Selecting Replacement Wheels and Tires for 1980s Trailer

Question:

Trying to find new tires and wheels for 1980 trailer Please let me know if I can go with a 15 in Thanks

asked by: Barbara B

Expert Reply:

Thank you for the photo of your trailer wheel and tire in size 7-14.5LT.

For choosing the wheels you'll want to first confirm the hub bolt pattern; your photo shows what appears to be a wheel with 10 stud holes that is mounted on a 5-stud hub. You can refer to the linked article on wheel bolt patterns for help confirming which pattern you need. I also linked two helpful articles on tires.

You can refer to the article on tire sizing to see the overall diameters of the various 15-inch tires we have. You can use larger wheels and tires as long as you have enough space for the larger tire. You want to have no less than 3/4-inch between the inner sidewall and the trailer frame, and at least 3-inches of space above the tread to allow for the travel of the trailer's suspension.

Since you expressed an interest in potentially moving to a 15-inch wheel/tire, and since the trailer is almost 40 years old, I recommend that you swap your hubs at the same time that you choose your new wheels and tires. A new hub will fit on your existing spindles as long as it uses the same bearings as the original hub. If you pull a hub and remove the bearings you should be able to find the part numbers on the bearings. The linked photo shows how these part numbers usually appear. You'll also want to be sure you choose hubs that have the necessary weight rating to match your axle. For example, a 7000-lb-rated axle needs hubs that are each rated for 3500-lbs. Feel free to tell be your bearing numbers and your axle weight rating (usually found on a tag or sticker on the axle itself) and I will be glad to suggest hubs and compatible wheels and tires.

Often customers who wish to update an older trailer prefer to use a complete axle/hub kit. Using a kit like the 3500-lb axle kit # e43SR gives you the peace of mind of knowing that all the internal parts are new, safe and in good order.

Please feel free to tell me more about your setup and I'll be happy to assist further with selecting the parts you need.

expert reply by: Adam R