What to Consider When Upgrading a Trailer Tire from a 15 inch Diameter Wheel to a 16 inch Rim

Question

Question:

I have 15inch rims currently with 2.75 inches between adjacent nuts. I need to replace them and was wondering if I could go up to 16 with same bolt pattern?

asked by: Josh

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Expert Reply:

As long as you have the fender clearance to go to a 16 inch trailer rim/tire setup you will first need to determine what your actual bolt pattern is and then you will be able to pick out the correct wheel tire combo. I attached an FAQ on how to determine bolt patterns for you to check out as well.

All of the 16 inch wheels have either a 6 or 8 lug bolt pattern. At a minimum a 16 inch wheel and tire will give you an additional 2-1/2 inches of tire diameter.

I attached a page that has all of the 16 inch wheels/tires we offer for you to check out as well.

expert reply by: Jameson C

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Answer 1

Light truck tires (LT) are sometimes used in RV applications but generally not on utility trailers. Light truck tires are a type of passenger vehicle tire and as such they are not built with as thick of a sidewall as trailer tires. A thicker sidewall…

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Answer 2

The Karrier ST235/85R16 Trailer Tire #AM10248 could potentially fit the Dexstar Steel Spoke Trailer Wheel 16" x 6" Rim #AM20750 though it would be about 1/2 inch taller. If you have clearance around the tire for a larger size you could use…

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Answer 3

Load range D has a capacity of 1,220 lbs at 65 psi, whereas load range E has a capacity of 1,520 lbs at 80 psi. Basically the only difference between the two is the weight capacity. With trailer tires you always want to have them inflated to their…

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Answer 4

Ways to raise the height of a trailer for better ground clearance include using larger wheels/tires and installing an axle over-under kit that reverses the placement of the springs and axle. An axle over-under kit (we offer two) will give you a…

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Answer 5

We have a taller tire size than your 205/75-14 that will fit your current wheel which is tire size 215/75-14 but you'd really only gain about a 1/4 inch of additional clearance so it would not be you ideal solution. What you'd really need is…

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Answer 6

Yes, radial tires are much preferred over bias ply tires for a number of reasons. The main difference between a radial ply and a bias ply tire is how the tire is constructed. The cords inside a bias ply tire run at a 32 degree angle to the direction…

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Answer 7

The first thing you will need to check is if there is enough space around the existing tires to use the larger size. Based on the old size you have, 235/75-15 (which isn't a common trailer tire size) the tires are approximately 28.8 inches tall…

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Answer 8

Since you measured 26-1/2 inches on your old springs you'll likely need 26 inch springs because they will sag and elongate as they wear. Yours are 6-Leaf so you'll need two of #e27SR which are rated for 4500 lbs. This is plenty for a trailer…

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Answer 9

In order to determine the torque rating for the lug nuts on your trailer you will need to know check out the chart I attached that shows all of the torque specs for all the trailer lugs available based on stud size, wheel material and wheel size.

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Answer 10

The difference between an load range C and load range D tire in the same size is the capacity and psi rating. The two tires will still have the same dimensions and fit on the same wheel. The D rated tire has a higher capacity. For a ST175/80D13 like…

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Answer 11

Load range B trailer tires are going to have a lower capacity than C load range tires. Basically that, psi rating, and the ply rating are the only differences. A higher load range tire would last a little longer than lower load ranges of the same…

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Answer 12

Your math is correct in your trailer weight load example. If a fully-loaded tandem axle trailer weighs 4000-lbs then each of the 4 tires will bear 1/4th of that load, or 1000-lbs. In this case a tire rated for 1300-lbs would provide a good safety…

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