Solution for 14 Inch Tires Rubbing Against the Fender

Question:

I recently purchased a 2002 Tracker Pro Deep V17 on a Trailstar trailer. The trailer still had the original tires, although tread was good the age concerned me so I opted to replace. The original tires were F65-14ST, tire dealer said the replacement was a 205/75-14 which I discovered after they were installed rub on the inside of the new tires against the fender. I found your article explaining the difference in size between the F65-14ST and the 205/75-14 which explained why I now have a tire rub. Do you have any other 14 inch trailer tire sizes that would work, recommend any spacers to allow the new 205 tire to work or any other options besides removing the fenders. Thank You.

asked by: Jeff L

Expert Reply:

We do not recommend using spacers because it can cause otherwise avoidable issues with your tires and hubs. There are not smaller 14 inch tires and because you do not want to remove the fenders the best option is going to be replace both your wheels and tires with a smaller capacity.

The most important thing to know before doing this is what your hub's bolt pattern is. The most common is 5 on 4-1/2" although if you are unsure you will need to take some measurements to find out and I have added a link to a help article which outlines exactly how to determine your bolt pattern.

If you do have a 5 on 4-1/2" bolt pattern there is a high-quality but economical 13 inch wheel and tire combo that may work depending on how much more space you need, the Karrier ST175/80R13 Radial Trailer Tire with 13" Galvanized Wheel # AM31994.

This 175/80R13 tire measures 24" in diameter and 6.9" wide which is a little more than 2" less in diameter and 1.2" narrower than your current 205/75-14 tires. The wheel on this is galvanized which is perfect for a boat trailer and it has a load range of D with a maximum capacity of 1,610 lbs when filled to its max 65 psi.

I have added a link to a video review of this tire and wheel for you to take a look at as well.

expert reply by: Kyle S