Recommended 10 Inch Wheel and Tire for Fishing Boat Trailer with 5 on 4-1/2 Inch Bolt Pattern

Updated 04/18/2019 | Published 04/16/2019

Question:

What 10 inch boat tires and rim do you suggest for fishing boat. 5 on 4-1/2 bolt pattern. I need to get rid of these 8 inch wheels/tires.

asked by: Robert

Expert Reply:

The best tire and wheel combo for your fishing boat trailer is the Kenda 205/65-10 Bias Trailer Tire with 10" Galvanized Wheel - 5 on 4-1/2 - Load Range C # AM3H400. This will be 8.3 inches wide and have a total diameter of 20.5 inches. The galvanized wheel will have superior corrosion resistance since you will be in and out of the water it really is the best option. The total weight capacity for each combo is 1,100 lbs at 50 psi so a single axle rating of 2,200 lbs.

These tires come ready to install, just inflate to 50 psi cold (prior to your trip) as this trailer tire is designed for that. This tire is also rated for a max speed of 81 mph which is nice for this size tire.

Upgrading from your 8 inch tire this could be a significant size difference because some have widths of 4.7 or 5.9 inches and outer diameters of 16.1 to 18 inches depending on the specific tire used. You will want to make sure you have enough fender clearance by dividing that difference in half so you may need an additional 1 to 2 inches in height and an additional 2 inches in backspacing. You also need to account for the deflection (suspension movement) which is normally around 4 inches. I recommend compressing one side of the trailer as best you can for suspension movement and then measuring to confirm a fit with the larger tire.

I've attached a video and an article to assist further.

expert reply by: Jason S