Replace wheels?

[minglewood]

Hi all, I just bought my first Airstream (1972 27' Overlander) and I saw on the Inland RV page they reccommend when going from 6 ply to 8 ply tires the wheels should be replaced. The current wheels look fine, but I need new tires. Is replacement really necessary or just a bit of safety overkill?
Thanks,
Bill

[uwe]

Hi Bill,

I have a trailer of similar age, even though mine is a little smaller.
I think the idea is to do a very thorough inspection of the wheels with the tires removed, before you can make an intelligent decision.
If the wheels show no dents or cracks, and look rust free, then it might not be a problem to go to D-rated (8ply) tires.
Also, make sure the wheels are original equipment or equivalent, not mismatched or of lesser quality.
I had to replace my wheels because they were very rusty, and the new tires would not hold air reliably. When I removed the tires I saw a lot of rust inside the wheel, along the welds and in the wheel bolt area. My old wheels would have eventually caused a problem, from the looks of them.
If in doubt, just buy new wheels and tires, and keep the very best one of the old ones for a spare, perhaps.
Good Luck!

[Action]

Bill,

Congrats on your purchase. And special congrats on getting an Overlander!

So why do you want to go to 8 ply (Load range D) tires? And are the current wheels steel or cast?

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Action

[Inland RV Center, In]

Minglewood.

The recommendation came from the manufacturer of the wheels, not us, along with the warning that the wheels more than likely will split. This happens on wheels that have several years on them.

We just provided that information for owners perusal.

Andy
inlandrv.com

[minglewood]

Thanks for the replies folks. I guess I'll just go with new 6 ply marathons, provided the wheels are in good condition. This should be ok, right?
Bill

[Inland RV Center, In]

Six ply is great.
Anything less would be hazardeous.

Andy
inlandrv.com