How to Fix Top of Trailer Tires Rubbing Fender

Question

Question:

I have a 2280 lb 16ft tandem axle trailer. Just purchased. It has 175/80/13 tires on it and the top of the tires rub on the bottom of the trailer or fender well. Nothing seems wrong with the suspension. I believe I should have about 3inch clearance on top of the tires. Is there a 13 inch tire that is about 3inch shorter than the 175/80/13 tire? My rims are 5 bolt.

asked by: James R

0

Expert Reply:

You actually should shoot for 4-1/2" of clearance between the top of your tire and the bottom of the fender well. This accounts for flex in your suspension.

Unless 2,280 lbs is the GVWR (gross vehicle weight rating) of your trailer then you need to look into lifting your trailer as opposed to smaller tires. Even just going down to 4.80R12 tires, like part # TT48012C, gives you an overall weight capacity of 3,960 lbs. This means that you can load about 1,700 lbs on your trailer before it is overloaded which seems a bit low for a tandem axle trailer.

We do have over-under conversion kits that raise the height of your trailer equal to the diameter of your axle plus the height of your leaf spring stack. If you have 2-3/8" diameter axles then you need part # K71-384-00 but for 3" diameter axles you need part # K71-385-00.

Aside from this you would need to essentially go with tires that have an 8" smaller diameter than what you currently have. This means tires with an 8" wheel.

expert reply by: Jon G

0

Bob G.

4/9/2020

Boat trailer with st 155 r80 13 on it i can not fine these size tires any where will st 175r80 13 fit or will they it the fender wall if so what can be done

Reply

Chris R.

4/11/2020

This is an older size that's not used much anymore. A 175R80-13 like the Provider # TTWTRTM1758013C is indeed the closest we have available, and it really won't be much of a difference. It will fit onto your existing wheels and only be about 1.2" larger overall in diameter/height. Only half of this difference (0.6") will actually affect your fender clearance, so I don't foresee any issues.

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Answer 1

If a trailer tire and wheel each have different weight capacities then the lower-rated item of the two determines the overall capacity of the combination. You can certainly run a tire with a lower or higher weight rating than the wheel its used on…

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Answer 2

I have two options for you to raise your trailer and gain more clearance between the fender and tire. The most cost effective option would be to flip the axles with a Dexter Trailer Springs Over-Under Kit part #K71-384-00 or part #K71-385-00. That…

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Answer 3

If the inside of your trailer tire is rubbing against the frame on your trailer then you can either get a new trailer axle that has a larger hub-face measurement or get slightly smaller tires. The easier solution would be to swap out your tires for…

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Answer 4

The OEM prep package consists of 4 "pucks" in the bed of the truck that will allow you to drop in puck style hitches for easy installation and removal, that gives you a completely clear bed when not in use. The B&W Companion OEM 5th…

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Answer 5

Great question. As a general rule, when your trailer is loaded to it's full capacity, there should be a minimum clearance of 3 inches between the top of your tire and the underside of your fender.This should give you adequate clearance for…

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Answer 6

You can add larger wheels and tires to a trailer as long as you have enough room for the larger size. The main clearance issues we find when putting larger tires and wheels on a trailer is from the top of the tire to the fender and from the inside…

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Answer 7

I attached a chart that has all of the recommended lug nut torque specs for trailer wheels. Based on your studs being 1/2 inch, your wheels being 15 inches in diameter, and your lug nuts being coned you would want to torque your lug nuts to 90-120 ft…

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Answer 8

The tire size you have is for passenger vehicles since it starts with the letter P. You shouldn't run that style of tire on a trailer so replacing what you have is the right move. We have a very similar size as 175/80-13 that is rated for trailer…

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Answer 9

A trailer tire size 175/80-13 will replace either an A78-13 or B78-13 trailer tire. A 175/80-13 is going to have 3 load ratings: B at 1,100 pounds at 35 psi, C at 1,360 pounds at 50 psi, and D at 1,610 pounds at 65 psi. This size will have a diameter…

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Answer 10

There is only a very slight size difference between the ST215/75R14 and the ST205/75R14 that you currently have on your trailer. The difference is less than half an inch in overall diameter less than half an inch in additional width. You would want…

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Answer 11

Sounds like your trailer axles are a bit too short if the inner sidewall is rubbing on the frame of the trailer. Did you recently change to a wider tire? That could be the cause too. Your equalizer being angled shouldn't cause the issue you…

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Answer 12

I do have a solution for you, however since we do not carry any Carefree products your best option is replace both arms with the: -Solera Universal Awning Support Arms for RVs #LC434727. These awning arms will work with Dometic, Carefree, or Solera…

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