Bambi 19 tire upgrade

[Countryboy59]

Our Bambi 19 has Michelin X, 15" tires with a 2183lb load rating per tire. Since the upgrade to a huge truck went so well I'm thinking of going to 16" wheels and tires with a higher load rating. I've seen lots of tire upgrades to 16", but not sure they will fit in the wheel openings. I need a maximum speed rating that allows for Detroit freeway speeds and want nice looking wheels. What have folks used on Bambis?

I've been running the Michelins at 48 psi. My truck tires are 85 psi, would rather not skimp on tires for the trailer.

[SteveSueMac]

Actually - those tires (I have them on my trailer) aren't LT, they are P - which technically means you have to divide the capacity by 1.1 which means you have 1985# load capacity per tire at 50 PSI.

Upgrading to 16" Michelin LT tires is a good idea for a single axle trailer in my opinion.

[Countryboy59]

Originally Posted by SteveSueMac

Actually - those tires (I have them on my trailer) aren't LT, they are P - which technically means you have to divide the capacity by 1.1 which means you have 1985# load capacity per tire at 50 PSI.

Upgrading to 16" Michelin LT tires is a good idea for a single axle trailer in my opinion.

Yep, fixed that. They are Michelin X which I've used on cars and Jeeps in the past. Just wondering how the 16s fit in the wheel opening, specific size to get, etc.

These tires "squat" pretty good even when properly inflated. I just don't like the looks of it. I'm a throwback from the old days when blown tires didn't destroy the vehicle they were on. Those days are over...

[SteveSueMac]

Originally Posted by Countryboy59

Yep, fixed that. They are Michelin X which I've used on cars and Jeeps in the past. Just wondering how the 16s fit in the wheel opening, specific size to get, etc.

These tires "squat" pretty good even when properly inflated. I just don't like the looks of it. I'm a throwback from the old days when blown tires didn't destroy the vehicle they were on. Those days are over...

Well - you could go with 15" bias ply ST tires. When they blow, they don't shred like radials (so I'm told...). 😀

[Johnco]

A Sendal T02 16 x 6 wheel along with Michelin LTX MS LT 225/75 R 16E will fit fine on your Bambi. This combination leaves about an inch fore and aft of the tire to the wheel well.

[Bob Little]

I have the 16" Michelins E rated tires on my new 19' Bambi and they work exceptionally great. Tire pressure must be about 72 psi cold. Rims from eTrailer in silver color in steel- for far greater durability when cutting curbs on right hand turns and hitting potholes- is my recommendation. The rims are $43 each plus shipping. Use heavy truck valves (steel) when getting your tires mounted...used for high stress. High pressure. Don't get the passenger car valves!

[ellenbelle]

We are about to put new tires on our 19 Bambi as well... interested to hear what others have to say. Just met with a guy who owns a 16 Bambi... his tires blew out and he had to have the whole floor repaired. All covered by insurance, but not a happy occurrence anyway. So now I'm worried about the tires and want to get the best ones possible.

[CruizinDux]

Countryboy59

jump down to"a little analysis post 87 by Phoenix has some very detailed discussion

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f465...tml#post944334

we have a FC20 and think I'm headed to the Nokians to stay with the 15" rims.

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f438...15-156339.html

and if you have the time for some reading...
http://www.airforums.com/forums/f516...ml#post1849796

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f438...148274-22.html

& http://www.airforums.com/forums/f438...es-151766.html

Good advice from

SteveSueMac Bambi 19 tire upgrade
Actually - those tires (I have them on my trailer) aren't LT, they are P - which technically means you have to divide the capacity by 1.1 which means you have 1985# load capacity per tire at 50 PSI.

Upgrading to 16" Michelin LT tires is a good idea for a single axle trailer in my opinion

[WKPwildlife]

Hi Bob and other members,
I too have a 19’ bambi AS that I’m considering an upgrade to Michelin LT225/75R16/E tires, steel wheels and a STS TM-507RV/SE TPMS.
I’m a little nervous about planning extended trips to the U.S. northwest (from southern CA) and, if all goes well, Alaska pulling a bambi. I’ve considered trading up to a much bigger dual axle 23FB/short bed truck combo (>43’). Unfortunately, the longer combos are just too big for some of the smaller, really incredible campsites open to my AS19/Jeep (35’).
Three questions for you and other members:
- Does a 16” wheel/tire spare fit under the trailer?
- Did you have the AS dealer or 3rd party switch out the wheels & tires?
- Any other suggested upgrades?

Thanks,
BillK

2016 International 19’ AS
2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee diesel

[Tim A.]

Originally Posted by WKPwildlife

Three questions for you and other members:
- Does a 16” wheel/tire spare fit under the trailer?
- Did you have the AS dealer or 3rd party switch out the wheels & tires?
- Any other suggested upgrades?
Thanks,
BillK

A couple of years ago, I put Sendel 16" rims and Michelin Rib LT tires on our 19' Bambi. Based on that, here are my answers to your questions.
1. The larger spare requires slightly bending the retaining bars on the spare carrier. In my case, the square steel "loop" that holds the spare up needed to be replaced with a slightly longer version.
2. As with everything on our trailer, I did the work myself.
3. Too many to mention! Well, none that would be truly necessary for your trip.

Tim

[Bob Little]

Yes Folks...the surest way to feel comfortable on a long trip is to have 'world class tires' working for you under your 4000 pound Bambi 19" While the cost of the tire, a steel valve core, sales tax and mounting/balancing performed at my local Michelin tire dealer ended up costing me $250 per tire before a slight rebate from Michelin and before the cash sale on eBay of the two much lesser quality Goodyear Marathons ($175 each for virtually unused tires)....the peace of mind is incredible. Those 16" Michelins we're talking about are commonly spec'ed on ultra-high mileage delivery trucks that you see in daily commerce but do not really notice...you will never have a tire failure on the road relating to anything except perhaps a nail or an uncommonly disastrous road hazard. They ride beautifully and fit inside the wheel wells incredibly easily. When you jack up the chassis of your Bambi to ....say...to take the tire in for the winter and put your Bambi on blocks... you merely use the AS jacking points, get your jack stands ready... loosen the lugs nuts from their 100 foot pound torque setting...chock the wheels...and raise the trailer to allow the lower part of the large tire to be angled toward you and removed in one fell swoop. Tires should be set cold at about 70 pounds of pressure.

Retorque to 100 foot pounds for the steel wheels, perhaps spray some BoShield on the silver rims to protect their surface finish and you are good to go. Do not lube the wheel studs. You will find they can ease away from their torque setting over many hundreds of miles. The spare tire rack as Tim sez needs some bending but...what the h***, if that is the some total of the overall difficulty...I'll take it! By the way, I put the same 16" Michelins to work on my 2005 Ford Explorer V-8 tow vehicle...same size, same degree of comfort and bliss motoring down the highway.

[Countryboy59]

Originally Posted by Bob Little

Yes Folks...the surest way to feel comfortable on a long trip is to have 'world class tires' working for you under your 4000 pound Bambi 19" While the cost of the tire, a steel valve core, sales tax and mounting/balancing performed at my local Michelin tire dealer ended up costing me $250 per tire before a slight rebate from Michelin and before the cash sale on eBay of the two much lesser quality Goodyear Marathons ($175 each for virtually unused tires)....the peace of mind is incredible. Those 16" Michelins we're talking about are commonly spec'ed on ultra-high mileage delivery trucks that you see in daily commerce but do not really notice...you will never have a tire failure on the road relating to anything except perhaps a nail or an uncommonly disastrous road hazard. They ride beautifully and fit inside the wheel wells incredibly easily. When you jack up the chassis of your Bambi to ....say...to take the tire in for the winter and put your Bambi on blocks... you merely use the AS jacking points, get your jack stands ready... loosen the lugs nuts from their 100 foot pound torque setting...chock the wheels...and raise the trailer to allow the lower part of the large tire to be angled toward you and removed in one fell swoop. Tires should be set cold at about 70 pounds of pressure.

Retorque to 100 foot pounds for the steel wheels, perhaps spray some BoShield on the silver rims to protect their surface finish and you are good to go. Do not lube the wheel studs. You will find they can ease away from their torque setting over many hundreds of miles. The spare tire rack as Tim sez needs some bending but...what the h***, if that is the some total of the overall difficulty...I'll take it! By the way, I put the same 16" Michelins to work on my 2005 Ford Explorer V-8 tow vehicle...same size, same degree of comfort and bliss motoring down the highway.

Great suggestion, this is probably the path I will take. I use Fluidfilm instead of Boeshield for corrosion prevention. I buy it by the gallon and use it on the underside of my truck, in the rocker panels and doors etc., and on my trailer.

I don't derate tires but even applying the 1.1 factor my current tires load rating is higher than the weight of the Bambi. But I would like a more durable tire with a higher pressure, like the truck tires on my F350.

[WKPwildlife]

Finally committed to a wheel and tire upgrade:
- 16” SenDel wheels T03SM
Wheel size: 16x6
Bolt Circle: 6x139.7
Offset: 0 (zero)
Center Bore: 4.25
Load Rating: 3,580 @ 94psi
- Michelin Defender LTX M/S 225/75R16/E 115/112R tires with all-metal valve stems
- Gorilla lug nuts
Bought the wheels, tires and nuts from Performance Plus Superstore (highly recommended). The new spare tire fits the existing spare tire carrier if you disconnect (and chock) the trailer then raise the front end. I filed down the wheel well siding a bit front and back to give the larger tire a little more room to bounce. The max tire pressure is 80psi; I'm running them at 74. I'll add a TPMS soon.

[Llittle54]

Originally Posted by WKPwildlife

Finally committed to a wheel and tire upgrade:
- 16” SenDel wheels T03SM
Wheel size: 16x6
Bolt Circle: 6x139.7
Offset: 0 (zero)
Center Bore: 4.25
Load Rating: 3,580 @ 94psi
- Michelin Defender LTX M/S 225/75R16/E 115/112R tires with all-metal valve stems
- Gorilla lug nuts
Bought the wheels, tires and nuts from Performance Plus Superstore (highly recommended). The new spare tire fits the existing spare tire carrier if you disconnect (and chock) the trailer then raise the front end. I filed down the wheel well siding a bit front and back to give the larger tire a little more room to bounce. The max tire pressure is 80psi; I'm running them at 74. I'll add a TPMS soon.

Anybody know if the tires/wheels would fit on a 2017 22' Sport?

[Ruscal]

WKP,
I went with the same wheel and tire route as you. Michelin Defender LTX M/S 225/75R16/E 115/112R tires with all-metal valve stems. In deciding the tire pressure to run I referred to the Michelin truck tire pressure chart. A bambi 19 weighs 4500 lbs fully loaded. 4500 less tongue weight of 600 leaves 3900lbs on the axle. The chart says we can run 50 - 55 PSI and carry that weight. Did you experiment with ride quality at different pressures? Eliminating bounce is what we would like to do without allowing too much sway side to side. I think I'll try 55 PSI to start with which will carry 4120 and will see how it rides. We have a TPMS, so will monitor temps on the freeway.
Russ
Michelin chart link:http://www.michelintruck.com/referen...tion-tables/#/

Originally Posted by WKPwildlife

Finally committed to a wheel and tire upgrade:
- 16” SenDel wheels T03SM
Wheel size: 16x6
Bolt Circle: 6x139.7
Offset: 0 (zero)
Center Bore: 4.25
Load Rating: 3,580 @ 94psi
- Michelin Defender LTX M/S 225/75R16/E 115/112R tires with all-metal valve stems
- Gorilla lug nuts
Bought the wheels, tires and nuts from Performance Plus Superstore (highly recommended). The new spare tire fits the existing spare tire carrier if you disconnect (and chock) the trailer then raise the front end. I filed down the wheel well siding a bit front and back to give the larger tire a little more room to bounce. The max tire pressure is 80psi; I'm running them at 74. I'll add a TPMS soon.

[WKPwildlife]

Hi Russ,
I called Michelin help line (1-866-866-6605) to ask about correct tire pressures for a 4,500 lb AS. He told me that the info wasn’t on their website so he listed it for me:
Michelin Defender LTX M/S2 225/75R16 115R tires:
50 psi = 1,940 lbs
55 psi = 2,060 lbs
60 psi = 2,190 lbs
63 psi = 2,250 lbs
65 psi = 2,335 lbs
70 psi = 2,440 lbs (2,250 lbs)(110%) = 2,475 lbs
75 psi = 2,560 lbs
80 psi = 2,680 lbs
These are minimum recommended pressures. He suggested using the max pressure (not very helpful). I’ve decided to start with 110% of the minimum (63 psi for 2,250 lbs) for each tire: 70 psi. I haven’t given these tires a rigorous test yet.
Bill

[RamblinManGa]

Hi from AZ. . . the only tire blowout we had AK & back (14k miles) was a Michelin on the TV.........Carlilses on trailer were fine......just sayin'. . . stuff happens. . . regards, Craig

[Ruscal]

Originally Posted by WKPwildlife

Hi Russ,
I called Michelin help line (1-866-866-6605) to ask about correct tire pressures for a 4,500 lb AS. He told me that the info wasn’t on their website so he listed it for me:
Michelin Defender LTX M/S2 225/75R16 115R tires:
50 psi = 1,940 lbs
55 psi = 2,060 lbs
60 psi = 2,190 lbs
63 psi = 2,250 lbs
65 psi = 2,335 lbs
70 psi = 2,440 lbs (2,250 lbs)(110%) = 2,475 lbs
75 psi = 2,560 lbs
80 psi = 2,680 lbs
These are minimum recommended pressures. He suggested using the max pressure (not very helpful). I’ve decided to start with 110% of the minimum (63 psi for 2,250 lbs) for each tire: 70 psi. I haven’t given these tires a rigorous test yet.
Bill

Bill,
We just got back from San Elijo State Beach on our first outing with the new tires. We also changed the WDH from a Husky 850 lb setup to a Blue Ox 750 lb , and towed with a new Silverado 1500, so couldn't really evaluate tire feel! It will take a long trip with some high speed and changing terrain to arrive at the optimal tire pressure. The new setup is much more compliant with the lighter bars and longer suspension travel of the larger truck. I could really feel the suspension working to absorb bumps. The new Michelins were at 75 PSI, but didn't feel harsh. Maybe head out to Borrego for a better test. The higher pressures should produce some fuel economy, but may shake the rig too much? We'll see.
Russ

[Phoenix]

Other discussion threads have debated the use of lower tire pressures to provide a softer ride for Airstreams. While lower pressures may be valid for multi-axle models, single-axle Bambis often have the highest per-tire load; and the maximum pressure printed on the tire sidewall is warranted. See links below:

• http://www.airforums.com/forums/f438...ml#post1624481
  
  
• http://www.airforums.com/forums/f438...ml#post1213603
  
  
• http://www.airforums.com/forums/f438...ml#post1162814
  
  
• http://www.discounttire.com/learn/tr...19&irpid=10078

[WKPwildlife]

"Flowergeddon" is probably still ongoing. Enjoy!
https://carlsbad-bill.smugmug.com/No...Park/i-bDdBdx5
Bill