What is Minimum Clearance Between Trailer Tire Sidewall and Trailer Frame

Question

Question:

I have an older Karavan snowmobile trailer. I bought new tire/rim assembly 18.5×8.5-8 from etrailer.com and put them on and one side has about 1/2 inch clearance to the frame and other side about a 1/4 inch. Can I put wheel adapters or spacers on to get more clearance. What should the clearance be?

asked by: Barrett A

0

Expert Reply:

Hey Barrett, ideally you have 2 inches of clearance between the tire sidewall and the frame of the trailer. Where you are at now is going to be not quite enough clearance. We don't have any wheel spacers and honestly 1-1/2 inch wheel spacers would be too thick on a trailer. A longer axle or narrower tires would be your best option.

expert reply by: Jameson C

0

Barrett A.

3/7/2024

What tire would be equivalent to the 18.5×8.50-8 but thinner?

Reply

Jameson C.

3/11/2024

@BarrettA A 165/65-8 like part # AM1HP22 is a bit narrower and would give better clearance.

Reply

Answer 1

The closest size we have to a 25.5" slipper spring is 24-5/8". Do understand that this may be the correct size for your application since as leaf springs sag and get flatter they also get longer in length. Also the amount of leaves a spring…

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Answer 2

As long as the 2-Leaf Slipper Spring w/ Radius End for 1,000-lb Trailer Axles - 24-5/8" Long #e36SR is the same length as your current flat-end spring you can use it as a replacement. The only "radius" style of leaf spring that…

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Answer 3

My research indicates that Karavan used 205/65-10 tires on their 2 place snowmobile trailers, mounted on a wheel with a 5 lug on a 4-1/2 inch bolt circle. You can certainly go with a taller tire, but you'll want to retain a bare minimum of 3…

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Answer 4

The trailer tire and wheel combination is received from the supplier already with the tire mounted on the wheel. The supplier does not balance the combination, but when the tire is installed to the wheel they will line the high (heavy) spot on the…

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Answer 5

The 205 in 205/75R14 refers to the section width of the tire in millimeters, which would be 8.1 inches. The 205 is the most narrow tire designed for a 14 inch wheel. You can, however, go a size smaller on the wheel to get more space. An ST185/80R13…

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Answer 6

I do not recommend using a leaf spring spacer (lift block) on your trailer. The reason for this is because they can cause the trailer to become extremely bouncy and rough which is just going to put more stress on your suspension and wear out the…

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Answer 7

I do have a few possible options for giving your 2004 Toy Hauler some extra clearance for your larger 29-1/4 inch tires. Replacing the Double-Eye Springs and upgrading to a 5 leaf or 6 leaf spring system will provide very minimal rise on your trailer…

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Answer 8

Trailer tire and wheel combos are balanced like this: every tire and every wheel has a high (heavy) and low (light) spot. The manufacturers offset the high spot on the tire with the low spot on the wheel to balance them. Trailer tires do not need to…

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Answer 9

The recommended amount of tire clearance to allow for suspension travel on virtually any trailer is 3" from the top of the tire to the bottom of the fender or frame and 1" from the inside of the tire to the frame. If you need to raise the…

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Answer 10

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 11

There are currently no brake assemblies that are going to fit an 8 inch wheel because of the exact problem you have encountered: the hubs are too large to fit. The smallest we can go is for 10 inch wheels. You might be able to go to a 205/65-10 tire…

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Answer 12

A wheel with an offset has the mounting surface off center so that the tire will be either closer to the trailer or further away depending on if it is a negative or positive offset. Positive offset means that the tire will be CLOSER to the trailer.…

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What is Minimum Clearance Between Trailer Tire Sidewall and Trailer Frame

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