Sizing tires for the trailer.

[MIGZ]

I'm back with more questions I wish I could contribute more but I'm still a rookie at this expo stuff. I'm in the design phase of my camping trailer and I've come to the point of wheels and tires.

I would like to run a Toyota bolt pattern but from what I have seen there is nothing on the market that has the existing bolt pattern.

So my first question is does anyone know of some one selling Toyota bolt patterns axles or hubs or would I have to use some type of adapter like Sprider trax?

2nd question is what would you all recommend in terms of tires size for the trailer? I have a second set of rims that match the ones on my truck but I was wondering if I should just run the exact size tires that are on the truck or should I run the same diameter with a smaller width to reduce friction from the tires. OR should i run a smaller tires over all like 31s rather than 33s?

Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[Desert Dan]

If you have the same bolt pattern I would stay with the same size tyres as your truck.
It makes the spare tyre changing much simpler

 

[cruiseroutfit]

...So my first question is does anyone know of some one selling Toyota bolt patterns axles or hubs or would I have to use some type of adapter like Sprider trax?....

Check with any reputable axle/trailer parts supply house. If they can't get you a 6 on 5.5" hub assembly or complete axle to do what you need it to do... then you need to find a new trailer parts supplier Seriously though, any shop should have them, here in town a 6 on 5.5" beam axle with 3500lb hubs starts at ~$120, custom lengths, heavier tubes/hubs and brakes can easily hit the $300 mark but should be no problem to source.

They can also be ordered on the web for a very reasonable amount:
http://abctrailerparts.com/axles.html
(no affiliation but I know some ExPo'ers have ordered there)

 

[SAR_Squid79]

Check with any reputable axle/trailer parts supply house. If they can't get you a 6 on 5.5" hub assembly or complete axle to do what you need it to do... then you need to find a new trailer parts supplier Seriously though, any shop should have them, here in town a 6 on 5.5" beam axle with 3500lb hubs starts at ~$120, custom lengths, heavier tubes/hubs and brakes can easily hit the $300 mark but should be no problem to source.

They can also be ordered on the web for a very reasonable amount:
http://abctrailerparts.com/axles.html
(no affiliation but I know some ExPo'ers have ordered there)

Cruiseroutfit beat me to it!

The website he posted above is where I got my axle (with the 6 on 5.5 Toyota equivalent lug pattern). I had them make me a custom width axle that matches my Tacoma's track width EXACLTY.

For the tire size, I went with the same size tires and wheels as my Tacoma, so that everything is interchangable.

 

[Markgyver]

I picked up my axle from a local source with the 6x5.5 lug pattern. The only issue I had was running the stock FJ alloys. I was only able to get the axle stud size in 1/2" thread and not 14mm and was unable to source replacement studs, and was unable to locate 1/2" lug nuts that worked with the FJ alloys. So I had to re-thread/Tap the FJ lug nuts to fit. My 3500lb axle custom width with brakes was under $300.00

As far as tires Im running 34" on the truck and 31" on the trailer Mainly because that is what fit in the wheel wells and I had them laying around.

 

[ntsqd]

I can see if we were talking extreme use or extreme distances from tire support where the same size might be a good idea, but would you really only carry one spare for both when going such a place? Or even any place?

If you're going to carry two spares then why do they have to be the same size?
I'm not advocating 37's on the truck and 165/55's for the trailer, but if the two sizes are reasonably close (say 31's to 33's or 35's) then you can still limp the truck out should it come to that.

Through an error on my part I once towed the TrailBlazer nearly 400 miles with only 5 psi in them. One mid-trip hand temperature check and one post trip hand temperature check showed no abnormal heat in those 33-12.50 tires. (The trailer was set up by the PO to use exactly the same rolling stock as the original tow rig.) Later in that same trip they were pulled through the Oregon coastal sand with no issue while still at 35 psi. The tow rig had to go down to 20 psi to move through the sand, but I could move the trailer to position it by hand in the sand. That indicates to me that those tires are grossly oversize for the trailer. They're also significant rolling weight, which makes the trailer that much harder to stop.

IMO a 31-10.50 is about as big as a trailer tire needs to go. If the trailer has significant weight, i.e. not a AT or 416/M101 sized trailer, then your tire selection needs to be based on rated load capacity rather than size.

 

[JIMBO]

:sombrero: I gotta agree, most of the trailer/4wd combos you see with 6 same size tires and wheels 35/37/40's are for social status only

On the light off road trailer 31's will go anywhere you want-at 35 psi and your only real psi change will be on the tow vehicle !!

I've even got a set (6) stauns with 4 set at 20 psi and 2 set at 15 and I've never had to touch the trailer tires !!!

:costumed-smiley-007:smiley_drive::safari-rig::safari-rig: JIMBO

 

[R_Lefebvre]

I agree, I went with 235/75/15's on my trailer, because they are vastly cheaper and lighter than larger truck tires and lets face it, I don't think anybody is towing any trailer up any obstacles where 35's are really *required*, even on the tow vehicle.

Bigger wheels lift the CG of the trailer unnecessarily, and the cost and weight of two large tires is more than 3 medium sized tires. I also think carrying only 1 spare to cover 6 wheels in use is potentially a bad idea.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

... lets face it, I don't think anybody is towing any trailer up any obstacles where 35's are really *required*, even on the tow vehicle.

Wanna bet?

I'll concur that every build doesn't need matching tires, something in close proximity for ease of spares would be ideal but even that isn't mandatory. However a loaded trailer is an absolute land anchor behind you on the trail. Imagine climbing a 12" ledge in front wheel drive only with your 4x4, now add to that dirt and a series of ledges, towing a trailer off road is very similar imo. A larger OD tire rolls over things that much easier and in some cases could have more effect on the trailer than the rig as far as ease of tow.

One of the major reasons I went with full-size tires on my trailer was to keep everything level without having to drastically change the springs on the trailer. I'm SOA on the 40 and as the trailer is using Land Cruiser suspension, it worked out ideally to use the exact same tire size for a level stance and fairly linear frame heights.

While most don't tow their off road trailers on 4 rated trails or obstacles, some of us do and the last thing I wanted to build into my trailer was a limiting factor on the places I could drag it. If it reduced the places I could continue to drive, it was a losing proposition. Not to say I do take it on every trail just because it can, in fact its a lot of work and hard on both the trailer and the tow rig, but again its by no means my limiting factor. I've been in situations where it absolutely takes dual lockers and bigger tires to get the tow rig through. I've spent a fair amount of time on the trail with other trailer owners, I can tell you there are several (one of which is here on ExPo cough cough Ali) that commented on wanting larger tires after seeing how comfortably we could tow at speeds through obstacles and over rough terrain.

I know some of the folks up in AK and Canada do some pretty wicked stuff with trailers in tow (runs where 33's and lockers are minimum req's for rigs) and there are pictures of AT's in some really wicked spots too. Each has their own build criteria.

 

[d0ubledown]

i run 315's on the 80, and 295's on the trailer. i had a pair of 315s on the trailer originally, but it was just too fat and bulbous for it without widening the fender. so i went 295 ATs. much better, still sits level, and can use as spares in a pinch. had a bit more room in the wells than the 315's did too.

the cdn m101 axles are 3500#. i switched out the oem 5 bolt drums to 6X5.5..got them from southwestwheel.com. complete with new bearings, seals, dustcap and lugs. it was a direct swap. most likely the axle youll be using will be able to use the 6 bolt hubs. did the spring over at the same time.

ill agree with kurt in that the close you can get the trailer tires to the to wrig tires, the better. makes following the lines of the tow rig easier. took my setup for a test run over some rough terrain...and was impressed how well it did.

and since we all love pics, heres my setup.

 

[fzsk4p]

Wanna bet?

I'll concur that every build doesn't need matching tires, something in close proximity for ease of spares would be ideal but even that isn't mandatory. However a loaded trailer is an absolute land anchor behind you on the trail. Imagine climbing a 12" ledge in front wheel drive only with your 4x4, now add to that dirt and a series of ledges, towing a trailer off road is very similar imo. A larger OD tire rolls over things that much easier and in some cases could have more effect on the trailer than the rig as far as ease of tow.

One of the major reasons I went with full-size tires on my trailer was to keep everything level without having to drastically change the springs on the trailer. I'm SOA on the 40 and as the trailer is using Land Cruiser suspension, it worked out ideally to use the exact same tire size for a level stance and fairly linear frame heights.

While most don't tow their off road trailers on 4 rated trails or obstacles, some of us do and the last thing I wanted to build into my trailer was a limiting factor on the places I could drag it. If it reduced the places I could continue to drive, it was a losing proposition. Not to say I do take it on every trail just because it can, in fact its a lot of work and hard on both the trailer and the tow rig, but again its by no means my limiting factor. I've been in situations where it absolutely takes dual lockers and bigger tires to get the tow rig through. I've spent a fair amount of time on the trail with other trailer owners, I can tell you there are several (one of which is here on ExPo cough cough Ali) that commented on wanting larger tires after seeing how comfortably we could tow at speeds through obstacles and over rough terrain.

I know some of the folks up in AK and Canada do some pretty wicked stuff with trailers in tow (runs where 33's and lockers are minimum req's for rigs) and there are pictures of AT's in some really wicked spots too. Each has their own build criteria.

X 3 on what he said.