Preferred Size of Boat Trailer Wheel - 13" or 15"

[Noelm]

Available 13" tyres 195/50x13 C L/T (light truck) 900KG load rating per tyre 520Mm high ( 165x13 C LT 670KG load 596 Mm high) (175x13 C LT 730KG load 611Mm high ) ( 185x13 C LT 800KG load 627 Mm high )
Cheers COL

Some great info there, interesting the actual difference in profile height, it makes sense though, I know the 13" on my trailer are much bigger/higher than the ones I am going to use.

[Splash]

I set my boats as low as possible at the back of the trailer then up about 40mm towards the front.
This nose up attitude helps with both launch and retrieve even with drive on setups.
It also is better for draining the hull if you leave it hitched to the tow vehicle

Interesting.

How do you achieve this height increase towards front of trailer?


Splash

[Splash]

Available 13" tyres 195/50x13 C L/T (light truck) 900KG load rating per tyre 520Mm high ( 165x13 C LT 670KG load 596 Mm high) (175x13 C LT 730KG load 611Mm high ) ( 185x13 C LT 800KG load 627 Mm high )
Cheers COL

Thank you. What manufacturer makes / supplies these LT tyres? How do radial tires and Special trailer (ST) tires compare to the LT tyres?

Splash

[Noelm]

My current 13" are Nankang and Maxtrek (or a similar name) both are light truck. The lower profile ones came off an excavator trailer that had a 3 tonne machine on it, but it was sideswiped by a truck and written off.

[DATCOL]

Hi Splash Toptyres Australia is the wholesaler They have stores in Brisbane, Townsville, Sydney, Moree, & Melbourne store at 166 Paramount Blvd, Derrimut Vic 3030 phone 03 83904379 They will tell you what Tyre shops can supply the tyres to you
COL

[Noelm]

Thank you. What manufacturer makes / supplies these LT tyres? How do radial tires and Special trailer (ST) tires compare to the LT tyres?

Splash

Certainly not a tyre expert but.....I think standard radial types will not carry the load, light truck are much heavier construction, trailer specific tyres are speed limited, from what I have gathered over the years. Most decent tyre shops will either have them in stock, or can get them in a day or so.

[tunaticer]

Interesting.

How do you achieve this height increase towards front of trailer?


Splash

Raise the forward rollers then adjust the running boards to suit.

[tunaticer]

Certainly not a tyre expert but.....I think standard radial types will not carry the load, light truck are much heavier construction, trailer specific tyres are speed limited, from what I have gathered over the years. Most decent tyre shops will either have them in stock, or can get them in a day or so.

All tyres are speed limited as per the codes moulded into them.
Speed Rating (tyrereview.com.au)

[Noelm]

Yes, but, trailer tyres are way lower speed rating than "car" tyres.

[Dignity]

Certainly not a tyre expert but.....I think standard radial types will not carry the load, light truck are much heavier construction, trailer specific tyres are speed limited, from what I have gathered over the years. Most decent tyre shops will either have them in stock, or can get them in a day or so.

Stuck one trip in Winton and 15" tyres were available immediately, mates 13" we had to wait 2 days, fortunately we were pointed in the direction of a 2nd hand one to get us on the way. This was 12 years ago, maybe things have changed.

[Noelm]

13" are not as common as they once were, no doubt about that, but they are not hard to get either, as I said earlier, I am only changing to lower the height, not because they are better or anything else, I never tow off the beaten track, and carry a spare, plus a spare on the tinny that came standard with 13", cheap Chinese tyres that were horrible when new!

[Splash]

Interesting information. Many thanks for this informative thread, Gents.

Splash

[NAGG]

With a 15 - you have greater width options than a 13

As mentioned previously it's not easy buying 13 " rims & they typically come in narrow width (165) .

I recently went looking for 13" rims & tyres and found out just how difficult it was.

I am surprised that 14" wheels were not an option though

Chris

[Noelm]

Old Holden mag wheels are a good source of wide 13" rims, some 185 or 195 tyres and you're set. 14" kind of seems like an obvious compromise, but it's not available. Not too sure what 15" are suitable, but there would be lots of choice I would think.

[NAGG]

Old Holden mag wheels are a good source of wide 13" rims, some 185 or 195 tyres and you're set. 14" kind of seems like an obvious compromise, but it's not available. Not too sure what 15" are suitable, but there would be lots of choice I would think.

Easier said than done with the wider sized tyres (13")

I went to at least 15 tyre service / trailer builders in western Sydney before I was able to buy a pair & the best I could get was 175 (multistud) - It was a nightmare.

Chris