How to Determine if a Trailer can be Upgraded to a Larger Wheel and Tire

Updated 06/27/2012 | Published 06/24/2012

Question:

I have a 4*6 enclosed trailerLeonard. My ? is,can I put a bigger size tire on the trailer? Right now it is 4-80-12. I want to upgrade to at least a 14.

asked by: Saulie

Expert Reply:

You are going to need to know a few things before you will be able to know if you can go to a bigger wheel/tire combination. You will first want to determine how much clearance you have on your trailer to see if you can get fit a bigger wheel/tire. Once you determine how much clearance you have you will need to determine how much bigger you could go.

The height of the 4-80-12 tire you have 20.5 inches, the smallest size tire for a 14 inch rim is 26.3 inches which means that the new tire would take up 2.9 inches more space vertically in your wheel well. The tire will be about 3-1/2 inches wider also, so it will take up 1-3/4 inches more on the inside and outside of tire when compared to your current size.

If you determine you have enough clearance for a 205/75-14 tire you will next need to know the bolt pattern of your wheels to make sure you get the correct wheel. Check out the link I provided on determining bolt patterns.

I also attached a link to a page that has all of the 14 inch wheels we offer with a 205/75-14 sized tire mounted.

Check out the FAQ article I provided on trailer wheels and tires that goes over the pros and cons of radial vs. bias ply tires.

You should note that putting larger tires on a trailer will not increase the weight capacities of a trailer. You will still need to go with the lowest rated component of your trailer as the overall capacity of your trailer.

expert reply by: Jameson C