H F wheels and tires

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H F wheels and tires

Postby Bent bike guy » Mon Jul 17, 2017 11:05 pm

Wanting to upgrade my wheels on a heavy duty HF trailer but not sure what to get??
Found some 5.30 x 12 rim and tire rated load range C and 80 mph for $58 each but really don't need to purchase the rims.
The HF wheels sy warning 55mph only or something like that.
I ordered 2 sets of bearings from Amazon along with some Timkin grease. Just wondering about upgrading the tires so I don't pug along at 50mph all day long.
TWebsite I was looking at is https://www.etrailer.com/Trailer-Parts
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Re: H F wheels and tires

Postby Redneck Packrat » Mon Jul 17, 2017 11:31 pm

Rim & tire for 58, not bad. If it was me looking at the upgrade, I'd get 'em and stash the two 50mph tires up under it somewhere as a couple of spares. Or just pitch one in somewhere as a spare spare. Any trip out more than 40-50 miles I carry two spares, never know what might be on the road, and if you use your spare, then you ... :thinking: ...DON'T HAVE A SPARE! :DOH2: :hammerhead: :R 50 mph twiddling thumbs with a down-rated spare is better---WAY better--- than 10 mph thumpity thumpity on the shoulder if it ever comes to it :shock: :lol:
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Re: H F wheels and tires

Postby les45 » Tue Jul 18, 2017 3:39 am

I upgraded my NT 5X8 based weekender with 13" passenger car tires. This greatly improved the ride. Kept the two old tires for spares. I also carry both spares anytime I'm traveling. There has been a lot posted here about the 55 mph cautions on the 12" wheels and most feel that it is simply a legal disclaimer. Many, including myself, have run those 12" wheels at 65 and 70 mph for extended periods without problems.
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Re: H F wheels and tires

Postby Bent bike guy » Tue Jul 18, 2017 8:53 am

Good point on buying two tires and rims then carry two spares
looking at purchasing two tire and rims # AM30850 for $60.44 each at Etrailer.com. A smidgen more than HF wants but a better tire.
Hopefully the hole pattern is correct? more research
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Re: H F wheels and tires

Postby Bent bike guy » Tue Jul 18, 2017 9:40 am

The bearings are spec ted at 7500rpm
So with the 5.30 x 12 tires with a circumference of 65 inches (diameter = 21 inches)
So for 7500 rpm the trailer needs to travel 86 mph
Way faster than I want to travel. My maximum with existing tires is 50 mph. New tires n rims = 65 mph max.
hopefully my math is correct??
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Re: H F wheels and tires

Postby working on it » Tue Jul 18, 2017 10:22 am

Redneck Packrat wrote:Rim & tire for 58, not bad. If it was me looking at the upgrade, I'd get 'em and stash the two 50mph tires up under it somewhere as a couple of spares. Or just pitch one in somewhere as a spare spare. Any trip out more than 40-50 miles I carry two spares, never know what might be on the road, and if you use your spare, then you ... :thinking: ...DON'T HAVE A SPARE! :DOH2: :hammerhead: :R 50 mph twiddling thumbs with a down-rated spare is better---WAY better--- than 10 mph thumpity thumpity on the shoulder if it ever comes to it :shock: :lol:
  • My wife never understood my reasoning for doing this, but several years ago, I had two flats on my daily driver, a HHR Panel, on the same day...one on my drive to work, 60 miles, and the other while parked there (same debris field on the expressway causing both. I was late to work, since changing the tire on the busy road was precarious at best, especially before sunrise, and after changing it, driving on the "space saver" spare tire was not conducive to driving fast to make up lost time (I don't trust them on the front, but I had no time to change two, to get it on the rear). I learned a long time ago, that the "space savers" work best on the rear of a FWD car.
  • The other tire went flat while I was at work, but fortunately a co-worker spotted it, and informed me about it, while a nearby Discount Tire store was still open (I usually left work after normal business hours). So, I went outside, removed the new flat, took them both to the store, bought new tires, and replaced both (pulling the "space saver" off, and storing it), with my friend's help, before leaving for home. After that, within a week, I bought a set of spare tires and wheels from another HHR owner I knew (who was getting custom wheels), put two in my shed, and mounted two in my HHR, so I would always be able to have multiple spares, and never have to use the little donut tire again...my wife has a donut spare, but she'll call AAA to change it, and has no room for a full-size spare anyway. Overkill, but only cost me $100 to insure that I'd never have to use the "space saver" spare again.
  • DUAL, FULLSIZE, SPARES.jpg
    DUAL, FULLSIZE, SPARES.jpg (68.05 KiB) Viewed 1900 times
    insurance (tires) for my daily driverI have had a problem with multiple flats before, so my double is better solution wasn't my first incident. When going to drag races away from my local area, I carried two trailer spares (yes, I had two flats at one time, previously), and two spares for my Chevelle race car (two front runner tires, which I could either use for altering my rollout, or as spres, to get me back to the trailer, if a flat occurred). But now, neither daily-driving to work, or dragracing (I'm retired from both endeavors), I no longer need to use dual spares on my camping duo, since I have time enough to get a flat fixed if I need two, and I generally have better tires on my rigs (LT tires on truck and trailer). I still carry two in the HHR, from habit.
  • So, back to this thread's topic...upon starting my trailer build, I changed from 8" tires to 14" tires, primarily due to knowing about problem using small tires/wheels/bearings at sustained highway speeds. I momentarily considered 12" tires (I liked the price and availability at many stores near me), but they reminded me too much of the "space-saver" spares I detest, so I changed to larger 14" (using appropriate bearings, hubs, and spacers to convert). But, if I hadn't gone to 14", and gone to the 12" tire instead (using the existing hubs and bearings that my 8"-wheeled axle already had), then I definitely would've carried two spares! Like les45, I believe that using automotive passenger or truck tires improves the ride (and larger ST tires, for that matter), and the larger bearings used are better for high speed driving. But, if you choose to get the 12" spare(s), get two, just in case.
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Re: H F wheels and tires

Postby linuxmanxxx » Wed Jul 19, 2017 10:43 am

If you ever run the 12s under inflated they will sling rubber and they have crazy psi ratings on them. I'm in Texas and if your close have 2 13"wheels I'll let go cheap 5 x 4.5" bolt pattern. Trailer wheels grey new never been used. Huge difference in how it rides on stock 12s and swapping to 13s.

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Re: H F wheels and tires

Postby drhill » Wed Jul 19, 2017 2:24 pm

Don't the harbor freight trailers (both heavy duty and super duty) have 4 bolt wheels? I assume 4 x 4.5" bolt circle? I don't know for sure.. If you are going to the trouble and expense of upgrading, go to 13" rims and get radial tires. Radial tires will give your trailer a much nicer ride.

here is a list of vehicles that use the 4 x 4.5" (4 x 114.3mm) bolt pattern. http://www.wheelsupport.com/list-of-bol ... 4-x-114-3/

I forgot to mention. When ordering any wheel make sure that the hub hole in the center is large enough and that the wheel offset is correct. Trailers normally use no offset.
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Re: H F wheels and tires

Postby drhill » Wed Jul 19, 2017 2:32 pm

I might be all wrong on the bolt pattern. Looks like 4 x 4" bolt circle is more common than 4 x 4.5. All my trailers have 5 x 4.5" bolt circle (and 14" radials)
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Re: H F wheels and tires

Postby aggie79 » Thu Jul 20, 2017 9:05 am

The 1720# model has a 5-bolt wheel but I do not know the bolt pattern.
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Re: H F wheels and tires

Postby mcubberley » Thu Jul 20, 2017 12:12 pm

Just a heads up. Northern Tool is running a sale on trailer tires. All tires, and tires/rims, are 25% off until mid-August I believe. They are Martin Tire/LoadStar bias ply's. I used the opportunity to upgrade my NT 5x8 from NT (Another China Made bolt together) with their Ultra Tow Hubs and the 5.3-12 Loadstar tires. I am keeping the 2 stock 55mph tires and hubs as backups. They will be packed away with a HF torque wrench, socket, breaker bar, grease and cotter pin in the case of emergency on the road.

I am thinking of bolting the spares to the underside of the trailer just on the tongue side of the axel since they would not hang lower than the axel but I am still considering all angles on that one.
Some day I will figure out something to put here. But for now....
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Re: H F wheels and tires

Postby Bent bike guy » Sat Jul 22, 2017 10:30 pm

Just received my new bearings BUT there is no markings etc. Maybe just remove existing bearings, clean and grease liberally then attach the new tires and wheels I ordered from Etrailer. NOTE, I called them and ordered a different tire/rim that is DOT rated for 81mph.
They do carry a radial tire 5.30 x 12 but at $72?I recall.
Just go with the ones ordered and use OEM tires and rim for spares.
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