Maintenance & Restoration

Tim Ryce · 08-26-2008, 04:36 PM

Hi All,

My Trillium's previous owner (who is now mysteriously unreachable) swapped the 13" rims out for 14" rims and 205/75 R14 Goodyear Conquest tires. I replaced the car tires immediately with proper ProMeter trailer tires.

I'm having a heck of a time trying to find a 3rd rim on which to mount a spare. Would anyone here be able to tell me what model car (and year, hopefully!) these rims would have come from originally? The auto wreckers aren't helpful, the local auto supply stores don't stock 5x4.5" bolt pattern in 14" (only 13" and smaller), and I'm at a loss as to where to look next!

Thanks for any (and I do mean *any*) help or hints,
~Tim

Larry&Carrie · 08-26-2008, 06:49 PM

Quote:

Hi All,

My Trillium's previous owner (who is now mysteriously unreachable) swapped the 13" rims out for 14" rims and 205/75 R14 Goodyear Conquest tires. I replaced the car tires immediately with proper ProMeter trailer tires.

I'm having a heck of a time trying to find a 3rd rim on which to mount a spare. Would anyone here be able to tell me what model car (and year, hopefully!) these rims would have come from originally? The auto wreckers aren't helpful, the local auto supply stores don't stock 5x4.5" bolt pattern in 14" (only 13" and smaller), and I'm at a loss as to where to look next!

Thanks for any (and I do mean *any*) help or hints,
~Tim

HUH? 5 on 4 1/2 is Ford pattern (think Ranger P.U.) or Dodge/Plymouth (full sized van) Go to an Auto Recycling Yard (junk yard to the non-politically correct) and explain your problem. Betcha they can fix ya up. Be careful on the center hole, tho, cause some passenger wheels are not large enuff. White spoke wheels and most aluminum wheels are..... Larry

Pete Dumbleton · 08-26-2008, 09:23 PM

Be aware that the trailer wheels differ from the automotive wheels, in that the trailer wheels are lug-centered and the automotive wheels are hub-centered, so it is possible to have balance problems.

However, yes, Ford and CC use 5 x 4.5" wheels.

Doug Mager · 08-26-2008, 09:56 PM

We run 14"s on our Trillium, Ford/Mopar bolt pattern. Never had any issues with balance(ing). Here's a pic of Torque Thrust aftermarket rims on 6 ply truck tires we use. The bolt pattern is Ford but is completely compadible with Mazda (5 hole) pick up rims, which we have also used for a coupla years since we had a '97 Mazda B 4000 years ago.

Pete Dumbleton · 08-27-2008, 04:43 AM

Another difference between trailer and automotive rims is the pressure rating for the rim (usually stamped or labeled on the inside) -- I don't know what the smaller trailer rims run.

Still another difference may exist in the offset of the rim; the trailer axle wants zero offset -- I don't know what offset you might have on an automotive rim -- Offset affects the weight capacity of the axle (reduces it).

Here's a link for 5 x 4.5" rims in 14", but a good tire store should either have them or be able to order them. I would also advise getting the valve stems with higher pressure ratings (loosely referred to as 'metal', but you want to see an actual rating because some metal ones are not higher pressure)

http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/sto...30346_200330346

However, the shipping runs almost half again the price of the rim, so local tire place might be better deal.

Tim Ryce · 08-27-2008, 01:44 PM

This forum really is a wealth of information. I did head to the local "auto recycler", a few of them in fact, and as soon as I mentioned "trailer" they were exceedingly unhelpful. I even had one of my existing rims in the car with me, but they wanted nothing to do with it.

Princess Auto (the local parts shop) apparently only stocks 13" and 15" for rims, though they said to call back from time to time. Now that I know the make and model (and offset! thanks!!) that these rims likely came from, I'll head back out on the search. Never thought this could be so frustrating.

Doug, I'm very interested in these 6-ply 14" tires you've got on. What are they? My goal with this trailer is light 4x4 duty with an ultimate goal of a trip to the Yukon in the coming years; these tires would probably be a bit more dependable than what I've got on there now.

Thanks, everyone. Such a huge help.
~Tim

Doug Mager · 08-27-2008, 06:24 PM

Tim:

Here's the poop on the tires ....oops better wipe that stuff offa there, LOL.

Dunlop SP75n
185r14 LT
load range D

Mounted on Mazda Truck (spoke style) 'mag' wheels (stock ones).

Same tires are on the Trillium in the above pic except mounted to different wheels!!

Tim Ryce · 08-31-2008, 06:58 PM

Thanks for the info, Doug. I'll look into them for my next tire change. One question, tho: how aggressive is the tread pattern on those tires?

I only ask because I spent a good 2 hours out at Escape Trailers yesterday, chatting with Rease; I now know more about trailers than I thought I'd learn in the next 10 years. He mentioned a past client that put light-truck tires on a trailer for a trip over the Alaska Highway; the trailer ended up needing a complete re-glass in the wheel wells and on the front lower portion, due to the fact that more aggressive treads tend to pick up and 'toss' rocks and gravel more effectively.

Food for thought, anyway!
~Tim

Doug Mager · 08-31-2008, 11:49 PM

Tim, the aggresive tread pattern never was even a thought for us because we don't use the egg for anything at all like that. Some tire treads ARE different patterns.

We didn't go 'hunting' for these tires to mount on the trailer, they were a set of 4 left overs from a older (Import) truck we no longer have, so we decided to use them. We have mounted one pair on the Mazda rims and one pair on the Torque Thrust mags. This way I can mount the old Mazda rims for storage purposes (sometimes we need to leave the trailer uncovered in winter (ugh!)) and the Torque Thrust rims would (did) need too much hand polishing to bring them back to their original luster when left on over a winter.