How to Increase Ground Clearance on 2001 Coleman Pop-Up Camper Trailer

Updated 06/28/2019 | Published 06/27/2019

Products Featured in This Question

Loadstar ST175/80D13 Bias Trailer Tire with 13" White Wheel - 4 on 4 - Load Range C

(2836)

$121.00

Karrier KR03 ST175/80R13 Radial Trailer Tire - Load Range D

(2440)

$102.12

Dexter Trailer Springs Over-Under Conversion Kit

(844)

$87.54

Dexter Trailer Springs Over-Under Conversion Kit

(844)

$90.30

Question:

We have a 2001 Coleman pop-up, and are looking to increase ground clearance slightly, as we have a vehicle with a 3inch lift that we off-road to tow it. It currently has St175/80R13 tires on it - what size could we increase to without any other modifications? We were thinking of just going to 185/80-13. Thanks!

asked by: Haley G

Expert Reply:

The two tire sizes you mentioned, ST175/80R13 and ST185/80-13, both fit on the same size trailer wheels so they certainly could be interchanged. Both fit 13-inch diameter rims that are 4-1/2, 5 or 5-1/2-inches wide. However, making this tire size change will not really do much to raise your camper's ground clearance since their diameters differ only by about 3/10ths of an inch. Even if you switched to 14-inch tires such as ST205/75-14s you'd only pick up an inch of height.

There is a better way to raise your camper's height to improve ground clearance and it will cost less than new tires. We offer kits called "over-under" kits which consist of hardware that allows the positions of the axle and leaf springs to be reversed, moving the leaf springs to the top of the axle. The linked photo shows one installed.

Axle over under kit # K71-384-00 works with a 2-3/8-inch diameter axle and will raise the height of the trailer by the sum of that axle diameter plus the height of the leaf spring stack. So for example, if your springs are 2-inches tall you will gain a total of 4-3/8-inches additional ground clearance. We also have a kit # K71-385-00 for axles that are 3-inches in diameter.

With regard to your tires when it comes time to replace them I suggest you select the highest weight load range available in your size 175/80-13, such as the Load Range D tire # AM10210 from Kenda. This tire can handle 1650-lbs and it also offers a high speed rating of 81-mph. You may care to check out the two linked articles on trailer tires.

expert reply by: Adam R