Can 4 Lug 8" Wheels and Tires On Harbor Freight Trailer Be Upgraded To 5 Lug 12" Wheels and Tires?

Question:

I have an old Harbor Freight 4x8 foldable utility trailer with the 8 inch 4lug rims that are 3-3/4 wide. Was wondering if I could go to at LEAST a 5 lug 12 inch tire…I haven’t tore in to the axle yet to see if everything is good. Provided that everything is good, spindles, hubs, bearings and seal, what would I need to make this 5 lug swap, complete?? My leaf springs are on top of my axle also…

asked by: Kristy R

Expert Reply:

Since the axle on your Harbor Freight 4' x 8' Utility Trailer currently has hubs that have the 4 lug bolt pattern you will need to at a minimum change the hubs to one that uses the common 5 on 4-1/2" bolt pattern.

To find the correct replacement hub you will need to determine which bearing combination your axle uses but I will say that the harbor freight axles typically use bearings that are not common and are not compatible with any replacements.

You will need to remove one of your hubs and look for the bearing numbers stamped in the inner and outer bearings as shown in the included picture of the # L44649.

More than likely you will need to replace the entire axle to get one that uses standard bearings and will have a replacement hub available. The easiest option for a replacement is the Timbren Axle-Less # A20RS545 which are universal as they bolt directly to the frame of your trailer, use the common # L44649 bearing combination, and include new hubs with the 5 on 4-1/2" bolt pattern.

This axle replaces your leaf springs with built in AEON main springs that do a much better job of absorbing road shock making them quite the upgrade.

Now while these new hubs will fit 12" wheels and tires such as the 4.80-12 # AM30670, these tires will be larger than the 8" tires you currently have so you may need to modify the fenders. If you can tell me what the exact tire size currently on your trailer is I would be happy to compare the tire sizes.

I included videos of the products mentioned for you to take a look at.