Is it safe to presume 15" wheels will fit a 2007 model TM?

We are relatively new owners of 2007 2720, purchased used last summer. The tires are the original 14" Marathons, which I planned on changing out before an upcoming trip to FL (from the northern LP of MI) even before reading all the stories on this forum. I've decided to go with the Kumho 857, and the question now is whether to stay with the original 14" tires, or get new 15" wheels and tires. If I read the forum correctly, as the unit is a 2007, I "should" have the lift axle, and the 15's will fit without issue. Is this correct? Appreciating that a unit titled as a 2007 may have been manufactured in late 2006, is there any way to tell from the VIN whether or not mine should have the lift axle installed? I know it's best to measure, just trying to minimize driving the 30 miles one way to where the unit is in indoor storage.

thanks

tim

Several people have made the switch. A quick search should give you the information you need.

The swap fit ours just fine...no other mod required.

I think it was Bill that explained (after I ask basicaly the same question) that you want to measure the clearance between the top of your tire and the wheel well. If you have 3" or more, the 15's should fit.

My quiestion would be what are our choices brand wise for 15" tires? I didn't see a Kumho in that size.

Originally Posted by Redhawk

My quiestion would be what are our choices brand wise for 15" tires? I didn't see a Kumho in that size.

I'm Running The New Goodyear Marathons, They Are Made In The USA Not China Like My Old 14" Goodyears.

made the switch to 15"rims and put on maxxis tire and had no problems with the wheel wells but did need to modify the spare tire carrier. You should find many threds concerning tire change over in tires tires tires.

Just be aware that it will lift the top of the TM. This is why I can not switch to 15s. I only have 1/4 inch of clearance at the roof a/c at my indoor storage facility, attached garage with a 7 foot door.

[Bill]

Let's be clear. The axle and suspension are made by Dexter Axle. At their web site - specifically on the second page of the 3500-pound Torflex axle description at

http://dexteraxle.com/i/u/1080235/f/...0-3500_lbs.pdf

The heading says "Allow 3-inch bump clearance from full load."

I take this to mean that if the suspension compresses (rotates) all the way to the stop, the tire will rise 3 inches from its rest position, where "rest" is defined as a full 3500-pound load on the axle.

Therefore, to be perfectly safe, your TM, sitting still, should have 3 inches of clearance from the top of the tire to the underside of the wheelwell liner.

I made a conscious decision to go ahead, even though I had only a 2 1/2 inch clearance. Although my TM may be fully loaded at times, my expectation is that I will never hit a curb or a big bump at a high enough speed to fully compress the suspension. If I do hit a bump this hard, then I accept the consequences of my decision.

The consequences are unhandy, but not severe. The wheel well liner is a plastic molded piece, arched in shape, mounted above the tire. It is screwed to the TM floor inside the TM, covering the rectangular opening in the floor. If the wheel rises high enough to hit this liner, most likely it will simply push the liner up and pop the screws out of the floor. It might destroy the liner, but since it has a slick surface, I doubt it, and a new liner can be ordered from TM.

To avoid this possibility, I considered increasing the height of the liner. This would involve opening the door of the kitchen cabinet where the liner is located, unscrewing it from the floor, screwing pieces of 1x1 wood to the floor around the opening, and then remounting the liner on this "lip". In the end, I decided not to bother with this. But if the clearance on your TM is close enough to make you nervous, it should be a quick and easy fix.

Remember, of course, that this discussion applies to the clearance above the tire, but you still must consider the clearance ahead of the tire, aft of the tire, and on the inner side of the tire. This was all discussed in one of the early threads discussing 14"-to-15" conversion.

Bottom line - I simply mounted new 15-inch Goodyear Marathons on new wheels, and put them on in place of the old 14-inch Marathons. No other changes or mods. Thousands of miles later, no problems whatever. Thanks, Bobby!

Bill

Curious to know what modifications were needed to the spare tire carrier?

Originally Posted by ronanderson

made the switch to 15"rims and put on maxxis tire and had no problems with the wheel wells but did need to modify the spare tire carrier. You should find many threds concerning tire change over in tires tires tires.

try http://www.trailmanorowners.com/foru...ead.php?t=9733

There is a very simple modification there that I am going to try myself.