Options For Increasing Fender Clearance On A Single Axle Trailer

Updated 04/23/2024 | Published 04/22/2024

Question:

I have a 2 wheel utility trailer that I switched from 13 to 14 wheels/tires and need a bit more tire to fender clearance.Can I do this with longer spring shackles?The fenders are welded on so I can not just raise them up.

asked by: Dan

Expert Reply:

Hello Dan. Our rule of thumb is that you want at least 3" between the tire and the fender, and at least 1" between the inside of the tire and the frame of the trailer. If you need additional clearance there are ways to do this, but using longer spring shackles is not one of them.

Generally, we do not recommend using larger tires if clearance is an issue, but since you already have them there are really two ways to go about this. The first way is to remove/relocate the fenders or replace them with something larger. The other way is to add taller spring hangers to the frame. This will basically raise the ride height and increase the distance between the tire and the fender. Both of these options will require cutting and welding though. Aside from this there really is no other way to increase fender clearance so we would probably recommend going back to the 13" tires and wheels.

expert reply by: Jesse M