Can 205/65-10 Tires be Upgraded to a Larger Size For Greater Ground Clearance

Question:

I have a popup camper with 205/65/10. I was wondering if I could go with a larger wheel / tire combo without modifying my camper. I need more ground clearence

asked by: Jason M

Helpful Expert Reply:

In order to find if your 205/65-10 tires like the # AM3H410 can be upgraded to a larger size without modifying your camper you will need to take a few things into account. This will largely depend on what size tire you would like to add and how much additional ground clearance you are looking for.

The first is your current bolt pattern. For example, if you wanted to use a 145/80-12 tire like the # AM35351DX and you currently have a 4 on 4 bolt pattern you wouldn't have an issue finding wheels that fit. However, if you go to larger sizes you may not be able to find wheels with the correct bolt pattern and would have to replace your hubs, if possible, as well.

The other thing to consider is going to be clearance between the tire and the trailer. Again using the # AM35351DX, your current tire is actually wider so you won't have to worry about the distance between the side wall and the closest part of the trailer. The difference would be in the outer diameter. The tire used with the # AM35351DX has a diameter of 21.3" compared to the # AM3H410 with a tire diameter of 20.6". This means you will lose .35" of clearance on top of the tire and gain .35" of ground clearance.

You want a minimum of 3" of clearance between the top of the tire and the wheel well/fender, and 2" of clearance on the inside. As long as you have enough clearance you can increase the tire size.