I know that there is always a tire debate happening so maybe this will lighten the mood :)I bought a new TT... small fella at 17 ft (21 ft with the tongue). For reference it's a clipper/viking 17BH which is a bit over 2800 dry and over 3600 GVWR. It came with some 13" tires and wheels.Well on a sort of related note I have a little utility trailer that I've always had fat little 8" tires on and I've recently started using it more and over longer distances than to my moms to mow her lawn and with larger loads. I had already decided to start looking into larger/better tires for it when the TT purchase idea happened.I am now considering buying three new tires/wheels for the TT and taking the three that came with it and popping them on the utility trailer. A simple move of the wheel wells on the little trailer will suffice and the wheels are the same 5x4.5 pattern.My real question is, since I'm going down this path would there be a safety or other decent reason to move up in tire size on the TT assuming the wheel well and springs are able to handle it... even if only to 14's or 15's? I know I'll have a slightly larger step up (roughly 3/4" per inch of tire maybe) and that's no big deal. Thanks for any pointers.-kkOH

If you do decide to change, if possible go to 15 inch. A friend had a really difficult time trying to find reasonably priced 14 inch tires recently. You have a lot more choices with 15 inch, but watch out for clearance issues especially above the tire contacting with the floor of the TT..

the bear II wrote:If you do decide to change, if possible go to 15 inch. A friend had a really difficult time trying to find reasonably priced 14 inch tires recently. You have a lot more choices with 15 inch, but watch out for clearance issues especially above the tire contacting with the floor of the TT..Just got off of the phone with a Forest River service rep who says that 15" tires would be to large for the well and that at most I might be able to bump up to 14's.

I'm not clear on something, what problem are you trying to solve? It's a myth that 13" tires are bad or prone to failure. Myself having owned a similar sized single axle trailer with 13" tires for 10 years, I think you would be better off simply getting new 13" tires with a higher load range, but I think they are hard to find. I towed our little trailer out west on a 6k mile trip and another that was 3k miles. I ran the original set of 13" ST tires for 6 years and put at least 15k miles on them. I replaced them with the same size and load range. I never once had a problem. Keep in mind to that increasing the tire size and load range will not increase your CC. You axle is the limitation.

Campfire Time wrote:I'm not clear on something, what problem are you trying to solve? It's a myth that 13" tires are bad or prone to failure. Myself having owned a similar sized single axle trailer with 13" tires for 10 years, I think you would be better off simply getting new 13" tires with a higher load range, but I think they are hard to find. I towed our little trailer out west on a 6k mile trip and another that was 3k miles. I ran the original set of 13" ST tires for 6 years and put at least 15k miles on them. I replaced them with the same size and load range. I never once had a problem. Keep in mind to that increasing the tire size and load range will not increase your CC. You axle is the limitation.I'm not trying to solve a problem at all Chuck. That's why I'm posting. I am just trying to find out if there is an advantage to up-sizing. I'm perfectly fine sticking with 13's if there's not a compelling reason to go larger - that's why I was asking the community. The current tires are Westlake ST185/80R13's with 8 Ply/Load D. I've read that the quality of the tire that manufacturers pop on new units isn't necessarily the greatest and looked at my needs on the utility trailer and thought it was an opportunity to upgrade both.

Those are the same size as my old trailer and current one. Another note is that I'm on my 3rd season with the current trailer and no trouble with the tires.This may help you think it through. One thing I've been taking note of is that the tire failures we're seeing reported on various forums seems to largely be the large rigs with 15" tires. I've seen a couple of 14", and almost no one with 13" failures. In particular it's the Chinese made TowMax brand that folks are worked up about.

Any benefit to upsizing my tires/wheels? | Good Sam Community

kkOH
Explorer
May 21, 2015
So failures aside... can you say whether or not a larger tire size gives any specific benefit? I've read plenty of debate about brands and see the bias against these and for those and I'm trying not to bring that into this topic. Simply wondering if there's any science or data to suggest that there is a benefit as you go up in tire size.

I'm guessing you're leaning towards no.

Edit: And to clarify... I guess the benefits I'd be most interested in are:

1. Safety
2. Handling
3. Fuel Economy
Campfire_Time
Explorer
May 21, 2015
Those are the same size as my old trailer and current one. Another note is that I'm on my 3rd season with the current trailer and no trouble with the tires.

This may help you think it through. One thing I've been taking note of is that the tire failures we're seeing reported on various forums seems to largely be the large rigs with 15" tires. I've seen a couple of 14", and almost no one with 13" failures. In particular it's the Chinese made TowMax brand that folks are worked up about.
kkOH
Explorer
May 21, 2015
Campfire Time wrote:
I'm not clear on something, what problem are you trying to solve? It's a myth that 13" tires are bad or prone to failure.

Myself having owned a similar sized single axle trailer with 13" tires for 10 years, I think you would be better off simply getting new 13" tires with a higher load range, but I think they are hard to find. I towed our little trailer out west on a 6k mile trip and another that was 3k miles. I ran the original set of 13" ST tires for 6 years and put at least 15k miles on them. I replaced them with the same size and load range. I never once had a problem.

Keep in mind to that increasing the tire size and load range will not increase your CC. You axle is the limitation.

I'm not trying to solve a problem at all Chuck. That's why I'm posting. I am just trying to find out if there is an advantage to up-sizing. I'm perfectly fine sticking with 13's if there's not a compelling reason to go larger - that's why I was asking the community.

The current tires are Westlake ST185/80R13's with 8 Ply/Load D. I've read that the quality of the tire that manufacturers pop on new units isn't necessarily the greatest and looked at my needs on the utility trailer and thought it was an opportunity to upgrade both.
Campfire_Time
Explorer
May 21, 2015
I'm not clear on something, what problem are you trying to solve? It's a myth that 13" tires are bad or prone to failure.

Myself having owned a similar sized single axle trailer with 13" tires for 10 years, I think you would be better off simply getting new 13" tires with a higher load range, but I think they are hard to find. I towed our little trailer out west on a 6k mile trip and another that was 3k miles. I ran the original set of 13" ST tires for 6 years and put at least 15k miles on them. I replaced them with the same size and load range. I never once had a problem.

Keep in mind to that increasing the tire size and load range will not increase your CC. You axle is the limitation.
kkOH
Explorer
May 20, 2015
the bear II wrote:
If you do decide to change, if possible go to 15 inch. A friend had a really difficult time trying to find reasonably priced 14 inch tires recently.

You have a lot more choices with 15 inch, but watch out for clearance issues especially above the tire contacting with the floor of the TT..

Just got off of the phone with a Forest River service rep who says that 15" tires would be to large for the well and that at most I might be able to bump up to 14's.
the_bear_II
Explorer
May 20, 2015
If you do decide to change, if possible go to 15 inch. A friend had a really difficult time trying to find reasonably priced 14 inch tires recently.

You have a lot more choices with 15 inch, but watch out for clearance issues especially above the tire contacting with the floor of the TT..

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