Quote:
Originally Posted by ShrimpBurrito
TMPilot - FYI, there's no reason for your option #2. Some other folks have thought this as well, so I just want to point this out. The rims are not the problem, the tires are. The object here is to get a tire with a higher weight rating to reduce tire failures, and if you can do that in a 14" tire (as I have done before), then it will fit on your existing 14" rim. If such a beast existed, you could put a 14" 5,000-lb rated tire on those rims. You couldn't carry 5,000 lbs because the rims would be your limiting factor, but it would give a huge safety margin with your tires.
The only circumstance in which you should be replacing your rims is to put a 15" tire on there, such as your option #3. Having already tried a 14" tire with a high weight capacity (Kumho 857's) and experienced blowouts in both tires, that's what I would recommend. After those bad experiences, like others here, I upgraded to 15" rims/tires and haven't had a problem since.
Dave
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Dave,
In addition to weight (1870lbs), I consider pressure (50psi) to be a limiting factor on my TM's factory 14" rims. I haven't seen any documentation from Trailmanor or markings on my factory rims that state otherwise. I am also not aware of any 14" rim made by any manufacturer that is limited to 1870lbs yet is also rated to 65psi. Therefore, I'm not comfortable being a test pilot and fitting a 14" load rating D tire filled to 65psi on a rim that is, most likely, limited to 50psi. In my opinion, that's not safe.
No rim manufacturer is going to authorize one to fill their rims over the maximum pressure for the rim. That a tire mounted on that rim can handle a higher pressure is irrelevant. Safety limits itself to the most restrictive component.
Here is one example from a rim manufacturer (see pg. 10):
http://www.accuridecorp.com/files/20...4-06-22-12.pdf
Here is one example from a tire manufacturer:
http://www.tirerack.com/images/tires...plications.pdf
Here is an example from Dexter Axle:
http://www.dexteraxle.com/i/u/614960..._and_Tires.pdf
Rim, tire, and axle manufactures all agree that one should not fill a rim (a.k.a. wheel) beyond its maximum pressure.
Lots of TM owners with 14" rims/tires have never blown their tires. Some with 15" rims/tires have blown theirs.
Did you have your 14" Kuhmo's mounted on your TM factory 14" rims or mounted on aftermarket 14" rims when they both blew out 3 years later? What was the maximum psi limitation for your rims? Just curious.
Bruce