Tires For Tandem Axle 7,000 lb Trailer With 15 Inch Wheels

Published 02/16/2022

Question:

Hello, I just purchased a used 6x12 Tandem axle enclosed trailer and I noticed that the tires appear to be car tires and possibly not the correct size.. The tire placard on the trailer does not have a specific size just that it is a 15 inch wheel. The trailer is 7000# GVWR. The tires are 195/60/15. I would appreciate any assistance. Thank you

asked by: Bill C

Expert Reply:

We can get your tandem axle trailer set up with new tires for a 15 inch wheel to replace your trailer's 195/60-15 size passenger-vehicle tires. The first thing you need is the proper clearance, as a 195/60-15 tire measures (when inflated) 24.2" diameter and 7.7" wide. The closest trailer tire to that size is a ST205/75R15 tire, which measures 27.3" in diameter and 8.1" wide.

So just a bit wider, but a few inches more in diameter; and for clearance you want at least 3" of from the top of the tire to your fender (if you have fenders) and at least 1" of clearance between the inside of the tire and your trailer's frame rail. The ST205/75R15 tire with the correct load rating is the following:

- Karrier ST205/75R15 Radial Trailer Tire - Load Range C # AM10244

The Karrier # AM10244 has a 1,820 lb maximum capacity, so four of these will exceed the 7,000 lb GVWR of your trailer, which is exactly what you want. This tire will fit on 15" x 5", 15" x 5-1/2", 15" x 6", and 15" x 6-1/2" wheels, so you'll also want to make sure you have that size wheel, which does seem likely considering the similar width of your current tire.

expert reply by: Kyle S