Switching From ST185/80R13 Tires to ST205/75R14 Tires on Sun Tracker Boat Trailer

Updated 05/17/2022 | Published 05/16/2022

Question:

Hi, I have a sun tracker fishing barge on a sun tracker trailer with tires ST185/80R13. The tires that the trailer came with looks unstable for long drives. I’m looking to cross state lines and thought maybe changing up the tires to ST205/75R14. Is this advisable? Will it work? Thank you.

asked by: Maricel

Expert Reply:

It is possible to change your ST185/80R13 to the larger ST205/75R14, and many people like to upgrade their tires, but there are a few things to consider. One is that you will also be investing in wheels since you will need new wheels for the larger tires. The other thing you need to think about is clearance. It already looks like you're pushing it on clearance so you would likely have to remove the fender on your boat trailer to accommodate the larger tires.

A tire like the Karrier ST205/75R14 Radial Trailer Tire with 14" Galvanized Wheel - 5 on 4-1/2 - Load Range C # AM32156 has an outer diameter of 26.3". This is going to be about 2" more when compared to your current tires. With a section width of 8.1" it will also be about 1" wider. This means that you will lose 1" of clearance on top and 1/2" on the inside of the tire. Typically you want a minimum of 3" of clearance on top and 2" on the inside of the tire. These will work well as long as you have enough clearance.

expert reply by: Robin H