What tires go with my 55' 17 Footer?

[ironfem200]

My tires are questionable and I want to replace all three (the spare too). Does anyone have a pointer to the right tires here around the SF bay area? How about the best place to have them mounted? I know she will have to go on a rack, and I don't want some eighteen year old kid wrecking my wheels, frame or skin....eeeek!

[CanoeStream]

I tho't I remembered you from posts about your LP tanks ... Welcome always!

I'm not a real vintage person but can you report if your steel wheels are one-piece or the old two piece? How many bolt holes are there? What do the current tire sidewalls say for diameter?

[scottanlily]

Hello ironfem200 ,

Yor trailer does not ,repeat NOT need to go on the rack .You should call around your area to see who has experience with travel trailer tire replacement.They need to raise your coach near the tire they are going to replace and raise the coach on the frame .
it can be done one side at a time .Anyway check around first to see who has the experience or call you local rv shop for a recommendation if possible.
You wheels if original probably are split rims as you coach is a 55 .
As canoe stream said ,what wheel type and how many wheel nuts ,is the next question ,more exact advice then can be given to help you her on the
forums.

Scott of scottanlily

[CanoeStream]

Hi ironfem200 (properly assuming your name is not eeeek!),
We may be getting way out in front on the split rims issue. Most folks would defer to a trusted RV shop and have them install new tires. They will deal with the issue of rim types. If they choose not to re-use split rims (a safety issue) and suggest new wheels as well as tires, you can probably trust they are saying the right thing. Be sure the tires they install are of recent manufacture (date is in print on side of tire) -- aging is good in wine but not rubber.

[ironfem200]

...you guys are the best, as always. The reason I assumed she would go up on the rack was because during the rain storms early this year, I was towing her out of Roseville to the bay area, only to observe a bulge on the inside edge of one tire (it sure pays to do a walk-around before taking off). Anyway, in an absolute deluge, I limped to the nearest large commercial tire dealer and had the spare put on. I had to tell the guy not to put a jack on my axle (!), and watched in horror as he wrestled the wheel out from the fender well. There's GOT to be a better way to do that, I'm sure.
As far as how many lugs etc, I will be heading up this weekend to the Russian River area where she is right now and will take a look.

Ironfem200 (I dunno, 'eeek' is a pretty funny name...)

[scottanlily]

Your welcome ironfem200,

Reading your reply I see why you were ready to draw blood ! things need to be handled in a proffesional manner .If your airstream is raised on the frame
with a support block between the jack and the frame close to the axle area as I said ,the coach can then be raised up ,the axle and tire will drop down
so removing the tire/wheel assembly won't require trashing your wheel wells.
But it is a matter of going to the person that KNOWS what they are doing so
keep checking till you are confident you have the right shop to carefully handle your airstream ,nothing less will do .

Scott