Well, I was taking closer look at tires on a 210RB Terry Dakota after doing our recent 10K mile trip around the "world". We bought the 2007, this spring specifically to get out and about. Tires are doing well but upon a bit closer look, one side (curb side), the tandem axles have on ST 205 75 r14 while the other side have on ST 215 75 r14. Now, on a 4W drive vehicle this would probably be an significant issue for the drive train but since a trailer is only being pulled and the wheels are independent, does it really matter with the slight difference? I guess the previous owner had an issue with one tire which was then replaced with the "closest" available size. I guess the question would be should the tires be the same size for a given axle? The tires are pretty new both tread wise and build (2011, 2012 stamps if I am reading them correctly).Thanks for any guidance / comments.

Personally I want all the tires to be the same size. Tire issues are one of the most frequent problems most RVers have to deal with. If finanically possible, I would also switch to 15 inch rims with "E" rated tires. For me, I would rather have a little over kill margin of safety as opposed to using tires that are at their maximum capacity of weight load.

I wonder what the thinking was? Taller tires on the curb side to counteract the road crown?You are right, for a vehicle with a differential or transfer case it would be a bad thing, For a trailer it won't have any effect.

Diameter inches (mm)26.11 (663.1) 26.7 (678.1) 0.59 (15) 2.3% Width inches (mm)8.07 (205) 8.46 (215) 0.39 (10) 4.9% Circum. inches (mm)82.02 (2083.19) 83.87 (2130.31) 1.86 (47.12) 2.3% Sidewall Height inches (mm)6.05 (153.75) 6.35 (161.25) 0.3 (7.5) 4.9% Revolutions per mile (km)772.54 (480.03) 755.45 (469.41) -17.09 (-10.62) The first numbers are for the 205 tires and the second set are the 215 tires the third is the difference. My opinion would be to have the 205's & 215's on the same axle.

Put the trailer on flat level ground. Measure height to the frame between the axles for each side.I would put the same size tire on a side and then depending on the height measurement which side to put the taller tires.As for handling etc I doubt it will make much difference with the tires as close as they are.

johntank wrote:Diameter inches (mm)26.11 (663.1) 26.7 (678.1) 0.59 (15) 2.3% Width inches (mm)8.07 (205) 8.46 (215) 0.39 (10) 4.9% Circum. inches (mm)82.02 (2083.19) 83.87 (2130.31) 1.86 (47.12) 2.3% Sidewall Height inches (mm)6.05 (153.75) 6.35 (161.25) 0.3 (7.5) 4.9% Revolutions per mile (km)772.54 (480.03) 755.45 (469.41) -17.09 (-10.62) The first numbers are for the 205 tires and the second set are the 215 tires the third is the difference. My opinion would be to have the 205's & 215's on the same axle.wow, thanks for the analytics. I guess the 205's are going to wear a bit faster due to the increase "travel"... but shouldn't be a big issue. I assume if I switch them to have them on the same axle that the equalizer will handle the difference OK... hopefully. I guess the follow up question would be... is there going to any issue switching a trailer tire from one side to the other cause "belt issues" since some portion of its life was running predominantly in one direction and now "asking" it to go the other way?

tires again... two sizes, unusual but does it matter?

majorgator
Explorer
Aug 08, 2014
To the OP, i thnk you answered your own question in your first post: just went 10K miles and tires are doing well. Enough said ;-)
The difference in between the 2 tires is negligible, as shown. There's lots of good theory and practical knowledge given by the other posters here, which would be good to heed if you had a significant tire size difference. But you don't, so don't worry about it. I would simply make sure that the axles have matching tires, not that one side has matching tires. You know, some BMW's and other high end cars have different tire sizes from front to back...
Huntindog
Explorer
Aug 08, 2014
This tire size difference is so small as to be a non issue... You could easily have this much difference in a set of the same sized tires due the tread depth differences... But I have never seen anyone concerned about that. LOL.
hddecker
Explorer
Aug 08, 2014
majorgator wrote:
To the OP, i thnk you answered your own question in your first post: just went 10K miles and tires are doing well. Enough said ;-)
The difference in between the 2 tires is negligible, as shown. There's lots of good theory and practical knowledge given by the other posters here, which would be good to heed if you had a significant tire size difference. But you don't, so don't worry about it. I would simply make sure that the axles have matching tires, not that one side has matching tires. You know, some BMW's and other high end cars have different tire sizes from front to back...

X2

10K and no problems, what are you worried about.
mich800
Explorer
Aug 08, 2014
I would guess the previous owner wanted to go to the bigger size but not pay for all 4 tires at once. You purchased the TT before the other two were replaced.

Forum Discussion

tires again... two sizes, unusual but does it matter?

About Travel Trailer Group

Related Content

Unusual Occurrence

Wheel seal leaking again and again and again

Brakes AGAIN !

Overweight Again....

A matter of choice