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offgrid
Senior Member
Joined: 23 Jul 2018
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Posts: 5290
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Topic: What tires will fit in rPod wheel wells? Posted: 30 Sep 2018 at 8:12am |
I'm planning to upgrade my tires/wheels. I currently have a non Hood River non lifted 179 and I don't want to install risers for a variety of reasons. I still have the original factory C rated 205/75R14 tires and factory 14 inch wheels. That setup is load rated for 1750 lbs max or 3500 lbs for the axle.
Having found out that my axle is actually built for 4400 lbs I want to get over 2200 lbs per wheel and tire or as close to that as possible to have as much loading capacity headroom as possible.
The highest rated 205/75r14 tire I've found is D rated at 2040 lbs so I'd be leaving a significant amount of axle capacity on the table unless I change wheels. I can get 15x6 5 on 4.5 lug wheels rated up to 2540 lbs. I can get 205/75R15 D rated tires at 2150 lbs so pretty close but still not quite there. Or I can get 225/75R15 D rated tires at 2540 to match the wheels. Looks like I don't need to go to E rated tires to get the capacity I'm looking for which is good because I'm concerned that the ride with the E's would be too stiff.
So, after all that, my question is, does anyone know if the larger tire sizes will fit without rubbing and without a lift kit?
Dimensions:
205/75R14 26.1 dia, 8.1 wide (existing setup) 205/75R15 27.1 dia, 8.1 wide (I'd guess this was OK, I'm only picking up 1/2 inch in dia) 225/75R15 28.3 dia, 8.9 wide (Not so sure about this one)?
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1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft
2015 Rpod 179 - sold
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mjlrpod
Senior Member
Joined: 27 Sep 2016
Location: Massachusetts
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Posted: 30 Sep 2018 at 8:40am |
I replaced my tires with Carlisle radial trail ST205/75R14 . My tires are rated for 2040 pounds per tire. So i'm rated at 4000 pounds. I'll never try to tow 4000, so I would say these tires are perfect for the pod. The pod max cargo weight is less than 3500 pounds on every model, not sure why I would want so much more tire. They also have a speed rating of 81 m.p.h. which is more than I should need. I think you need to look at the pod max cargo weight, and not so much at axle max. But it's your decision.
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2017.5 Rp-172
2020 R-pod 195
2015 Frontier sv 4.0L 6cyl
I'll be rpodding
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offgrid
Senior Member
Joined: 23 Jul 2018
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Posted: 30 Sep 2018 at 9:30am |
My axle is actually designed for a gross axle weight rating of 4400 lbs per Lippert, derated to 3500 by FR for reasons known only to them.
And yes I know the GVWR and cargo weight limitations and how they were derived. The trailer GVWR calculation is required by NHTSA to be no more than the gross axle weight rating plus the manufacturer's minimum recommended tongue weight, which for my trailer is 285 lbs. Ergo, 3500+285 = 3785 GVWR. Its a made up number driven by a combination of federal regulators and FR's marketing staff trying to show a low tongue weight. It may or may not represent the actual capacity of the trailer.
Everyone's actual loaded tongue weight is higher than that, or should be. In my case it is about 550 lbs so based on my axle capacity I could be at at nearly 5000 lbs trailer GVW without exceeding axle limitations. Other factors like frame member yield strength could govern instead, and I have no intention of loading the trailer that high, but I do like conservative safety factors.
So, my objective here is to just have the capacities of the wheels and tires match the axle, can't get there with 14 inch AFAIK. What I'm looking for is any forum knowledge regarding actual tire fitment for the sizes above.
BTW, I may be making an incorrect statement when I say my trailer doesn't have the axle riser kit. I bought it used this spring so that was just an assumption on my part based on it not being a west coast trailer. I just pulled a wheel to repack bearings and there is a 3-1/2 inch spacer bolted between the axle and the frame. Is that the riser kit?
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1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft
2015 Rpod 179 - sold
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GlueGuy
Senior Member
Joined: 15 May 2017
Location: N. California
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Posts: 2702
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Posted: 30 Sep 2018 at 11:38am |
Originally posted by offgrid
BTW, I may be making an incorrect statement when I say my trailer doesn't have the axle riser kit. I bought it used this spring so that was just an assumption on my part based on it not being a west coast trailer. I just pulled a wheel to repack bearings and there is a 3-1/2 inch spacer bolted between the axle and the frame. Is that the riser kit? |
Sounds like it could be. You might measure the distance between the frame and the ground to check the height. Our HRE does not use risers, but instead they "clocked" the torsion axle to increase the height.
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bp
2017 R-Pod 179 Hood River
2015 Ford F150 SuperCrew 4WD 3.5L Ecoboost
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lostagain
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Joined: 06 Sep 2016
Location: Quaker Hill, CT
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Posted: 30 Sep 2018 at 11:45am |
Offgrid, yes, that's the riser kit.
As for tires, we run Carlyle ST205/75SR 15, load range D and they are noticeably better than the load range C that they replaced. Also, we noted a slight improvement in mileage, but this may be more wishful thinking than an objective fact, as I've never done a scientifically valid experiment with all other variables equal except the tires.
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Never leave footprints behind.
Fred & Maria Kearney
Sonoma 167RB
Our Pod 172
2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost
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offgrid
Senior Member
Joined: 23 Jul 2018
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Posted: 30 Sep 2018 at 12:31pm |
Thanks all.
So, since I do after all have the riser kit, is it safe to assume I have the clearance to run the Carlisle 4611's which are 225/75R15 load range D? These would exceed the axle rating which was my objective.
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1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft
2015 Rpod 179 - sold
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GlueGuy
Senior Member
Joined: 15 May 2017
Location: N. California
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Posted: 30 Sep 2018 at 1:46pm |
Simple thing is to measure the distance between your tires and the fender. Switching to 15" tires will decrease that by ~~ 1/2". The up/down travel of the torsion suspension is maybe about 2".
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bp
2017 R-Pod 179 Hood River
2015 Ford F150 SuperCrew 4WD 3.5L Ecoboost
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mcarter
podders Helping podders - pHp
Joined: 07 Apr 2016
Location: Greenbrier, TN
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Posts: 3419
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Posted: 30 Sep 2018 at 3:32pm |
offgrid,
Numerous posts of members using that very same tire. One on forum right now.
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Mike Carter
2015 178
" I had the right to remain silent, I just didn't have the ability."
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offgrid
Senior Member
Joined: 23 Jul 2018
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Posts: 5290
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Posted: 30 Sep 2018 at 4:20pm |
Yes mcarter, I saw that posting, but when I asked my question originally I didn't think I had the riser kit (my bad) so I wasn't sure of the fit. Now that its confirmed that I do have it I think I'm good to go.
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1994 Chinook Concourse
1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft
2015 Rpod 179 - sold
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mcarter
podders Helping podders - pHp
Joined: 07 Apr 2016
Location: Greenbrier, TN
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 3419
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Posted: 30 Sep 2018 at 7:17pm |
Yeth Sir:)
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Mike Carter
2015 178
" I had the right to remain silent, I just didn't have the ability."
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