Can a Trailer with 14 Inch Tires and Wheels Be Upgraded to 15 Inch Trailer Tires and Wheels

Updated 10/07/2013 | Published 10/06/2013

Question:

Just bought an older travel trailer with f78-14st tires on it. I want to replace these, is there any reason i cannot but 15 in.trailer tires and rims on it. The bolt patter is the same and plenty of clearance.

asked by: Jim

Expert Reply:

As long as the bolt pattern is the same and you have enough room all around the existing tires for the larger size then yes, you can go to a 15 inch wheel and tire.

There are a couple other things you will want to look at though. If the wheels attach to your hubs using wheel bolts and not lug nuts then the center pilot hole of the new wheels as to be exactly the same as the old wheels. Otherwise the wheel will not center on the hub. If the wheel does use lug nuts then the pilot hole of the new wheels can be larger but not smaller than what you already have.

Also, if the wheels do use lug nuts you will need to make sure that the new wheels you get have holes the correct size for the studs on the hub. Wheel bolt size and pilot hole diameter are listed on the tire and wheel combo pages. Please note that going to a larger size will not increase the capacity of the trailer.

The next size up in a 15 inch from what you have would be an ST205/75-15. I have included a link to all of the tire and wheel combos we have in this size. There are 3 possible bolt patterns: 5 on 4-1/2 (most common), 5 on 5 (not as common), and 5 on 4-3/4 (not common). I have included a link to our FAQ article on trailer tires for you.

expert reply by: Michael H