Wheel Well Blow Out

I have lost both wheel wells due to Kumho Tire blowouts.
I am thinking of putting in new factory wells.
My question is, are there any hidden difficulties in doing this?
How far do I have to disassemble? & Can I do it all from the outside?

Thank you

[Padgett]

Once you remove the skirt and wheel it appears to be just a number of phillips head screws accessible from the outside. I had wondered about the Kumhos since they do not appear to be for traikler service.

As the load range (C, D, E ) increases, so does the "strength" of the tire and belts. I don't think I'd want a "C" tire on a single axle trailer, particularly on that may be close to the load limit to start.

The other factor is inflation. There is a reason the specs say "maximum load at..." For instance a "C" tire may be rated at 1820 lbs @ 50 psi while the "D" is 2150 lbs at 65 psi. The load is a function of tire volume and psi so that same "D" tire would only be rated at 1850 @ 50 or about 1280 @ 40.

Given a typical TM weight of 3400-4000 lbs this means for each tire to sustain 2,000 lbs, the minimum pressure would be 55 psi. Less and temperatures will rise.

Maybe that is where the odd 2-step sticker on my 2720SL came from. Note the GVWR of 4217 lb (less the 470 lb tongue = 3747 lbs on the axle/1874 on each tire).

So personally, nothing less than a LR D and over 2,000 lbs rating with proper inflation. And wheel and tire stem rated for same.

ps water (in all forms) and propane are considered "cargo". 20 gallons of water is 160 lbs.

[tentcamper]

Originally Posted by 3flats15oomiles

I have lost both wheel wells due to Kumho Tire blowouts.
I am thinking of putting in new factory wells.
My question is, are there any hidden difficulties in doing this?
How far do I have to disassemble? & Can I do it all from the outside?

Thank you

Which wheel well do you have, square or round? I think the changing year was 2003. Looking at my round wheels it does not look that bad just some screws and caulk. Thinking how they make the camper, I would think it's all an outside job.

I have the round ones and they are being drop-shipped so I will find out how tough the job is after they arrive.
I hope I do not have to remove any frame bolts or cabinets.

[Bill]

I think we may have a semantics problem here.

The wheel well is the opening in the TM sidewall and floor. The upper half of the tire lives in this opening. TMs originally had square wheel wells. Sometimes around 2001, the shape of the wheel well changed to half-round. A couple of our more enterprising members figured out how to convert their old square wheel wells into round ones. See, for example, Rick Newcomb's excellent writeup at his site
http://home.comcast.net/~trailmanor/whlwell.htm
In this case, the wheel well liner (aka fender liner) is made of aluminum sheet, bent into an arch and backed by expanding foam.

Today you can buy wheel well liners from the factory. The wheel well liner is a curved piece of heavy black plastic. You can sort of see one in the TM parts catalog as part number 27041, where it is called a fender liner (as opposed to wheel well liner). I don't think you can install these liners in an unmodified square wheel well, but I don't think that is what you are trying to do, so you should be OK.

Maybe I am running in the wrong direction here ...

Bill

[Padgett]

Enclosed is a snap of the one I bought to modify for increased clearance (do not like the idea of raising). In general the street side will have less clearance than the curb side particularly if your water tanks are partly full (8 lbs/gallon).

My plan is to section the liner and add an inch or inch and a half spacer like when you tub a wheel well for funny tires, depends on the clearances I find when removing the stock one.

Need to remove the wheel first, then the liner and before that I need to install the new FIAMMA F45s awning that just arrived (local to Orlando so no shipping). RSN.

ps you can get a basic feel for clearances by looking in the door under the lav sink but will be better with it out.

BTW the second photo shows not quite enough clearance.

Thank you,
it looks like it is straight forward enough.
I'll let you know how it goes.