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Tue Nov 21, 2017 1:50 pm

I purchased a trailer 6 months ago. The tires are 5 Lug VW (5x205).

The problem: The tires are regular car tires.

I cannot find trailer tires in the size of 165/80R15. Also, I would like to add a spare tire to the trailer. What is the best option?

Buy VW 5x205 adapter to Chevrolet? I searched for VW Adapter to 4 lug trailer, but could not find anything. Has anyone else ran into this situation before?

I will attach pictures soon.

Tue Nov 21, 2017 2:31 pm

I have towed thousands of miles on stock VW 165X80X15 tires with Zero tire problems! Put new tubes in new tires if you want a little more security.

Thu Nov 23, 2017 8:40 pm

Thanks for the information Mike.

Where can I get new tires/tubes? Googling around, I can only find expensive tires?

It just scares me using car tires on a trailer. Too much bulge / side movement. Last time I towed it looked like the tires were about to explode.

Fri Nov 24, 2017 7:47 am

Have you thought about going to a tire shop? You know, one those places where all they do all day is sell tires?

I'd be curious to see what the axle on your trailer looks like. Is it home made/welded? Or are the spindles adapted to some common trailer axle?

Sat Nov 25, 2017 10:56 pm

You could probably run a 185/75/15 LT tire if you are limited for room but a 205/75 is about as narrow a trailer tire as you will find. Why do you need an adapter? Just go get another VW wheel for your spare. Tubes do not increase load capacity don't bother putting them in they won't help when the tire cones apart. Look at the load rating on your 165s and then figure out how much your trailer and load weigh and divide by 2. That is the minimum load rating your tire should have. Chances are the q65s aren't even close.

brad

Sun Nov 26, 2017 3:01 pm

Just curious how it uses VW drums? Does it have suspension or is it just front spindles welded to the frame? Or even rear hubs attached somehow.
And I too, have towed many miles on car tires. One trailer was a tandem axle with cheap 13" car tires.

Tue Nov 28, 2017 7:01 am

Q-Dog wrote: Have you thought about going to a tire shop? You know, one those places where all they do all day is sell tires?

I have tried four tire shops (you know, four of those places where all they do all day is sell tires) and two trailer shops. Not a single one would help me.

I stopped at a Mom and Pop tire shop, Walmart, Tire Discounters, Pep Boys... The tire shops said they do not have tires that size. Pep Boys said they could order them, but won't because I told them it was going on a trailer (legal liability about selling someone car tires for a trailer).

The two trailer companies (one is the largest in the state) said they just do not make trailer tires in that size. They recommended that I do not tow with it as it is dangerous to tow using car tires.

So I then had a friend call the same insurance company as me and explain the issue and the insurance company said I may be liable running car tires on a trailer. I didn't want to call so maybe I can play dumb if there is an issue.

I would not really worry, but I put two 5x7x7 wooden storage units on it and driving down the road, the tires looked like they were about to explode. Bouncing all over the place, bulging.

I normally borrow a friends 5x8 trailer before I bought this used trailer and his did not do that (no tire bulge, not much bouncing).

Tue Nov 28, 2017 7:08 am

slalombuggy wrote: You could probably run a 185/75/15 LT tire if you are limited for room but a 205/75 is about as narrow a trailer tire as you will find. Why do you need an adapter? Just go get another VW wheel for your spare. Tubes do not increase load capacity don't bother putting them in they won't help when the tire cones apart. Look at the load rating on your 165s and then figure out how much your trailer and load weigh and divide by 2. That is the minimum load rating your tire should have. Chances are the q65s aren't even close.

brad

'Why do you need an adapter?' I was thinking about purchasing an adapter to convert the bolt pattern to a trailer or Chevy bolt pattern. This would allow me to replace the two tires on the trailer and the spare. Sorry for not clarifying.

I am going to skip the tubes. The tires on the unit are in great shape, but maybe I will try buying new tires and filling them to the max. That would be an expensive experiment, but might be my only option.

Tue Nov 28, 2017 7:13 am

NJ John wrote: Just curious how it uses VW drums? Does it have suspension or is it just front spindles welded to the frame? Or even rear hubs attached somehow.
And I too, have towed many miles on car tires. One trailer was a tandem axle with cheap 13" car tires.

I will get a picture tonight. The trailer has no breaks, which is not a problem as I have a Chevy 1500 (heavy half with HD towing package).

The setup is a VW axle welded to the frame of the trailer. The axle is very thick compared to a normal 5x8 trailer. Also, it weighs almost double a new 5x8 trailer. Almost forgot the axle axle bolts to leaf springs, which then are bolted to an adapter welded on the frame of the trailer.

Tue Nov 28, 2017 7:41 am

That VW wheel should be a 4"x15" if it hasn't been modified. What size trailer tire do the tire shops recommend for that size wheel? Why do you have to have that exact tire size?

Tue Nov 28, 2017 1:00 pm

There used to be several versions of Beetle hauler trailers out there. All with 4 bolt VW rims and single axel. And I'm sure 165 VW tires.

Tue Nov 28, 2017 3:06 pm

You could also get a pair of 14", wide 5 wheels and run an ST205/70-14 trailer tire. It's an inch taller than the 165R15's, which only equates to a 1/2" between the tire and fender. There's a pair of Thing wheels for $95 in the classifieds right now.

Might work.

Wed Nov 29, 2017 8:58 am

Q-Dog wrote: That VW wheel should be a 4"x15" if it hasn't been modified. What size trailer tire do the tire shops recommend for that size wheel? Why do you have to have that exact tire size?

They did not recommend anything and just said they couldn't help me. One place said they might be able to special order, but it would be $115 to $150 per tire.

I do not not have to have the exact size tire. I just want a trailer tire that fits the current rim or an adapter to adapt to a trailer wheel so I can use a more standard size.

I think the problem is the tire is 15 inches, but the width is only 4". That is just a very odd size. If you look at trailers that have 15 inch wheels, the tires are usually 7+ inches wide.

Wed Nov 29, 2017 9:21 am

MonzaMotion wrote: Q-Dog wrote: That VW wheel should be a 4"x15" if it hasn't been modified. What size trailer tire do the tire shops recommend for that size wheel? Why do you have to have that exact tire size?

They did not recommend anything and just said they couldn't help me. One place said they might be able to special order, but it would be $115 to $150 per tire.

I do not not have to have the exact size tire. I just want a trailer tire that fits the current rim or an adapter to adapt to a trailer wheel so I can use a more standard size.

I think the problem is the tire is 15 inches, but the width is only 4". That is just a very odd size. If you look at trailers that have 15 inch wheels, the tires are usually 7+ inches wide.
165R15 is only just under 25" in diameter too. That's a fairly low profile 15" tire. I think you could stuff an ST205/70-15 on that rim, but you're not going to get it to fit under the fender. That's the smallest 15" trailer tire I carry and it's 28" in diameter.

Mon Feb 19, 2018 12:59 pm

So I purchased adapters that convert 5x205 pattern to a 5x4.5 (standard trailer bolt pattern). This allowed me to put 205/75R15 trailer tire on the unit. I still have very little clearance for the fender. Will solve that later.

My next question is, how to identify the axle? Can anyone tell me what this axle is off of? I would like to install new leaf springs.

Mon Feb 19, 2018 8:44 pm

Caddy axle... answered my own question.

Tue Feb 20, 2018 7:00 am

I am wrong. This does not seem to be a Caddy Setup.

Will start a new thread to help identify this axle / leaf spring.

Tue Feb 27, 2018 11:12 pm

Seems to me, you are going about this the wrong way. If you aren’t set on using the VW wheels, pull the drum off, measure the axle and see if it is straight or tapered and then take those measurements and order up some new hubs and put trailer wheels on it. You aren’t using brakes anyway, so standard (brakeless) hubs are fine.

Tue Mar 06, 2018 4:50 pm

I'd just like to know how the drum was fitted. I'd like to convert my allstate trailer to 5x205.

Thu Mar 08, 2018 7:04 pm

ottvw wrote: I'd just like to know how the drum was fitted. I'd like to convert my allstate trailer to 5x205.

X2 I need to do the conversion this direction- not how to adapt trailer wheels to a vw 205 pattern drum that's already adapted to a generic axle...