Replacement Trailer Wheels for 4 on 4 Bolt Wheels with 4.80/4.00-8 Trailer Tires

Question:

I have a small Chinese-made utility trailer frame that I am trying to recondition. It has 4-lug smaller wheels right now and I was thinking of something larger that would perform better at high-speeds and/or over terrian. What are possible options to upgrade the current wheels?

asked by: Nate L

Expert Reply:

I would need to know what size tires on on the trailer. From the picture it looks like you have 4.80/4.00-8 tires. You can stick with the wheels you have and get new tires the same size, see link. The tires we carry are rated for 65 miles per hour (unless otherwise noted on the tire). Bias ply tires are better for off-road types of applications.

To go up to a larger wheel the next largest size is # AM20041. This is a 10 inch wheel that is also 2-1/4 inches wider than the wheels you have now so you would also need different tires in size 205/60-10. These tires are 3.7 inches wider than what you have and 4.4 inches taller than the tires you have now. You would need to make sure you have room all around the tire for the larger size.

It also looks like you have wheel bolts and not lug nuts that hold the wheel on. With this type of wheel the center pilot hole of the wheel has to be an exact size to fit over the hub. It cannot be smaller or larger than what you have. It has to be exact because that is how the wheel centers on the hub. The pilot hole on wheel # AM20041 is 2-1/2 inches.

If you wanted to keep the wheels but go to a larger tire then you could use a 5.70-8, see link. These tires are going to be wider and taller so you need to make sure there is room all around the existing tires for a larger size. The 5.70 tires will be about 1 inch wider and 2 inches taller.

If you also want to replace the wheels I have included links to the tire and wheel combos in 4.80/4.00-8 and 5.70-8 for you. I have also included a link to our trailer tire FAQ. Please note that going to a larger size tire or higher capacity tire does not increase the trailer capacity. Remember also that the pilot hole has to match what you have or else you would have to also replace the hubs. Just going with different tires and not replacing the wheels seems like the way to go.

expert reply by: Michael H