Rim center pilot hole size for 7K axle?

Id have to respectfully disagree and say dodge mounting is both hub centric and lug centric, but you could use it with only the lugs since they are cone shape and center the wheel. But the pilot hole on both the dodge and trailer rim is 4.75". I think hub centric rims use flanged lug nuts?

Actually the hubs center locates and keeps the wheel centered while the lugs regardless of type simply clamps the wheel to the hub. Truck makers use mostly conical design lugs and a few have used some type lug nut with a flange in the past.

The center hole in a automotive wheel on our trucks is closely matched to the wheels center unlike a center hole in a trailer wheel is just for clearance and not closely matched.....something to watch when using a trailer wheel on a truck.

JIMNLIN wrote:

The '03 Dodge truck is the first year of the 3rd gen Dodge with 17" wheels.....16" wheel would no longer fit over larger brakes on 3rd gen and up Dodge/Ram trucks.

Mines a 97 so it should fit 16" rims, but its really not necessary, as long as outside tire diameters are acceptable and 1/10th inch difference between the 16" and 17" tires is close enough to use as a spare, even for longer distances and high speeds.

JIMNLIN wrote:

And of course a trailer wheel is lug centered vs a automotive wheel on our Dodge trucks are hub centered.

Id have to respectfully disagree and say dodge mounting is both hub centric and lug centric, but you could use it with only the lugs since they are cone shape and center the wheel. But the pilot hole on both the dodge and trailer rim is 4.75". I think hub centric rims use flanged lug nuts?

JIMNLIN wrote:

Trailer wheels are notorious for the tire seat flange not concentric to the lugs. This can create a balance nitemare on a truck with hub centered system.
You would have to make sure the tire tech checks each trailer wheel for lateral and radial runout. Most tire techs don't.

I can continue to run my dodge 17" rims on the truck, but I'm happy to have figured out I can use a trailer rim as a spare since the outside diameter is close. But I will keep in mind that trailer rims arent held to the same standards as truck rims..

I'm considering narrow LT235/85R16 Michelin Defender LTX M/S tires on 16x7 8x6.5 trailer rims

I have a '03 2500 Dodge/Cummins with LT265/70-17 E tires and OEM aluminum wheels.
The '03 Dodge truck is the first year of the 3rd gen Dodge with 17" wheels.....16" wheel would no longer fit over larger brakes on 3rd gen and up Dodge/Ram trucks.

And of course a trailer wheel is lug centered vs a automotive wheel on our Dodge trucks are hub centered.
Trailer wheels are notorious for the tire seat flange not concentric to the lugs. This can create a balance nitemare on a truck with hub centered system.
You would have to make sure the tire tech checks each trailer wheel for lateral and radial runout. Most tire techs don't.

Most 16" trailer wheels come in 6-7" widths vs 8" width for a LT265/70-17" on the truck.
Trailer tires have a narrow tread like the 235/85 tire. Less side scrub stress on the system than a tire with a with 8" tread width (265/70).

I'm running 265/70/17, 31.6" diameter on the truck now, but using a tire calculator, the 235/85/16's 31.7" diameter I'm considering are only .1" larger!

Dodge rims have 45mm offset.. So a centered trailer rim would bring my existing 265/70/17 tire outward 45mm or 1 3/4" and a 235/85/16 which is 1" narrower, 1 1/4" outward?

So it looks like running centered 16" trailer rims on the truck and trailer with eight 235/85/16 tires looks do able..

JIMNLIN wrote:
Truck bearings are made to take running 24/7 and hundreds of thousands of miles with off set automotive wheels and trailer axles bearings are not. Its just that simple.
I've tried 8 lug automotive wheels on my equipment trailers. These trailers were on the road 24/7...for hours at a time. It didn't take long (8k-10k)for the trailers bearing to whip out.
I also had a driver decide he wanted 16" 6 lug OEM fancy chevy wheels on the trailer he leased from me which had the same lug circle diameter/hole size as the trailers axles. I warned him what could happen and sure enough he call me from his motel in Walsenburg CO saying he was down replacing ruined trailer bearings and did I save the OEM trailer wheels from that trailer.

Once you get your axle (brand) the actual clearance diameter comes from it. I wouldn't trust the dimensions from my Rockwell American axles if your going with Dexter axles or another brand. I also would give the trailer axle mfg a buzz and see what they think of automotive truck wheels on their axles.

I would buy a set of bearing and keep them handy especially if this trailer will see lots of road miles.

Thanks JIMNLIN..

I found that my dodge rim has a 4.77 pilot hole, so there's a good chance trailer rims off a 7K axle are the same size. But instead of running truck rims/tires on the trailer, I think a better idea would be to use the trailer spare as a spare for both the truck and trailer since running less offset trailer rims on the truck temporarily until I fix the flat, is more wise than running offset truck rims on the trailer.. Especially after hearing about your first hand experience..

Problem is, no one makes 17" trailer rims meaning I would have to replace the rims on the truck to run the same tires all around.

Truck bearings are made to take running 24/7 and hundreds of thousands of miles with off set automotive wheels and trailer axles bearings are not. Its just that simple.
I've tried 8 lug automotive wheels on my equipment trailers. These trailers were on the road 24/7...for hours at a time. It didn't take long (8k-10k)for the trailers bearing to whip out.
I also had a driver decide he wanted 16" 6 lug OEM fancy chevy wheels on the trailer he leased from me which had the same lug circle diameter/hole size as the trailers axles. I warned him what could happen and sure enough he call me from his motel in Walsenburg CO saying he was down replacing ruined trailer bearings and did I save the OEM trailer wheels from that trailer.

Once you get your axle (brand) the actual clearance diameter comes from it. I wouldn't trust the dimensions from my Rockwell American axles if your going with Dexter axles or another brand. I also would give the trailer axle mfg a buzz and see what they think of automotive truck wheels on their axles.

I would buy a set of bearing and keep them handy especially if this trailer will see lots of road miles.

fj12ryder wrote:

Which leads me to wonder if you could use a trailer wheel on a truck, and vice versa. I'm sure someone has tried it, and it may be no big deal.

Well, I'd be more concerned with the extra leverage on the trailer axle by not using zero offset wheels. But for a temporary usage it may not be a big deal. I'm sure someone know positively.

Good point fj12ryder, and I'm sure I could use the trailer rim/tire on the truck, but not visa versa. The truck rim center hole is to small and offset might rub the tire..

I cant find accurate info about the offset of 2nd gen dodge truck rims. But if the truck wheel bearings can handle the offset, I don't see how the trailer hub bearings would complain to much especially since I will have 14K of capacity, but only running less than 8k.

Most trailer wheels are lug-centric, not center hole aligned.

Which leads me to wonder if you could use a trailer wheel on a truck, and vice versa. I'm sure someone has tried it, and it may be no big deal.

Well, I'd be more concerned with the extra leverage on the trailer axle by not using zero offset wheels. But for a temporary usage it may not be a big deal. I'm sure someone know positively.