Installing Alternate Wider Wheels/Tires for Older Jayco Pop-Up Camper Trailer

Question:

I have an older Jayco J series pop-up camper. I have a standard 12 inch wheel with a 4 on 4 bolt pattern. I camp on the beaches of North Carolina which means i reduce my air pressure for a bigger footprint. The narrow tires dont do well under these conditions. Ive been trying to find a wheel with 4 on 4 pattern that a wider tire can be mounted. The tire can be 22 inches tall and up to 8 inches wide and still fit in the wheel well. What do you recommend?

asked by: David H

Expert Reply:

First, you do not want to run your camper's tires under-inflated. Trailer tires, all of them, are designed to be operated at their full rated pressure as indicated on the side wall. Under-inflation will lead to heat build-up and stress in the sidewalls and could lead to damage or failure. I do realize your intent to gain a wider footprint through a more flexible tire surface, but this is not recommended for safety reasons.

Please take a look at the linked article on trailer tire sizes. The top table shows the overall diameters for various tire sizes as well as the rim widths. For example, a 205/65-10 tire will fit a 10-inch rim 6-inches wide and have an overall diameter of 20-1/2-inches, within your range. If this size will not reduce your ground clearance too much you might consider for example Kenda # AM3H410 which is a 10 x 6-inch rim fitted with a Load Range D tire. The link provided will let you see all options in a 10 x 6-rim with 4-on-4 bolt pattern and 205/65-10 tires.

You will want to ensure you select an appropriate load range tire for your camper's loaded weight.

expert reply by: Adam R