1983 Funlite tires :(
 

So I bought an 83 funlite last week, and got it ready to go camping for the long weekend here in BC. I wanted to put new tires on it so I called the local shop for 175/80/13 trailer tires. They said they had 8 in stock and could have them on in time for me to leave. I asked what the rating on them was and they said or they are 6 ply you can't get any heavier. Ok i'm in a rush so I go a head and do it. Slap them on the trailer and head out camping. We were on logging roads for about 20kms to get to our site. They handled no problem and got us home safe and sound. Then as I got home I took the trailer to the local scale just to see how much she weighed with all our gear and extra crap..and beer... omg 1500KGs!!! or 3300 lbs!! the GVWR is only 2800lbs... so I crapped my pants, got home and unloaded. Guess I don't get to bring so much extra junk next time. Then after all unloaded I had a closer look at my new tires which performed very well. They are C load range which means 1260 lbs each.. or 2520lbs total!!! so I was running 800lbs over weight for these tires and 500 for my axle??? Anyways I gave the shop a call and they assured me you cannot get D rated 13" 175/80's. Called two more shops and gave me the same answer. Anyways this is a bit long winded, but what the heck do I do? I know I need to take the trailer back to the scale, pretty much empty and get a base weight, the PDF on the hilo site says 2000lbs, but mine has an AC unit so I don't think thats included. I know for most for the models that have dual axle this would be no issue but for a single axle trailer this heavy what are my options?

Well those of us that pay attention to this stuff tend to be careful what we load and use the tow vehicle to carry most the gear. Of course, then you need to pay attention to the gvwr on the tow vehicle ( tv) when the trailer is hooked to it. But, seriously, good for you for paying attention. And, yes, mfg weight numbers are for " dry" trailers with no accessories added. Other people on the site run single axle trailers and may have advice. Mine are 13 s also. I will go look tomorrow and see what they are rated at.

Rick

Total weight was 3300 lbs. How much can you subtract for tongue weight? ie 2800 on the axles and tires 500 on the tongue.

Fellas, from what you know about single-axle Hi-Lo campers, can he put 15" load D tires on his Hi-Lo without rubbing the wheel-wells? If so, how much difference would it make in solving his problem? Definitely, a good pickup truck with a decent size truck bed and a capable rear axle would help.

Dee
2009 2509 Hi-Lo Classic
Summerville, SC

I know I've read somewhere that they used spacers and raised the axle 3" in order to get 15" tires on the trailer. That would be easy enough to do with the torsion axle, but I think your 83 probably has springs on it. There is a load range D 8 ply tire on the market available through e-trailer.com made by Kenda with max load 1,610 lbs (730 kg) at 65 psi. Looks like they come in both bias or radial.

I have 13 inchers with 60 psi. That said- I tried to increase to 14s and there was not enough room WIDTH wise- even though I had raised the trailer 3 inches with spacers. One side fit, the other did not (go figure- like1/4 inch off). They mounted all four new tires and got one side on before they realized the issue. Later models had the room for the larger and wider tires but they, of course, were set up for them having come with 14s or 15s. It is a wheel well width issue, at least on my 2001 .

Rick

Wheel well width.
 

I believe the prior owner of our HiLo owned a tire store. He put on tires that rubbed the wheel well. We discovered this several years late when it made a hole on the interior wheel well. Our HiLo dealer fixed it for us.

Dee - I don't think there's any way at all he could mount 15" tires on that trailer. POSSIBLY, 14" would fit, but I think it would be close. Anything with a higher load rating would be beneficial though.

My axles were raised 1 1/2 inches and moved forward 3 inches to provide clearance for larger tires (and to reduce the tongue weight to a realistic 12%, vs 16%).

- Jack

I just checked. I am running D load 13s : 185/80 R13. 1750 max load @65psi.

They are out there- dont know if you would need new wheels or would have the room to go up to 185s, but the capacity is certainly there.

Thanks for the replies folks. I am fairly new to towing and trailers. Don't really have much help from friends or family so I've been just kinda learning on the fly. So I am towing with a 2000 4runner V6 with factory towing package. Can do 5000lbs, and had no issues pulling the trailer. About the trailer vs tounge weigh, how do I calculate that? When I went to the scale is was after hours so I just first put my 4runner on and it said 2200kgs total with both axles, and then did the trailer axle and was 1500kgs. so am I ment to think that the 1500kgs from the trailer was not even the true total?

As far as tires, I did see those kenda 175/80/13s D rated, they just don't seem readily available, but could order online. As far as raiseing it and wheel well spacing i really don't know. What about moving the axle below my leaf spring rather than on top? I seem to have read that the Fiberglass guys do that to get more clearance, would that maybe help me get a bigger tire on there?

I'm also just kinda pissed cause I just put out 280$ for 3 new tires with a grand total of 300kms on them now and looks like I have to swap again.

Anyways thanks for all your help, a guide on how to properly weight it at the scales or an equation would be greatly appreciated.

There are various combinations on how to do this- but this is how I do it. I dont live far from the scales so I, first, pull my truck on the scales without the trailer and get that weight. Then, I go back and get the trailer and pull back on the scales with just the truck on it with trailer attached. I subtract the weight of just the truck i got before, from the new weight with the trailer attached, and the difference is my tongue weight. Next, I pull the trailer itself on the scale with the truck OFF the scale, and that weight is the weight of trailer (minus the tongue weight.) The tongue weight , when hooked up, counts against your truck's total GVWR. The trailer weight (without the tongue weight), generally, is what you should be considering for axle and tire weights on the trailer.

There are other combinations you can use- but generally, knowing your truck weight without the trailer attached is a good place to start. Once you start figuring it right, you can also calculate your rear truck axle separate from the front on most truck scales.

I dont have springs on my trailer but, instead, torsion axles. So, im not in a position to comment on flipping the axles ( or springs) but it makes sense it would raise it some. Just make sure you are measuring both sides and width of wheel wells- ON BOTH SIDES. Don't assume it is 100% symetrical.

rick

Hill, were those weights taken on the scales "loaded and ready to camp" weights or "empty/ready to store" weights?

Dee

I pulled our trailer up to the scales at the Co-Op so the front wheels were just off the edge of the scale. Uncouple the trailer from your TV and drive it off the scale. That gave me tongue weight. You don't want anything on the scale but the jack holding the tongue.

/Ken

Dee. You may be referrring to Sartorius3? He mentioned the weights. I was only describing the process I use to get the weights I want using a public scale.

Rick