Upgrading trailer tires and rims - need advice

[jayhanig]

I have a 17' stern drive runabout that lives out in my driveway. I had to have the trailer repaired recently and it was pointed out to me my boat sat awfully close to the road and that my tires were dry rotting. Well, the dry rot wasn't that obvious to me but the tires do have 10 years on them, even if they only have a few hundred miles on them.

The current tires are bias ply 175/80D13s. I am contemplating jumping up to 205/75D15s. I might as well switch to galvanized rims since I've moved next to the ocean. The bolt pattern is 5 on 4.5".

Is there any reason I should rethink what I'm planning to do? The tire shop has quoted me $106 for each tire/rim which is significantly better than what etrailer asked ($160 each). What do you guys think?

 

[Scott Danforth]

your current tires are 24.02" in diameter

your proposed tires are 27.11" in diameter

do you have the extra clearance to the fenders and the fender braces?

my current trailer has 205/75/14's and I cant go to 15's as I dont have the room.

if you have the room, then go for it. your trailer will sit about 1.5" higher than it currently does.

 

[jayhanig]

I've got the room.

 

[JimS123]

The tire shop has quoted me $106 for each tire/rim which is significantly better than what etrailer asked ($160 each). What do you guys think?

Look closely at the specific brand of tire that each place is offering. Then, google that brand and see what the reviews have to say.

I am a firm believer in internet sales. One of the reasons is because my local tire dealers sell crap. The last time I bought local, the dealer told me "they are made by GoodYear" They rotted apart in a year.

Secondly, your tire sizes look to be auto tires. Be sure that they have the required weight capacity. I personally simply loathe ST tires, and buy truck tires if the auto tires don't meet the weight capacity.

 

[jayhanig]

I'm back to the step one again. I went back to the tire shop this afternoon and it appears there was a misunderstanding. Two different guys were sitting side by side helping me this morning and the last guy didn't seem to catch on I wanted both tires and galvanized rims. He just quoted me rims. No wonder it was so cheap! Well, OK, these guys are honest and I accept it was just a mistake. A miscommunication.

Then we had an extended discussion of my goals and how best to meet them. Bottom line: they didn't have what I wanted in stock. They left me with some doubt as to whether I would have enough room to go up in size from my original 1.75/80D13s to a 2.05/75D15. I measured the vertical space from the top of my original to the underside of the fender: there is 4 inches. This is with the boat on the trailer.

To restate the goals: new tires to replace 10 year old bias ply trailer tires, and at the same time raise the trailer a bit to improve ground clearance. And galvanized rims to deal with salt water.

 

[rallyart]

Clearance is the only issue. The new tires would be 1" wider so 1/2" less clearance inside. They are 3" taller so 1.5" less clearance to the fender. If it is 4" now it will be 2.5" with the new ties so no issue with front and back clearance but perhaps some on compression over a bump. If you get that you'll see buff marks on the inside of the fender top surface. The bigger tire should have a lot more load capacity so you might want to use a bit lower pressure than you currently do. Your bearing will also travel 10% slower so they will have less heat and last longer. Your trailer brakes will be less effective with the larger tire diameter because the load you are putting on them has a 10% longer lever arm. That means they will lock less often but not slow the trailer quite as much. The extra 1.5" height you pick up at the axle might mean 2" more clearance at the leg.
If it was me, I'd do it and add a spacer to the trailer suspension if I found out the tires were rubbing.

 

[Lou C]

If you want both I think you'll do better buying them from Eastern Marine or Etrailer.
On my trailer I went from a 205/75-14 to a 225/75-15 which is a huge difference, and went from a 3500 lb axle to a 6000 lb axle. I had to get bigger fenders and mount them higher to make it work. I've been using Load Star bias ply tires and run them 7-8 years before replacing.

 

[matt167]

$106 for galvanized rims alone? I'd have to check but that seems about 50% high. I could be wrong.

As for the size. I would think 205/75R14 would be 2" taller and about as big as you can go. Get a Hankook Vantra Trailer tire. They are radial and aside from the Goodyear Endurance ( out of production at the moment ) they are the only other trailer tire not made in China. They are made in Korea

 

[matt167]

Look closely at the specific brand of tire that each place is offering. Then, google that brand and see what the reviews have to say.

I am a firm believer in internet sales. One of the reasons is because my local tire dealers sell crap. The last time I bought local, the dealer told me "they are made by GoodYear" They rotted apart in a year.

Secondly, your tire sizes look to be auto tires. Be sure that they have the required weight capacity. I personally simply loathe ST tires, and buy truck tires if the auto tires don't meet the weight capacity.

His sizes are common trailer sizes and he's listed them as bias ply options with the D instead of the R

 

[JimS123]

His sizes are common trailer sizes and he's listed them as bias ply options with the D instead of the R

"D" and "R" are easy to understand. But trailer tires are usually preceded by the letters "ST".

 

[jayhanig]

That's my fault, I should have made it clearer. The tires I have used with good success for all of these years are ST tires and that's what I will be looking for this time. The only reason I'm looking at bias ply tires is that I live about three miles from where I put my boat into the sound. The speed limit is 35 though I make a 20 mile trip about once a year at speeds up to 55. I'm just not that tough on trailer tires.

On my truck and car, yeah, nothing but radials.

 

[matt167]

"D" and "R" are easy to understand. But trailer tires are usually preceded by the letters "ST".

A bias ply has not been available in a passanger/ truck tire for quite some time, with a few specialty exceptions

 

[Chris1956]

In the photo, your trailer looks to be bent or sagging in the rear. Hopefully it is a trick of the image.

Can you put a spacer between the axle and the frame, to raise the trailer a bit?

 

[Scott Danforth]

In the photo, your trailer looks to be bent or sagging in the rear. Hopefully it is a trick of the image.

Can you put a spacer between the axle and the frame, to raise the trailer a bit?

flared out rear step after the fender

 

[jayhanig]

Yep. The rear steps on both sides are drooped for reasons I never understood. The actual frame that supports the boat is made out of galvanized C channel with the widest dimension vertical. The frame does not sag.

 

[JASinIL2006]

Have you had problems with the trailer bottoming out using the current size tires? If not, I'd just replace with the same size. Given the very little trailering you do, I'd not be worried about getting high end tires. Those tires will dry rot long before they'll wear out.

 

[Lou C]

$106 for galvanized rims alone? I'd have to check but that seems about 50% high. I could be wrong.

As for the size. I would think 205/75R14 would be 2" taller and about as big as you can go. Get a Hankook Vantra Trailer tire. They are radial and aside from the Goodyear Endurance ( out of production at the moment ) they are the only other trailer tire not made in China. They are made in Korea

I checked on the Vantra tire on the Tire Rack...according to them the only size of the Vantra that's made in Korea is the 225/75-15, all other sizes are made in China. That's if their information is up to date and accurate.
Most of the Kenda tires I have bought over the years were made in Taiwan instead of China. Next time I'll try to get the Goodyear, if they are available when I need em. For now the Kenda bias is fine for me. I average 7 years on a set.

https://www.tirerack.com/tires/Spec.jsp?tireMake=Hankook&tireModel=Vantra+Trailer

look under country of origin

 

[matt167]

I checked on the Vantra tire on the Tire Rack...according to them the only size of the Vantra that's made in Korea is the 225/75-15, all other sizes are made in China. That's if their information is up to date and accurate.
Most of the Kenda tires I have bought over the years were made in Taiwan instead of China. Next time I'll try to get the Goodyear, if they are available when I need em. For now the Kenda bias is fine for me. I average 7 years on a set.

https://www.tirerack.com/tires/Spec.jsp?tireMake=Hankook&tireModel=Vantra+Trailer

look under country of origin

It's not. My shop sells almost exclusively the Vantra and they are all marked Korea.

 

[Lou C]

Well that's good to know, more choices are always better!

 

[rustybronco]

Put ST185/80R13 LRD on at and call it a day.