Odd & Rare Trailer issue

[luckyinkentucky]

I have a '94 EZ Loader Custom Tandem trailer made for Skeeter. I have 3 questions to ask, so please bear with me.

1. Today I got a flat coming back from the lake. So, first thing I notice is that the tire looks like one of those Turbines on top of your house. It is fanned out in a paddlewheel fashion, and didn't come apart. Also, it was not a radial tire. It had some sort of cloth built into the inner tire. Is this a Biased Tire? I replaced it with a Carlisle ST205/75/d14. Is it ok to use a 'D' tire instead of a radial or 'R' tire?


2. Next issue is that the previous owner had 2 different sized tires on the boat with having all the same sized rims. The front tires are ST205/75/r15, and the back tires on either side are ST205/75/r14 . All for rims are the same size from my measurements. Why would someone do this?

3. How can I measure my rims to see what the diameter is? I know this sounds silly, but I measured all of my rims straight down the center facing out, and they all measure 16 inches from where the metal meets the rubber to the same point on the opposite side. From where do I take my measurements?

Thanks for the patience everyone.

 

[wire2]

Re: Odd & Rare Trailer issue

Tires are measured on the inside of the bead. Although you can't see it on a mounted rim, it will be where the rim curves inward. (Where a car wheel disk grips)

Measure the distance to the opposite side, add ~3/32" x 2 for the steel rim thickness and you should be at a standard 14 OR 15".
If you're measuring 16" lip to lip, I expect they're 15"

If all 4 rims are the same, you don't have a mix of 14 & 15" tires. A 15" tire on a 14" rim won't hold air, won't stay centered and be impossible to balance. No tire shop employee in the world would try to do it.

Well, ok, maybe 1 or 2 would...

 

[luckyinkentucky]

Re: Odd & Rare Trailer issue

Well, if they are all 15" rims why would someone install a 14" tire on them? Is that safe?

 

[SpinnerBait_Nut]

Re: Odd & Rare Trailer issue

LIK, look on the wheel and see if there are any numbers like, 15x7 or 14x7, something like that.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Odd & Rare Trailer issue

people do strange things, all the tire and wheels should match. trailer rated, either all bias or all radial.

 

[wire2]

Re: Odd & Rare Trailer issue

Well, if they are all 15" rims why would someone install a 14" tire on them? Is that safe?

It's impossible. A tire bead has lots of steel wire in it, a 14" tire just won't stretch to seat the bead on a 15" wheel.

Something isn't right here. What is the full size number of the 2 kinds of tires?

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: Odd & Rare Trailer issue

Ditto what Wire2 said.No way a 14 inch tire will mount up on a 15 inch rim.
Take the wheels off and measure the height of them too.Its possible that someone put a couple 15 inch rims on them.I really don't see a problem if all 4 tires are the same height and load rating.all are either radial or bias ply.You don't want to mix the two..

 

[Nova II 260]

Re: Odd & Rare Trailer issue

LucKY, a 14" tire won't fit a 15" rim. Vice versa you'll not get a good seal, if any.
wheel measurements
Why would the P.O. mix and match? He needed a buyer.

Get a matching set of wheels and tires. Don't ruin a day on the water by skimping on your trailer parts or maintenance.

 

[luckyinkentucky]

Re: Odd & Rare Trailer issue

The 2 front tires are st205/75r15, and the 2 rear tires are st205/75r14.

Also, I did have to put a non-radial tire on the rim that blew yeaterday. Rural King is the only people open that had one even remotely close, so I had them put on a st205/75D14. Isn't a 'D' tire a Biased or non-belted tire?

 

[rndn]

Re: Odd & Rare Trailer issue

You should never mix bias tires with radials on the same trailer. You should make sure all tires and rims are the same sizes. I agree that it may be very difficult to mount but maybe not impossible to place a 14" tire onto a 15" rim. Replace the two rear tires to the correct 15" size and if the two on front are radials, make sure the rears are also radials. As mentioned above going cheap on things like this will only ruin a day or two of fishing and possibly lead to severe damage to the boat and or trailer.

 

[luckyinkentucky]

Re: Odd & Rare Trailer issue

I've decided to order 2 - 14" rims from the EZ Loader. I measured the rims from outside to the opposite outside, and 2 measured 16 1/4" and the others measured 15 1/4" inches. So I assume the 16 1/4" tires are 15 inch rims since they are the ones with the 'R15' tires on them, and the 15 1/4" rims are the ones with the 'R14' tires on them.

I am going to order 2 more 14" rims since they are what came with the trailer originally, and ,upon measuring, the 15s don't offer enough clearance for my taste. I like to have at least 2 or 3 inches of clearance between the top of the tire and the fender. When the 14" tire blew the other day it ended up bending one of my fenders inward towards the tire. I had to beat it back with a hammer to get it straightened out. I'd hate to see what a 15" tire would have done. So, I am going back to original with the 2 I am ordering.

Does this sound like a good decision?

 

[rob711]

Re: Odd & Rare Trailer issue

gremlins again!!!! huh?

 

[luckyinkentucky]

Re: Odd & Rare Trailer issue

I ordered 4 Goodyear Marathons that are ST205/75r14. A friend of mine owns a local tire store, and he gave them to me at wholesale for $72 a piece including tax. Is that a good price?

I've heard to always check your tires before winter storage, so I will just change all mine to get that out of the way.

 

[gstanton]

Re: Odd & Rare Trailer issue

The "D" you refer is probably the load range? Has nothing to do with radial or bias, although my tire guys say no one uses bias anymore.

You can go to any junk yard with your rim and get 4-5 more (for stud bolt pattern) for about 15.00 each. If you do that, go with 15" and be done with it! 14 " limits the load range you can put on it. If it's only a few miles to the ramp and back... doesn't really matter. 100's or 1000's of miles - it matters.

A new Titan load range D (2540 lbs.) ST225/75R15 is about 80 bucks... at least that is what I paid.

 

[Nova II 260]

Re: Odd & Rare Trailer issue

TireRack marathon
Price is right in the range. "D" is tire pressure 65lbs. Load rating would be somewhere @ 1800 - 2200lbs. Kumho (ST) 205/QR14 load rating = 2271 So those will be fine for your app. I agree with Gstanton, you may do well with junkyard wheels and save a few bucks, as long as they are not bent. Measure your bolt pattern and go junkyard diving.

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: Odd & Rare Trailer issue

The Marathon is a good tire,i have owned them before.
You made the right choice by matching everything up.
You should be good to go for a long time now..

 

[luckyinkentucky]

Re: Odd & Rare Trailer issue

Well, I'm kind of a perfectionist, so the junkyard method won't work for me. I would just as soon buy the right thing for $50, and not ever have to worry about it again. You're talking to the guy who is getting ready to sand down spots of my trailer just for a dozen or so rust spots. I like to take care of my stuff, and keep it looking new. It's just how I was raised. I have a '91 Dodge Dakota that looks like it just pulled off the New Car lot. I've had it since '92, and have taken care of it.