Casita Tires & Bike Rack

[AmyFL]

Hi - I can’t figure out how to search old threads, as I know these questions have been asked and answered. However, can someone specifically tell me how to tell a tire shop that I want to upgrade my tires to 15”? I need to know what tires, and I’d like to get better looking rims. ( I guess they’re called rims.) Also: what bike rack should I get? Front or back mounted? How do I specifically ask an RV place to install this? I live in New Smyrna Beach, FL. (East Coast Florida). Thank you! Amy (you can just send me the links to the older postings if you’d prefer.)

[mary and bob]

I recently bought new rims for our Casita from etrailer.com They have a good selection but I went with the original type. I bought Goodyear Endurance tires, load range D, from a local repair shop. etrailer has some rims with tires already mounted. For a bike rack you'll need a rear receiver and a rack rated for use on the rear of a RV if you want the bike back there. There are also racks that mount on the trailer tongue. Rear racks are a whole discussion about weight that can affect handling, so research that, but there will probably be comments here about it

[New Orleans John]

Originally Posted by AmyFL

Hi - I want to upgrade my tires to 15”? I need to know what tires

Make sure you have enough clearance on both sides of trailer. Bigger tires might rub in wheel wells.

[Casita Greg]

If you have a 2017 Casita 17 footer, you have plenty of room for 15" tires/wheels. I'm surprised you don't have 15" wheels already, but they are now standard on later model Casitas.

All you need to know to get the right wheels, (rims,) is:

15" diameter X 6" wide.
"Zero" Offset, (which means the rim is equally divided on both sides of the lug nut holes, inside to outside.)
The lug nut pattern is 5 Lug nuts on 4.5" centers.
(And fwiw, the lug nuts on the standard Dexter #10 axle, (which are what Casita uses,) are 1/2" dia. X 20 threads per inch.

If you decide to go with aluminum wheels, be sure to get the right lug nuts for them, because the steel rims use lug nuts with a different "shoulder" than the aluminum wheels use. And be sure that you ask for metal valve stems for the rims, and also be sure to have the tires balanced. This is important!

And as to tires, I recently upgraded, (last year,) to Good Year Endurance 225 X 15 ST, Load Range E tires, and I've been very happy with them.

And as to adding a bike rack, they do make ones that can be mounted on the front of the trailer, (over the propane tanks,) or ones that you can insert into a custom made 2" frame mounted rear receiver hitch, but be forewarned that very few bike rack manufacturers will certify their mounts for use on the rear of travel trailers, and the few that do exist are several hundred dollars. Caveat Emptor.

[Jann Todd]

Originally Posted by AmyFL

Hi - I can’t figure out how to search old threads, as I know these questions have been asked and answered. However, can someone specifically tell me how to tell a tire shop that I want to upgrade my tires to 15”? I need to know what tires, and I’d like to get better looking rims. ( I guess they’re called rims.) Also: what bike rack should I get? Front or back mounted? How do I specifically ask an RV place to install this? I live in New Smyrna Beach, FL. (East Coast Florida). Thank you! Amy (you can just send me the links to the older postings if you’d prefer.)

Bike racks on the back of a trailer in my opinion is not safe. We put 2 bikes on the back of our motorhome once and never again. They bounce and we could feel it on our steering even. Casita's are just to light and the handling could be bad. We see trailers on the highway with bikes or other racks on them and they have a lot of movement. Just because people do it doesn't make it safe.

[AmyFL]

Thanks to all for the helpful advice. I have a 2018 Casita Independence. I thought I had 15” tires until another Casita camper said he upgraded his tires, and so should I. I will follow the advice given, and upgrade with the proper tires. I’ll think about the bike rack, as many differing opinions.again, thank you!

[AmyFL]

I copied your reply and saved it to take with me to the tire store. I appreciate the specifics.