Factors to Consider When Adding Larger Tires and Wheels to a Trailer

Question

Question:

I just bought a used trailer with 5.70 X 8 tires and rims on it. Can I put bigger rims and tires on the trailer? It always seems to me that these smaller tires go bad a lot more than the bigger tires do. Probably because they are not running as fast as the bigger tires do at the same speed. If I can, will it do anything to the hubs? Thanks

asked by: Rick

1

Helpful Expert Reply:

You can add larger wheels and tires to a trailer as long as you have enough room for the larger size. The main clearance issues we find when putting larger tires and wheels on a trailer is from the top of the tire to the fender and from the inside wall of the tire to the trailer wall/frame.

The next factor that you will want to consider is the bolt pattern of the wheel. If your current wheels have a 4 on 4 inch bolt pattern, then the new wheels must have a 4 on 4 inch bolt pattern as well. I have attached an FAQ article on how to determine your bolt pattern for you to check out.

Finally, you will want to keep the weight capacity in mind. Larger tires will typically have a higher weight rating. Tires with a higher weight rating will not increase the load carrying capacity of the trailer, so you will still be limited to the weight capacity of the axle. Larger wheels and tires will not have an effect on the hub as long as the bolt patterns match and you remain under the weight capacity of the axle.

If you can tell me how much clearance you have from the top of the tire to your fender, from the inside wall of the tire to the closest part of the trailer and the bolt pattern of your wheels, I would be happy to make a recommendation for you.

expert reply by: John H

1

Travis L.

6/30/2020

I have a 2012 Keystone Passport Ultralite Grand Touring which currently has st205/75R14c tires. I would like to upgrade the tire and wheel size. Would upgrading to a st225/75R15e be ok? As long as the bolt pattern matched, do you think the 1" larger wheel and tire diameter/width would fit without rubbing?

Chris R.

7/6/2020

This really comes down to how much space between the tire and fender you currently have on the trailer. Unfortunately this isn't something I can determine. We recommend having at least 4-5" of space between the top of the tire and fender to allow for suspension travel. An ST225/75R15 tire like # AM32680 will cut into your existing clearance by a little more than an inch. If you have enough space to maintain proper clearance with this change then you're good to go.

Barry

1/21/2021

@ChrisR I am looking at upsizing a trailer 8" wheels to new 15?", that I have on am other trailer. The prospect trailer is home built, not sure of the weight capacity. The steel seems solid, no rust but it is light. I do not like small tires due to the hub speed when going 60 plus. I have seen too many go up in smoke. (not mine) There are currently now wheel fender on it. The springs are inside the axle? This has a pivoting/ tilting frame Can I safely bump up to a 15"-16" tire or should I just loo for another? The trailer is $450, negotiable. Would love to hear back from you on this.

Jon G.

1/21/2021

@Barry That's a pretty significant change it wheel size and I really think you're going to have a hard time finding 15" tire/wheel combos that will physically fit. We recommend having at least 4" of clearance between the tire and fender for suspension travel and then at least 2" of clearance from the tire sidewall to the trailer frame. For a 15" wheel you're looking at tires with a diameter of around 27" - 28" and a width of about 8" - 9".

See All (8) Replies to Travis L. ∨

Ty N.

7/6/2020

if the rubber of the tire is much heavier than old tires this won't compromise my hubs? Found semi trailer tires for my rims on my trailer, 17ft dual tandem axle.

Chris R.

7/9/2020

As long as the tire properly fits the wheel, you don't have to worry about any damaging effects to the hub assembly. How big of a jump in size are you looking at?

Answer 1

Hey Michael, thanks for reaching out! The Goodyear Duratrac Tire and Wheel Combo #LH53MR is a LT225/75R16 tire mounted on a 16" wheel with a 6 on 5-1/2 bolt pattern and a load capacity of 2,680 lbs per tire. I'm seeing some 2024 Airstream…

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Answer 2

You can convert a single axle trailer to a tandem axle but it's more extensive than just putting the extra axle on there. The current axle does need to be repositioned for proper tongue weight. You will also need to cut off the current hangers…

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Answer 3

I can certainly point you in the right direction. We do have the #e22YR which is a 26" long 2,000 lb leaf spring. We also have the #e44SR which is a 25-1/4" long 2,500 lb spring. When replacing old leaf springs, it is critical that the…

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Answer 4

To measure the width of a trailer wheel you will measure from where the tire beads will seat on the wheel. That will be from the inside of the inner wheel flange to the inside of the outer wheel flange, not from edge to edge of the wheel. To measure…

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Answer 5

Great question, William! The Karrier ST225/75R15 #KE63KV is a KR35 while the Karrier ST225/75R15 #AM10303 is a KR03 according to Kenda. There is a slight variation in the tread pattern and from what Kenda says about them it looks like the KR03 is…

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Answer 6

What size tire do you have? There should be a 4 digit number on the tire after DOT. When reading the DOT number on your existing tire, you will want to look at the last four digits of the number (if there are more than 4), not necessarily the numbers…

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Answer 7

Yes, the temperatures you mentioned are normal. If you were getting over 200 degrees that would be a bad sign. But typically if all of the hubs are the same temperature you're good and it's only really an issue if one of the hubs is hotter…

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Answer 8

Hey Edwin. The closest axle I have to those measurements is the Dexter Trailer Idler Axle w/ Hubs item #20545I-EZ-72-10 or without hubs item #T20BTR-EZ-7258. These are 2,200 lbs axles, that have a 72" hub face, and spring seats mounted at…

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Answer 9

The 5.30-12 tires, being wider, are going to make more contact with the road. This means that the noise, and heat build up will be higher than a 4.80-12 tire but the rolling resistance will actually be less because the tire is larger diameter. The…

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Answer 10

The best thing you can do is switch to a Radial Tire #TT48012C if you do not already have them on your trailer. The radial construction is superior to the bias construction on roadways. The radial tires do not heat up as much as bias tires which…

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Answer 11

As long as you have the fender clearance for a taller wheel and tire you certainly can go from a 8 inch wheel setup to a 12 inch setup. The size of most 8 inch trailer wheel setups are between 16 and 18 inches in overall diameter and for 12 inch…

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Answer 12

We have just the tire size that you have, part #AM10040. But we do not carry a rim that will fit this tire. This tire has an overall diameter of 21.1 inches so for a wheel and tire combo that we offer that would have the same diameter you would want…

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