Can 8 inch Trailer Wheel and Tire be Upgraded to 12 inch

Question:

I want to upgrade to twelve inch tires for my load rite boat trailer I currently have 8inch tires on it but I dont want to trust them on the highway is there a way to do that without buying new fenders

asked by: Sheamus W

Expert Reply:

If you have enough wheel well clearance, I would look into a 12 inch radial tire and wheel like the Kenda Karrier ST145/R12 S-Trail Tire, # AM31202 for a 5 lug bolt pattern or # AM35351DX for 4 bolt. All of the 4.8-12 tires are bias ply tires, but the S-Trail is a radial tire. Radial tires have more flex which gives it better ground contact, traction, stability and tread wear. It will also run cooler which helps the tire last longer. This tire is also about 1 inch wider, so it will help to improve any potential sway from the increased trailer height.

The overall diameter of this is 21.3 inches and the width is 5.7 inch.

You will want at least 1-2 inches of clearance between the side wall of the tire and the trailer and 4-1/2 inches of clearance from the tire tread to the fender for maximum bump clearance and suspension travel. This tire fits 4 inch wide wheels. I have attached a link to all of our 12 x 4 trailer wheels for you to check out. Be sure to check your wheel bolt pattern before selecting replacement wheels. I have attached a help article on how to find your bolt pattern that will help.

expert reply by: Jameson C