16" Rims and Tires on a 2008 23 foot International

[SONGBIRDS]

OK, I've been following most of the discussion about putting 16 inch LT/ X Michelins on the trailer. I've been running those tires on my trucks and SUVs for 20 years. Where the rubber meets the road has always been very important.

We have a 2008 23 foot International with 14 inch Rims and Tires. Dexter makes a 6 lug 10 inch hub that will fit perfectly. The 3500 lb axels are not a problem with the upgrade from 14 to 16 inch according to Dexter.

AS customer service did not recommend the 2 inch size jump in tires. I think mostly because they have never done it before. They were concerned about the clearance in the wheel well, but they weren't sure. They also thought that the axels may be inadequate. Dexter said that the axels on the 23 foot trailer were fine.

Has anyone out there put a set of 4 Michelin LT/X 225 76R 16 tires on a trailer like mine? I've taken measurements of the tires and wheel well and I think that they will fit.

Thanks
Donald

[dznf0g]

I would, at first blush, recommend P225 75R15XL (extra load) Michelin LTX. It is not an LT but has a higher load capacity.

You should get accurate loaded scale readings before deciding though.

[switz]

Considering the weight of the 23 trailer, the 15" Michelin LTX (P) 235/75R15 XL tires would carry the weight quite safely. I used them on my 2013 25FB International Serenity with a GVGW of 7,300 pounds. My 15" Michelins had a 2,183 pound load rating on the sidewall. Using the derated capacity for trailer use, four 15" Michelins were rated for (4 x 1985 = 7,940 pounds) on my 25FB.

Under my avatar is the link to images. You can see a takeoff 15" Goodyear Marathon still mounted on a factory 15" aluminum wheel next to the tire captioned above also mounted on a factory 15" aluminum wheel during my tire swap process.

15" Goodyear Marathon diameter is 28.3"

15" Michelin LTX (P) 235/75R15 XL diameter is 28.9"

16" Michelin LT 225/75R16E LTX M/S2 diameter is 29.2"

You might consider the 15" tire size and acquire a set of "used" Airstream aluminum wheels from someone like myself with a Classic 30 (GVW of 10,000 pounds) coming in at the end of January and switching to 16" Michelins to carry the heavier trailer and will have a set of four Aluminum and one steel wheel with just the mileage incurred coming from Jackson Center to the local dealership in Mesa, AZ.