thee tires. There's just too many variables to bother.

The OP's tire situation was not caused by over inflation. Feel free to disagree, but you'll be wrong. The wear pattern clearly doesn't show over inflation as the left of the tire is worn just as much as the center. The only thing that can happen by running max pressure on a trailer tire is the center might wear faster. The tire will not be damaged by running at max pressure. In fact, at one point, Goodyear recommended running their Marathon tires 10psi higher than max stated on the sidewall if you driving faster than 65mph. Who cares if the center wears faster? I don't because just as the OP is finding out, most people won't wear their trailer tires' tread out before the tire reaches its serviceable age limit.

If I seem to know so much, why didn't I make a reccomendation for a replacement tire? Unlike some people (cough, jimmy) I looked to see if Goodyear made their Endurance tire in the OP's size before posting. What I found were three manufacturers of that size, all made over seas that I have no experience with. I put Carlisle Radial HDs on our travel trailer just before we traded it on our 5th wheel. But that's not enough for my to say go with a different model from Carlisle.

If I were ador I wouldn't buy another Kenda because he had a problem with them already. I'd get new tires, have a spare or two, have a compressor, plug kit, inflate to max pressure, and enjoy myself. I'd also brush up on my mechanic skills if you really don't know whether you have pads or shoes. Disc brakes have pads, drum brakes have shoes. If you have drums, you need to adjust them periodically.

I'm 100% confident in what I've posted and won't be providing links or anything to back it up. I've spent weeks learning this and it's all out there. I never wanted to know anything about tires, but life intervened and forced me to learn about them. Be thankful I haven't gone into my travel trailer tire experiences or boat trailer tire experiences. I never wanted to know about sump pumps, sump pits, iron bacteria, or iron ochre either, but that's what life is throwing my way at the moment.

trapper, thank you very much for taking the time to provide those information. Thank you for all other responses as well. Here is where I am at right now. We are only keeping the dolly, (or buying and using a car hauler for no more than 3 years from now). We will be giving the mini cooper to our son when he goes to college. We will then buy another vehicle to FLAT TOW.

Buying a 16ft dual axle open car hauler - Cost brand new is between $3,500 - $4,500. I paid $2K for my dolly. Even if I sell my dolly for $1K, I am still looking at spending another $2.5K for the car hauler. Storage for the car hauler is also going to be a problem. Not enough space in our property to park the car hauler.

Replacement Tires - I might as well try that Carisle brand tire. I am not trusting that KENDRA tires right now.

Brake Shoes - our dolly have the Dexter EZ lube hub, with ELECTRIC BRAKES. I believe that makes it drum brakes, with shoes. Still waiting for Dexter to call me back on Part Number.

I have an air compressor, plug kit and full spare tire (and extra tire). I am just not confident when it comes to moving parts on my vehicles and trailer. I can do Oil Change. I will continue to look for a local shop that can do inspection on my brakes and bearings.

quote:

Originally posted by trapper189:
If I were ador I wouldn't buy another Kenda because he had a problem with them already. I'd get new tires, have a spare or two, have a compressor, plug kit, inflate to max pressure, and enjoy myself. I'd also brush up on my mechanic skills if you really don't know whether you have pads or shoes. Disc brakes have pads, drum brakes have shoes. If you have drums, you need to adjust them periodically.

I missed before where you have twelve-inch wheels. That sounds scary. I'd hate to be those wheel bearings with the weight of a car on them. Has it got fender clearance to run a 14- or 15-inch?

Ador

Check with Uhaul locations near you, they rent car dollys all the time. Generally they are used with Front Wheel Drive vehicles since the rears just roll.

If you're going to haul a car once or twice, then UHaul rents full car haulers, used one to move my Corvette from OK to FL. Not too expensive and better than a dolly.

No purchase, no storage, no maintaining the unit.

https://www.uhaul.com/Trailers...Transport-Rental/AT/

Hi egregore, even if I do have the clearance, I don't want to replace the wheel size for legality purposes. ACME (manufacturer) might put the blame on me if I modify the wheel size, and in case some accident happen.

quote:

Originally posted by egregore:
Has it got fender clearance to run a 14- or 15-inch?

Separation or busted belt due to impact (pothole).

ador, I think you are getting overkill advice. This dolly has served you well. You have simply had a tire failure. Replace the tire and as you already planned its partner. Its a fact of life on trailer tires. If you tow a bunch you will have tire failure. I replace mine on a regular basis to reduce that risk, but its simply a risk as the standards of construction are low. Unfortunately US made trailer tires are rapidly going with the dodo. Get the best option you can in your area. Carlisle has been ok for me as suggested above. Inflate them to the sidewall rating (80psi), the idea of less is completely silly in a trailer tire.
Dexter axles are fine, but at this point you really need to get it apart and inspected. I do it annually but that's probably overkill. To answer some of your questions you have shoes, these are drum brakes. To inspect them you pull the hub. Unfortunately there is a bit of skill involved in inspecting them and putting it back together so you probably don't want to do it. ANY decent trailer shop should be perfectly willing to work on it, its absolutely nothing special, its a dexter axle. You have to solve finding a source for maintenance in any case as your flat bed alternative is going to come with a dexter axle and need the same service. Just replacing all the parts won't do you any good as you have to assemble them and put it together its not really a bolt on operation. So I would not suggest that as it gains you nothing. At a minimum you probably don't need any parts given the history, but the seals are problematic and an internally leaking one isn't really obvious. The tires can easily be done at any tire shop as you already have them dismounted in your pictures.

As some here know I did the Highway Patrol job for a career.

?I investigated sever trailer wrecks over the years where cheap, chinese tires failed, causing the tow rig/trailer to wreck. I would NOT trust those tires for any extended highway speeds or miles.

quote:

Originally posted by ador:

Brake Shoes - our dolly have the Dexter EZ lube hub, with ELECTRIC BRAKES. I believe that makes it drum brakes, with shoes. Still waiting for Dexter to call me back on Part Number.

Maybe. I spec'd electric over hydraulic disc brakes for my boat trailer. I tried looking for the electric brake version of the Acme Eze-Tow and couldn't find what type of electric brakes they use. Electric drum and electric over hydraulic disc will both have a small battery on tongue to engage the brakes should the dolly unhitch. The electric over hydraulic will have a large brake fluid reservoir and pump mounted on the tongue as well. Both types of electric trailer brakes use a round 7 pin plug instead of the 4 pin flat plug the surge brake model uses and they would run off a brake controller mounted in the cab of your RV.

Double maybe. the original MFG document in the first post says electric brakes. So I would assume that is what it has. But easy enough to confirm.

I was saying maybe to whether or not it has drum brakes. Just because it has electric brakes doesn't mean they are drums. It seems that Acme's non-electric brake dollies all have hydraulic surge disc brakes. It would be easy to add an electric over hydraulic actuator like this: Dexter DX to their dolly. Also, under accessories on their website, the list brake pads and replacement discs, but no shoes or drums.

After weighing the matter carefully, I have decided to keep the tow dolly for another 3 years. And as hrcjon said "You have to solve finding a source for maintenance in any case as your flat bed alternative is going to come with a dexter axle and need the same service".

I went to a local Discount Tire Store yesterday and ordered a set of Carlsile Trailer tires. It will be here Monday. Already have an appointment for that day. Tire issue solved.

For the break and bearing issue, I was finally able to speak to a Dexter Rep yesterday. They gave me the following part #:

Backing Plate:
023-047-00 (Left Hand)
023-048-00 (Right Hand)

Drums:
008=257-05

Shoes and Lining:
040-125=00

Looks like Etrailer have most of the parts. I watched couple of youtube videos about "Dexter Bearing Maintenance" and "How to Replace Dexter Backing Plates and Hubs". While it looked pretty simple, I really don't think it is a good idea for an inexperienced person like me to do the job, especially it involve brakes and wheels (VERY important moving mechanical parts).

After I ordered my tires yesterday from Discount Tires, I stopped by Brake Masters. They will not do any work on a trailer dolly. In fact, they will not even work on RVs. I am really having a difficult time finding a Trailer or RV shop that will be willing to work on my dolly. I will continue on searching for one (even a mobile mechanic). Only concern I have is that if the mechanic will only do "inspection" and maybe replace the brake shoes, bearings or seals (if needed), he may have to do a secondary trip back to my place while I order the Original Dexter Replacement Parts. Or... I order the ENTIRE Backing Plate and Drum Assembly now and have the mechanic replace the entire set up.

I have 2 weeks left before our next road adventure. Thanks again for your responses and suggestions. I appreciate it.