MacGregorSailors.com

I purchased a 2002 this week. It has the stock trailer, and stock 14" tires.

I'd like to replace with 15" wheels and tires. Will I have to modify the fenders to allow clearance??????

Appreciate anyone's info.

THANKS.

ron

I changed from 14 to 15 in. wheels and tires this past summer on my '02X trailer. I checked the underside of the fenders just now, and found no sign of the tire rubbing on one side, and a little rub spot on the other. The rub side has a wheel with a deeper dish than standard, which is probably why there is a little rubbing that occurred.

I have made several 160 mile round trips since I changed, with no issues, and I much prefer having the higher capacity tires.

Harvey

I made no modifications to the trailer fenders.

you will definitely want to "raise" the fenders.
there is a fairly simple way to achieve this.
remove the fenders (two bolts each), then remove the rear angle iron on each fender by using a hand grinder. that is, carefully grind away the welding points. then move the rear angle iron peice to the bottom of the fender. it will be about 1-2" lower on the fender. you can then re-fasten at the new desired point(s) with stainless steel nut/bolt or re-weld.

i did it with mine and now i have lots of room between fender and tire. this mod doesn't effect anything else. that is...the X clears the fenders and the fenders sit about 1-1.5" higher above the tire.

PM me off line for pictures.

Bob T.
"DāBob"
'02X w/ '04 90-TLDI (14" x 11 pitch)
Dinghy Motor: '06 2.5-Suzuki

Or you can lower the axle by replacing the spring shackles with a longer set.

I chased my tail today between the tire store and the wheel store. Wanted to get D rated 15" tires, but can't find a 15" wheel that fits a 3500lb axle that will fit 225 x 15" tires (to bump the max load number up).

Short term answer is just buy one more 14" wheel and C rated 14" tire to have as my spare.

Next year, I'll see about either adding a 2nd 3500lb axle, or swapping for a 5000lb axle and 15" wheels, or see about getting a new trailer that's heavier to begin with.

Thanks for the inputs; I learned a lot about tires/wheels today.

Ron

My feeling is that the tires are the weak link, the 3500lb wheels and axle have more designed in margin.

I plan to put the 15" D range tires on a set of 15" C range wheels. At the worst I now have #2150 capacity of the C range wheel and in practice I feel I have 2540# capacity in the weakest link, the tire.

Here is close to what I intend to buy, but I think I'd really like a radial.

http://shop.easternmarine.com/index.cfm ... goryID=159

Either of these beats my current 1870# rated 14" radials. Way cheaper and easier than a second axle and I've decided good enough for my trailering.

At this point, you should have 14" x 6" wheels with 5 lugs on a 4.5" circle. What you need are 14" x 6" wheels with 5 lugs on a 4.5" circle.

http://www.tiresunlimited.com/trailer_wheels.htm

With those, you can go from the ST215/75R14 Load Range C (1870 lbs @ 50 psi) to ST225/75R15 Load Range C (2150 lbs @ 50 psi). Same pressure, 560 pounds more capacity (total 4300 pounds plus tongue weight), at least with the Carlisle radials. Their mounted diameter goes from 26.8" to 28.2", ie. about 3/4" closer to the fender.

http://www.carlisletire.com/products/tr ... index.html

http://www.tiresunlimited.com/ALL%20TIR ... ial_st.htm

The Load Range D 2540 pound rating depends on getting 65 psi in them, possibly not what the smaller lug diameter wheel is rated for. You'd have to check.
--
Moe

I had longer schackels made for the rear of the leaf spring , just bolted them on, cost 20.00 , Now use a 225 14 load range d and improved clearence of the tire to the trailer.
If you get too big of tire the tire will rub the boat hual on the trailer if boat is not tied down in the back. The tire is so wide it extends out further than the fender on the inside.

I pull the boat 715 miles round trip on the roughest roads in the country,
(Alaska) and this has worked well, I suggest bying the best tires money can buy for a single axle trailer, mine were 105.00 each.

I now leave the boat in the water for the summer and only have one trip ayear vs 5 or 6 in past years. After a 5 1/2 year wait on the waiting list for a boat slip in Valdez Small Boat Harbor. at a cost of 571.00 for a year, now you know why the wait is so long.

Moe,

The 15" 5 bolt 4.5" wheels in the link I posted look to be fine at 65 lbs with the 8 ply load range D tires giving the maximum 2540 lbs possible.

My thought is that the lower the percentage of the rated load used the better. I'd go for the load range D tires.

It's interesting in you links to see that there are load range E 10 ply 15" tires rated at 2830 lbs at 80 psi.

Do you think they really make different rims for the 65 psi and 80 psi tires? Do you think galv rims are harder on the beads than painted ones? I'd rather never have painted again, they just become a mess in salt water.

Duane,
If anything, I'd guess they make different wheels for 50 psi and 80 psi. The latter is pretty hard when inflated to the max.

Maybe Darren can answer about the galvanzied vs painted. I'm with you on the saltwater thing.

--
Moe

Don't you also want a "trailer" rating on these tires? I seem to recall about 3 years ago when I was shopping for tires that the D tires were made for light trucks and were not as good as the trailer rated tires. But my memory could be failing.

As for the rims, I think my original mac trailer wheels are the only painted ones I've ever seen in Florida They do rust very badly so I replaced mine with galvanized when I bought the new (trailer rated) goodyear marathon radials (which don't get much use unfortunately). I kept the better one out of the two old wheels (and stock bias ply tire) for use as a spare.

Doing more work on the trailer, I tighted up the goal posts (bolts were loose). Once tightened, I realized each post was bent outboard. The plate that bolts to the trailer frame is bent on each. I pushed a little inboard on one and noticed the trailer frame flexing. HMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM.

I'm thinking if we trailer as much as I hope to, I see a new trailer in our future.

Ron

Do you have the boat on the trailer? Because the goal posts need to be bent outward some due to the width of the boat at the rub rail. I'm not surprised you would flex the trailer frame with that much leverage pushing on a goal post. The Mac trailer is not overbuilt at all either but the idea is to stay within that class2 3500 lb rating.

Dimitri,

The posts are bent MORE than they need to be. When I tightened the bolts holding them to the trailer, I can see about 1/8" gap at the top of the goal post plate where it is bolted to the trailer rail.

I'm not sure fixing that will do much, as the first time the X rounds off the post, it would bend again. No use building it up, then the trailer rail would bend. Having the post be the weak spot is the right thing.

ron