Skip to content
Tiremaxx Service Centers
255/85R16 trailer tires at Tiremaxx in St. Joseph, MN

Specialty Trailer Tires

255/85R16 Trailer Tires

What 255/85R16 means, what else fits the same wheel, and how to get the right load range, from the Tiremaxx tire crew in St. Joseph, MN.

Wheel
16"
Construction
Radial
Section width
10"
Overall dia.
33.1"

What 255/85R16 means

Every number on the sidewall is telling you something. Here's this one, decoded:

  • 255Section width255 mm (about 10 in) across the widest part of the tire.
  • 85Aspect ratioThe sidewall height is 85% of the section width. A lower number means a shorter sidewall.
  • RConstructionRadial. The body plies run across the tire. Radials generally run cooler at highway speed and wear more evenly.
  • 16Wheel diameterFits a 16-inch wheel. This is the number that has to match your rim exactly.

Size is only half the answer

Two 255/85R16 tires can be rated for very different weights. Load range (B, C, D, E and up) sets how much each tire can carry at its rated pressure, and on a trailer that number matters as much as the size does. Your trailer's certification label, usually on the front left of the frame, lists the size and load range it was built for. Bring us that label, your paperwork or the old tire and we'll match the load range to what you actually tow.

Commonly used on: heavy equipment trailers, gooseneck trailers.

Other sizes on a 16" wheel

These share your rim diameter. Whether one of them will actually work depends on rim width, load range and fender clearance. Ask us before you switch.

255/85R16 questions, answered

255: 255 mm (about 10 in) across the widest part of the tire. 85: The sidewall height is 85% of the section width. A lower number means a shorter sidewall. R: Radial. The body plies run across the tire. Radials generally run cooler at highway speed and wear more evenly. 16: Fits a 16-inch wheel. This is the number that has to match your rim exactly. Altogether that works out to roughly 33.1 inches of overall diameter.

Specialty Trailer (ST) tires are built with stiffer sidewalls for towing loads and are rated differently than passenger tires, so they aren't interchangeable just because the numbers look similar. Your trailer's certification label lists the size and load range it was built for. Matching it is what keeps the load capacity you're supposed to have. Bring us the label or the old tire and we'll match it.

We carry 7.50-16, 235/80R16, 235/85R16 in the same 16-inch wheel diameter. Sharing a rim diameter doesn't guarantee a swap will work, though. Rim width, load range and clearance all have to line up. Call (320) 363-7246 and we'll tell you straight whether a change makes sense.

Stock moves, so the honest answer is to check. Send us the size through the availability request on this page or call (320) 363-7246. We'll tell you what we have on the shelf, what load ranges are available and how fast we can get anything we'd need to order.

← All specialty trailer tire sizes

Pull up to the counter

Need 255/85R16 on the trailer?

Tell us the size and load range and we'll prepare a no-pressure quote.

Schedule ServiceCall (320) 363-7246