Larger Tires and Axle Over-Under Kits to Lift Trailer Height

Updated 05/07/2019 | Published 05/04/2019

Products Featured in This Question

etrailer Rubber Hitch Cover for 2" Trailer Hitches - Qty 1

(3314)

$11.60

Karrier ST235/85R16 Radial Trailer Tire with 16" White Wheel - 6 on 5-1/2 - Load Range E

(1574)

$301.03

Dexter Trailer Springs Over-Under Conversion Kit

(821)

$86.71

Dexter Trailer Springs Over-Under Conversion Kit

(821)

$97.13

Question:

Is there a larger diameter trailer tire available for a 15inch wheel than 225/75r15? I already have a 2inch lift on my trailer but would like just a bit more and figure bigger tire would be easiest. If not is there any 16inch on 5x4.5inch wheels available? My searches havent shown much. Thanks for any help.

asked by: Brandon

Expert Reply:

Your 225/75-15 tires have an overall diameter of 28.4 inches.

If you have the vertical and lateral clearance within your wheel wells to move to a 16-inch tire size like 235/85-16, which is 31.6 inches overall diameter and 9.25 inches wide, then this will give you a lift of approximately 1-1/2 inches. You need to maintain at least 3-inches vertical clearance above the tread for normal suspension movement and 1-inch a lateral clearance between the inner sidewall and trailer frame. Do note that moving to 16s means you also need new hubs, since 16-inch wheels/tire like Karrier ST235/80R16 Radial # AM32764 do not come in the 5-on-4-1/2 bolt pattern.

Trailer height can also be lifted using an axle over-under kit, # K71-384-00 for 2-3/8-inch axles and # K71-385-00 for 3-inch axles. If this is not the type of lift you have installed now you can gain much more height using one of these kits which switch the positions of the axles and leaf springs, as shown in the linked photo. These kits move the leaf spring stack to the top of the axle which lifts the trailer several inches, the sum of the axle diameter plus the height of the spring stack.

expert reply by: Adam R