Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

Just wondering how many on here try to match up the bolt pattern on their trailer to their tow vehicle?

Good idea since it could give you a spare tire if you need one. However you will also need to check to see if your tow vehicle spare will fit regarding overall size and backspacing as well as the bolt pattern. Vehicle spare may rub or not fit under a fender.

Jerome

I did, but then I totaled my CR-V, and my replacement vehicle - F-150 - has a different bolt pattern.

I didn't because my 2 tow vehicles have 6 lug wheels and not much chance of getting a 35" tire on my trailer.

I have a F150 also and since I'm going to be building my frame I thought that it would be a good idea to use the exact same rims as on the truck and if you have a spare on the trailer it would work for the truck and vice versa

droid_ca wrote:I have a F150 also and since I'm going to be building my frame I thought that it would be a good idea to use the exact same rims as on the truck and if you have a spare on the trailer it would work for the truck and vice versa

My F-150 has a 6 bolt wheel. I don't think there are trailer axles to match.

Besides the bolt pattern, you need to be careful of the wheel offset. Most trailer wheels have zero offset. Most vehicles have a positive offset. If you design your trailer and size your axle for the same offset as your vehicle's wheels, then the spare wheel and tire from the vehicle will work. If your trailer is designed for trailer wheels, then using a vehicle wheel and tire could possible interfere with your sidewalls or wheelwells.

Of course, the above is with regard to a full-size spare tire. If you have a "donut" spare tire, then all bets are off.

aggie79 wrote:

droid_ca wrote:I have a F150 also and since I'm going to be building my frame I thought that it would be a good idea to use the exact same rims as on the truck and if you have a spare on the trailer it would work for the truck and vice versa

My F-150 has a 6 bolt wheel. I don't think there are trailer axles to match.

Besides the bolt pattern, you need to be careful of the wheel offset. Most trailer wheels have zero offset. Most vehicles have a positive offset. If you design your trailer and size your axle for the same offset as your vehicle's wheels, then the spare wheel and tire from the vehicle will work. If your trailer is designed for trailer wheels, then using a vehicle wheel and tire could possible interfere with your sidewalls or wheelwells.

Of course, the above is with regard to a full-size spare tire. If you have a "donut" spare tire, then all bets are off.

Yes very wise words good thing to remember...as I'll be getting my frame custom made the only hard part will be finding the right axles I'll also be building it as a tandom trailer (tiny house) the only problem is the rims are larger but I'll just have to have a larger inner fender well as for my smaller trailer I have made up mind so that one will also match my tracker I'm thinking I could just use an adapter for that one since it will only be a few hundred pounds so that shouldn't be a problem....

Hey Steve do you have a link??

Hey Rob
Spares are highly over rated!
I have not carried a spare for over 30 years!
Have logged almost 500,000 miles on my Street Rods without a flat. OOPS did have a blow out once a couple of miles from home so I walked to a friends house to borrow everything I needed to get me back on the road. I don't carry a jack either.
Even my work truck and daily drivers.....never a flat on the road, but I have gone out to a flat in the driveway on a few occasions??
Good Roads
Brian

Vedette wrote:Hey Rob
Spares are highly over rated!
I have not carried a spare for over 30 years!
Have logged almost 500,000 miles on my Street Rods without a flat. OOPS did have a blow out once a couple of miles from home so I walked to a friends house to borrow everything I needed to get me back on the road. I don't carry a jack either.
Even my work truck and daily drivers.....never a flat on the road, but I have gone out to a flat in the driveway on a few occasions??
Good Roads
Brian

I guess I'd rather be safer then sorry would really suck having a flat in the middle of no where and not having a way to contact civilization

TPCE fits the same wheel and tire package that I have on my jeep (5 on 4-1/2). Like trailer specific wheels, the ATX Mojave hub mating surfaces are more centered in the rim (less positive offset?). These aluminum wheels stick out further than the factor steel wheel, but both will still clear the side wall/frame.

Dexter does offer 6 lug options in the higher load rated hubs and brake sizes. Dexter 2300-3500 lb Axles

In addition to the fitment issues noted above, the center hole in the wheel also needs to clear the spindle housing (lug centric), or fit precisely (hub centric). While my wheels fit, the Dexter D35 brake hub centers/spindles are longer and the stock jeep center trim caps are too shallow to fit over (... and I assume the ones for the ATX wheels won't fit either, tho I have not tried them yet). No biggee. I'll just paint the bearing grease caps black and they will disappear.

Some things to consider if you are planning on going big . The larger the wheel and tire package that you choose, the more important it is to consider trailer brakes (even if not required by law for your weight rating) because of the increased rotating mass (flywheel effect). Also, on dual axle trailers the spring length, and therefore axle center to axle center dimensions limit the overall diameter of the tire that can be used before the tires interfere with each other.

Also, the mass of a large wheel and tire combo, and more importantly, the leverage (location) of that mass relative to the spindle could overload some of the smaller spindles on lesser rated axles. Double or triple the weight of your tire & wheel, and move that mass out anywhere from 10 to 200/ct and the pot hole effect (dynamic loading) on the spindle can go up a bunch!

$.02

I went with a wheel adapter so that I can use the spare from the TV, here is the donut mounted.

I built my trailer to use the same tires and wheels as my Jeep. That way the spare for the Jeep will work on the trailer as well. And in worse case I have 3 spare tires for my Jeep during extended overland travel.

biziedizie wrote:
Rob, do you have your axles already?

Nope but I do have 8 rims in my living room just have to figure out how I'm going to make it all work I'm sure if I call an axle place they'll be able to help me one way or another
if I'm using my ford this trailer won't be going off road but I could use it to travel and visit friends

droid_ca wrote:

Vedette wrote:Hey Rob
Spares are highly over rated!
I have not carried a spare for over 30 years!
Have logged almost 500,000 miles on my Street Rods without a flat. OOPS did have a blow out once a couple of miles from home so I walked to a friends house to borrow everything I needed to get me back on the road. I don't carry a jack either.
Even my work truck and daily drivers.....never a flat on the road, but I have gone out to a flat in the driveway on a few occasions??
Good Roads
Brian

I guess I'd rather be safer then sorry would really suck having a flat in the middle of no where and not having a way to contact civilization

I've had more flats in a day than I had spares on a trailer. A log/stick and a ratchet strap out of the toolbox and you are good to go till you find a gas station. Done it multiple times.