Another tire question

[dirtracin]

I bought an 81 Coleman Colonial last fall and I was looking at the tires today, the tires are rated for 715lbs, they are 570-8, I looked at the serial plate and it says the coleman is 1350 gvrw, are the tires good enough for the camper? One other thing I tried to grease the bearings today and they were put on with an impact gun and I can't get them off with a tire iron!

[wavery]

I bought an 81 Coleman Colonial last fall and I was looking at the tires today, the tires are rated for 715lbs, they are 570-8, I looked at the serial plate and it says the coleman is 1350 gvrw, are the tires good enough for the camper? One other thing I tried to grease the bearings today and they were put on with an impact gun and I can't get them off with a tire iron!

Well....if you don't have an impact wrench, you can make one :sombraro:

First, spray them with WD40. Tap on each one of the nuts, several times, with a hammer (not hard). Take an appropriate size box wrench, put it on the nut and hit the wrench with a hammer (while applying force to the wrench with your other hand). That's exactly what an "Impact" wrench does.

If they still won't loosen, you might try heating them with a propane torch. However, I doubt that will be necessary. The home made impact wrench usually does the trick. Try to avoid using a long bar as you may break off a stud.

You'll need a torque wrench when you put them back on.

[flyfisherman]

I bought an 81 Coleman Colonial last fall and I was looking at the tires today, the tires are rated for 715lbs, they are 570-8, I looked at the serial plate and it says the coleman is 1350 gvrw, are the tires good enough for the camper?

715 X 2 = 1,430 lbs

Somewhere, someplace, someone posted they had replaced their 8" tires with 10' tires & wheels and were happier with the results (maybe it was here?).


Fly

[wynot]

Well....if you don't have an impact wrench, you can make one :sombraro:
 
First, spray them with WD40. Tap on each one of the nuts, several times, with a hammer (not hard). Take an appropriate size box wrench, put it on the nut and hit the wrench with a hammer (while applying force to the wrench with your other hand). That's exactly what an "Impact" wrench does.
 

I remember about a year ago using this trick (and holding on to the box end wrench tightly) and watching that wrench flying through the air and land about 20 feet away.  The nut or bolt was still nice and tight...  Now, I duct tape it if I am forced into that technique.

[dirtracin]

Thanks for the replies, I guess i'll wait and do the bearings another day, I have to fix the roof first and than i'll find somebody with an impact gun

[gpn02]

I am wondering the same thing about my tires! My pup says it has a gross weight of 1520lbs yet it came with 5.70X8 tires that are rated at 715lbs each. Now where I'm from that equals 1430lbs. How is it that they would stick these lower rated weight tires on a camper that exceeds the weight limit for the tires??? I thought that maybe I was missing something!! and just didnt understand it? Does anyone else notice this or am 1 can short of a six pack??? By the way It is a Viking, Is this a oversight on thier part?? I dont know....Tom

[flyfisherman]

I am wondering the same thing about my tires! My pup says it has a gross weight of 1520lbs yet it came with 5.70X8 tires that are rated at 715lbs each. Now where I'm from that equals 1430lbs. How is it that they would stick these lower rated weight tires on a camper that exceeds the weight limit for the tires??? I thought that maybe I was missing something!! and just didnt understand it? Does anyone else notice this or am 1 can short of a six pack??? By the way It is a Viking, Is this a oversight on thier part?? I dont know....Tom

In calculating trailer capacities the old rule was to figure the tow vehicle was carrying a certain amount of the load at the hitch, like 10% - so that 1430 lbs would look something like this:  1430 + 10% (143 lbs) = 1573

Recently Starcraft, at least for their models with the 12" tire/wheels, is now only going the carrying capacity of the tires. For example, my Starcraft has the 5.30 X 12 tires rated at 1045 and that would be a total of 2090 lbs.

Another note of interest for you would be to upgrade - there is an 8" tire with a 910 lb max capacity (same size) and this would give you a total of 1820 and that should relieve your anxieties.


Fly

[gpn02]

In calculating trailer capacities the old rule was to figure the tow vehicle was carrying a certain amount of the load at the hitch, like 10% - so that 1430 lbs would look something like this:  1430 + 10% (143 lbs) = 1573

Recently Starcraft, at least for their models with the 12" tire/wheels, is now only going the carrying capacity of the tires. For example, my Starcraft has the 5.30 X 12 tires rated at 1045 and that would be a total of 2090 lbs.

Another note of interest for you would be to upgrade - there is an 8" tire with a 910 lb max capacity (same size) and this would give you a total of 1820 and that should relieve your anxieties.


Fly

Thanks, I am definately going to upgrade. I am deciding between a 8 or 12 " tire I think I would like the little xtra clearance the 12 will give me. As it is now I sometimes cant even get my jacks under the rear frame if the ground is not completely level. I am learning all kinds of things with my new to me pup. Thanks for the help...Tom

[AustinBoston]

Thanks, I am definately going to upgrade. I am deciding between a 8 or 12 " tire I think I would like the little xtra clearance the 12 will give me.

Make sure you have enough clearance in the fenders/wheelwells for the larger tire.  Some have discovered the hard way that you can't always use 14" wheels on a trailer that was originally equipped with 13" wheels.

Austin

[mike4947]

To state as the manufacturers would. The tires have to equal or exceed the gross axle weight rating of the trailer.

That's different than the gross vehicle weight rating.
 
Starcraft has decided to "idiot proof" their trailers. So even if people overload the axle because they don't understand that the total weight of the trailer can't be carrying by the tires they won't have tire problems, but instead will have spring or axle problems.
It's never a bad idea to increase the rating of tires on the camper, but remember it won't increase your total weight or axle weight rating and like it was posted measure carefully when deciding to use a larger diameter tire. In fact it's more often the front or rear of the wheel opening that causes interference than the top.

[flyfisherman]

... they won't have tire problems, but instead will have spring or axle problems.

Perhaps Starcraft took all this into consideration as they also up-graded the axle and spring capacities, too. Let me give an example:
When my 1999 Starcraft was new, there were three models that shared the same axles and springs, the 1701, 1706 and the 2106 (actually the 1999 and 2000 models were identical so this would apply to both years) - those units had  2000 lb axles with 1000 lb springs on each side, with a GVWR of 2200 lbs. For the 2007 models, the 1701 and 2106 models are still in the line-up and for all intent and purposes, about the same (the 2106 being identical). The newer 2007 models now have a 2200 lb axle with 1400 lb springs on each side; but the GVWR is now same as the tires,  2090 lbs.  With the old set-up Starcraft had not only some blown tires but also some broken springs to boot (I was one of the ones that had a broken spring).  Another point to consider, too, is that the newer models are heavier (up-graded axles & springs?): the older 2106 model had a base/dry vehicle weight of aprox 1399 lbs while the new model's dry weight is listed as 1542.  As you can see from the example, the cargo carrying capacity for the newer model has been seriously reduced ... (part of the idiot proofing, maybe?)

Although Dexter paid for the spring replacement on my camper (actually they bought me two springs, saying that when one spring is replaced, the other should be replaced, too).  What I did next was to pay the difference for an upgraded spring. Now, instead of having the 1000 springs, I now sport the 1400 pounders.



Fly