Tire Clearance Upgrading From 205/75R14 To 225/75R15 Tires On Trailer

Question:

currently have approx. 4.5 inches running 205/75/14r lrd. Want to go up to 225/75/15r lre. From what Ive looked at the dia would go up 2 3/16, meaning that the top half of tire would increase by 1 3/32. It looks like it should work............?

asked by: Joe

Expert Reply:

Based on the fact that you have 4.5" of clearance on top of your tire right now this shouldn't be a problem. An ST205/75R14 tire like the # AM10235 has an outer diameter of 26.3" with an 8.1" section width. The Karrier ST225/75R15 Radial Trailer Tire # AM10256 has an outer diameter of 28.4" with an 8.9" section width. Switching to the larger tire in this instance would mean losing 1.05" on top and .40" on the inside of the tire.

You want at least 3" on the top and 2" on the inside of the tire for your typical suspension travel. More than likely this would not reduce your clearance too much on the inside of the tire, but I do recommend checking. You will also want to match your current tire measurements to the replacement tire you choose. They can vary slightly between manufacturers.

I'm guessing you need a 5 on 4-1/2 wheel bolt pattern for the replacement wheels. If you want a wheel and tire combo we have the Provider # A225R645WM. If you want to use the Karrier # AM10256 you could buy a wheel like the # AM20522 separately. This tire will fit 15" x 6", 15" x 6-1/2", and 15" x 7" rims.

expert reply by: Robin H