Can 4.80-12 Tires be Upgraded to 13 Inch Wheels and Tires on Sea-Doo Move Trailer

Updated 11/22/2021 | Published 11/20/2021

Products Featured in This Question

Fulton Single Axle Trailer Fender with Top and Side Steps - Black Plastic - 14" Wheels - Qty 1

(2668)

$54.53

Karrier ST175/80R13 Radial Trailer Tire with 13" Galvanized Wheel - 5 on 4-1/2 - Load Range D

(2390)

$156.85

Question:

Hi, My new single jetski Seadoo Move trailer has 4.80x12 tires, do you think I can change to 13 inch wheels and tires?

asked by: Steve

Expert Reply:

After looking at the Sea-Doo Move trailer you more than likely will not have enough clearance with the fender if you switch to a 13" wheel and tire. In order to find this out you would need to take some measurements. You would also need to know the bolt pattern to know which wheels would fit.

The typical diameter of a 4.80-12 tire like the tires you currently have is 20.5". Compare this to the Karrier ST175/80R13 Radial Trailer Tire with 13" Galvanized Wheel - 5 on 4-1/2 - Load Range D # AM31994 with a 24.1" outer diameter. This means you would lose 1.8" of clearance between the tire and the fender. This tire also has a section width of 7" when compared to the 4.80" on your current tires. This means it will be 1.1" closer to the trailer frame. What is typically recommended is 2" of clearance from the tire to the trailer frame and 3-4" of clearance from the top of the tire to the fender to allow for suspension travel.

The other thing to consider is the capacity of your trailer. Assuming you have 4.80-12 load range C tires, the capacity is likely 990 lbs at 90 psi which means the tires can handle 1,980 lbs. It looks like the Sea-Doo Move for a single watercraft goes maxes out at a capacity of 1,500 lbs. If that is the case, I recommend sticking with the tire size that the trailer came with. There will be very little to gain from increasing the tire size since other components of your trailer are the limiting factor when it comes to capacity.

I have attached some helpful articles on trailer tire size as well as how to find your bolt pattern for your reference.

expert reply by: Robin H