trailer rim question

[poverty stricken II]

I have a 86 sealion trailer for my 25ft thompson. I have a bent axle and do not think the tires will make the trip home. I am replacing the axles this winter to a stronger set of axles. I want to get a pair of rims and tires from the junk yard to take with me in case of a blow out. They are a 5 bolt pattern with a 14" tire.

I can not believe that these axles are a C channel with the spindles welded to them (from factory). I am replacing them with mobile home axels (that will support the weight).

Does anyone know what Vehicle make would fit that bolt pattern (ford, chevy).

Thanks in advance for your replies.

Tim

[W.W.IV.]

Take the spare to the yard and they will match it up with the right one's.

[poverty stricken II]

WWIV, I can't take the spare to the yard as the trailer is in Oak Ochard about 3 hours away. thanks for the reply

[Misty IV]

You will need to know the full bolt pattern specs to get the right rim. It will be something like a 5x4-1/2", 5x4-3/4", 5x5", etc. The spacing between every other bolt is the 2nd part of the spec. Being you have 14" rims, I would lean towards it being a 4-1/2" pattern, but best to measure to be safe. If you are upping the capacity of the axles, you may want to also consider upping to a 15" rim if the trailer fenders will accomodate them.

[borderline 350]

Dear PS II,

MY BEST GUESS.... 5 hole, 4 1/2 inch bolt circle which was common on the old Ford Pickups but the center hole will be too small for the trailer hub!!! By best suggestion is to go on Craigs list and look for 14" TRAILER RIMS in the Boat Section. Never heard of Sealion trailers, but most trailer manuf. in the 80's used 5 hole/4 1/2 inch pattern hubs and wheels in dual axle trailers. It is a gamble w/o knowing the pattern size.....Good luck!

Respectfully Submitted,

Jet Boat Bill

[PaulR]

http://www.cerka.ca/Tires.html

Store is in Canada but info might help

Paul

[poverty stricken II]

Thanks for the replies,

Borderline great comment on the center hole, never thought of that part. I am lucky though that I have drums and not spindles. I guess I will try the 4 1/2 common spacing on the used rims, if that don't work I can always take the tries off the rim and put them on my old ones ( had to do that in a Walmart parking lot in rochester at 1 am). Again thanks for the replies and comments, this is the reason why I tell everyone this site is the best for fishing and boating alike.

Misty IV, I have taken consideration regarding the new axles and the fenders. These axles are off a mobile home and they have the side clamp style mounts (no center bolt pattern) for the rims. I think the rims and tires are 16" (not sure though). I figured I may have to re-configure the fender mounting brackets. Worst case I can always get solid 14" axles, which would be stronger than the C Channel original manufactured axles that came with it.

I am assuming that these axles got bent during a spring time thaw and have gotten worse the last couple of years. I am guessing that when the trailer (with boat) was stored in the yard for the winter, the trailer tires were on a turn. When the thaw came it sank the tires into the ground causing them to bend. What would be your thoughts on that. The trailer has been parked on grass for all 25 years that it has been owned.

[Mower]

The rims you need are from old chevy's at the junk yard they are called big chevy rims. I have spares for all my trailers for my business. the bolt pattern is chevy rims pre 1980. Good luck finding ones in good shape. If your looking for axels this winter let me know I have a tandem axle equipment trailer w/ 2 3500lbs axels under it. We twisted the frame but axles are in good shape. If you want to travel for them we can make a deal.

[borderline 350]

Dear PS II,

The hub/spindle do extend thru the wheel on boat trailers (with or without drum or disc brakes). That is what the wheel locates on for concentricity. Trust me.

And using clamp style mobile home axle units are a real pain and very heavy!...special tire sizes, bearings and on and on! Replacement axles with spindles are available at various Farm Supply outfits for very reasonable prices or try E Trailer.com on the internet. You then could transfer your hubs and brakes to the new axles.

Respectfully submitted,

.............Jet Boat Bill

[borderline 350]

Dear Mower,

Pre 1980 Chevy Car rims are 5 hole 5 inch BOLT CIRCLE on the Impalas. Chevelles and everything else in Chev. cars was 5 hole 4 3/4 inch bolt back to 1955 with 7/16 wheel studs. Only the old Fords were 5 hole 4 1/2" bolt circle and some of the early Jeep rims were 5/ 4 1/2 B.C. GM 1/2 ton pickups were 5/ 5 inch bolt circle or 6 hole/ 5 1/2 BC. and they only fit some of the special order HD equipment trailers. PS II must be very carefull here or he will have a lot of stuff that won't fit!! Been there, done that at Oh dark thirty in the morning. Getting towed off the road today can get very expensive in a hurry for boat trailer owners!...............Jet Boat Bill

[G-Daddy]

Mobile Home tires are typically 14-1/2". They come in two widths 7" and 8" and the 8s are quite a bit larger in the outer diameter.

[Knotlost]

You really want to think about changing the size of tires on your boat trailer. The ideal boat trailer tire is a short as possible! You will have a bear of a time loading your boat if you raise it up with higher tires, not a little harder but it will be a lot of sweating and cursing. Your axle may have weakened but make it stronger but not bigger, I would replace what is there with almost the same exact thing with new steel a heaver gage, it will make a huge difference but not change the hight of the trailer. I worked in trailer industry for many years and mobile home axles are great if you know how to put them on (they have to be straightened by hand each time) and have to be checked allot! You really don't need heavy duties but high quality, as the boat needs to stay low, you watch the guys that struggle with trailering and loading, they often have replaced the "expensive" trailer tires with what cheap at wall mart car tire and they raise the boat 1.2 to 2 inches and it changes the way the boat rides in wind and loads at the boat ramp. Spindles welded to a c channel is as strong as any axle there is by the way, there are millions of them out there and they all work great when done right. Yours may have been weakened by rust or they just used bad steel or to thin of c channel.

Just my thoughts for you to conceder..

PK