Wheel Wells and Tire Failure

Bill,

If someone does make a 14" D range tire, they don't make themselves very well known.  I've looked for several years.  I've had one blowout, on the original tires.  It happened where there was very little shoulder, on a very busy freeway, between Grand Rapids and Lansing, MI.  Fortunately, the blowout occured on the curb side and I was not in a position to be out in the freeway traffic.  For as you know, some can't be counted on to give quarter these days.  However, back top the story.  The said freeways' shoulder was so narrow and then it fell away dramatically.  It was near 100 degrees and I don't handle heat and humidity well.  Trying to use those load leveling jacks: 1) to lift the trailer off the ground 2) on an angle, in order to change a tire is not my cup of tea.  I love my trailer, in spite of the small irritants that keep an owner busy.  All RVs have those.  But this blown tire situation can be dangerous, if it occurs at an inopportune time and/or location, which Murpy's Law says it will.

Anyway, question - is it feasible to use the 2" lift to get one into a 15" tire for the load range D selection?  I truly respect the engineering prowless of so many of you on this board.  Is this a solution or not?

Please advise..........George

[Bill]

Will a lift kit help? Yes, I've got to believe it will make space for a 15" tire. Follow this thread back a couple weeks (or was it another similar thread?) Wade, who has a lift kit, provided some measurements that suggest it would be easy for him to go to a 1" larger tire. The location with the closest clearance is at the top of the tire, where the clearance is about an inch without the lift kit. This is not enough enough to add a larger tire - but the lift kit makes it possible.

My problem? If I increase the height of my TM even a quarter inch, it won't fit through my garage door! Otherwise, I would do it in a flash.

Bill

Here is a quick summary of what I know so far.  I aplogize if it is a bit redundant  ???

>My 2720 came with a 205/75 14ST Load Range C

>I have GY Marathon Tires which GY says have a speed Rating of 65 mph and Load Range C.

>The Load Range is dictated by the number of plys: 6-ply = C, 8-ply = D.  I can't find a 205/75-14 Load D tire.

>The Marathon 225/75 14ST has a Load Range D version (I think).  Is there a 15-incher that would be a smaller diameter?

I imagine the lift kit might give enough clearance for the larger tire?  There appears to only be four bolts holding the axle to the frame (Grade 8, I assume).  It should be easy to add a spacer and install longer Grade 8 bolts.  Not sure if I would go the whole 2-in at first... maybe just an inch.

I added the 2" lift kit to my 3124.  I still only have about 3/4 inch at the rear between the treat and the frame.  Also, I only have about 1/2 inch between the sidewall and the wheel well cover.  I think you would have to get the axle to slide forward a little more to add a 15 inch time and it would need to be no wider than the 14 inch tire for it to work. Michelin's web site gives you the exact width for a given rim width and tells you how to adjust for a different width rim. It looks like you would add at least 1 inch on total diameter to go from a 14 to a 15 inch tire.  The width appears to stay the same.

As mentioned earlier I had a Carlisle failure two weeks ago at well under its load rating.  The tread just came off like a cheap retread.  Based on a axle weighing I believe the tire was loaded at about 1300lbs.

This week I got two Marathons for $210: ST215/75/R14.
The last Carlisle tire I'll ever own is lucky to be a spare.