Help with 14" or 15" tire decision

[ShrimpBurrito]

Originally Posted by bowonly

ShrimpBurrito, I read your post from two years ago . How are your "not centered wheels" working out these days or did you modify them?

I did not modify them. As I mentioned in my post back in 2007, the only adverse effect I could tell was the tracking being slightly off. It handles fine, there is no uneven tire wear, and it brakes fine, so I saw no reason to change it.

Did you put your 205 Kumhos on wheels rated at 1870 max load ?

Yes. The problem I had, as well as others, was that the tires were failing, and the only identifiable cause was that the actual load was too close to the rated load. I was not looking to increase the overall load carrying capacity of the trailer and my rims were not failing. Thus, I did not get rims with a higher capacity. 10,000 miles later I am still a happy camper.

I am fairly certain that the axle has a 3,500 lb weight limit, so that's another reason heavier rims don't make sense. If you are going to go through the hassle of getting heavy 15" rims and tires, why not get a 5,000 lb axle too?

Dave

The vertical clearance is the most important as the tires move up and down on the torsion bars, they should not have any fore and aft movement.

[Frenchy]

I like ShrimpBurrito upgraded to LT tires with a 2250 lb rating although mine were Cooper commercial grade tires. No change in rims and ran at 65 psi. I put over 40,000 miles on them with no problems. You must have the tires balanced though to prevent shaking all the screws and nuts loose..

Originally Posted by Frenchy

I like ShrimpBurrito upgraded to LT tires with a 2250 lb rating although mine were Cooper commercial grade tires. No change in rims and ran at 65 psi. I put over 40,000 miles on them with no problems. You must have the tires balanced though to prevent shaking all the screws and nuts loose..

Good to hear from you Frenchy. If I remember correct, you were one of the first ones to suggest (and try) the Euro tires......being the trendsetter.

[Frenchy]

I believe I was the first.

[Bill]

Originally Posted by guitartom

besides the wheel size and lug spread (5 x 4.5) what is the proper center bore? I see wheels with 3.19 and 3.30" bores.

Tom, that's an interesting question. I wasn't aware that different bores were available, so I went into the garage to make a measurement. The mike clicked in at 3.17", so I'm guessing that 3.19 is the right answer.

I also observed that the bore on my wheels is bigger than it has to be, by about 1/4". It is not a snug fit on the spindle housing. In other words, a wheel with a 0.295" bore would have fit, too (if such a wheel existed). Given that the fit isn't critical, I can't imagine that going to a 0.330" bore (a tenth of an inch bigger) would make any difference.

I changed out my wheels a couple years ago. My experience was that in this basic size, TM uses the same wheel as most other travel trailers, boat trailers, utility trailers, car haulers, and so forth. There are advantages to standardization, and one of them is that the wheels are cheap and easy to get. In fact, many (though not all) tire dealers keep them in stock. Standard white-painted steel - complete with the little color stripe near the edge.

Bill

Thank you Frenchy!

Originally Posted by Bill

I also observed that the bore on my wheels is bigger than it has to be, by about 1/4". It is not a snug fit on the spindle housing. In other words, a wheel with a 0.295" bore would have fit, too (if such a wheel existed). Given that the fit isn't critical, I can't imagine that going to a 0.330" bore (a tenth of an inch bigger) would make any difference.
Bill

Should Make No Difference, Here Are The Specs On My 15"ers

15x6JJ/J Trailer Wheel;
Bolt Pattern: 5 on 4.50;
Center Bore: 3.30";
Maximum Load: 2,600 lbs

So I Have The 3.30" Center Bore Rims And Have Had No Problems Yet