SMALLER! Tires and Wheels for a HMMWV Trailer

[B8B]

An unusual request: I'm looking to find SMALLER wheels and tires that would properly fit on an HMMWV trailer hub.

I have a LTT-HC trailer chassis (from which the M1102 HMMWV trailer is built) with a flat bed that I'd like to use as a 'Mule hauler' for my Willys/Kaiser M274A3:


LTT-HC Flat Bed Trailer

Since it sits on stock HMMWV 12-bolt wheels and 20+ year old Goodyear Wrangler MT tires, it's way taller than I'd like, and since I'll be doing very limited off-roading with it, I'd like to see what wheel/tire combos would lower the height and weight (and the price!) of the tires. Plain steel wheels with somewhat military-looking tires (like 7x16 NDTs?) would be fine, and the total weight of the trailer/load combo would be less than 2500 lbs.

I just taught myself today (with a helpful Tire Rack guy's help) about light truck wheel and tire sizing and terminology. To stay on the same page, what are the official dimensions (that I'd ask of a wheel dealer) of a 12-bolt HMMWV wheel? The Tire Rack guy said that for a HUMMER H1, they are:
Diameter: 16.5"
Width: 8.3" wide (at the beads - I've see 8.25" elsewhere)
Offset: +50mm (I've seen 55mm elsewhere)
Center Bore: 117mm

The closest vehicle match we could come up to start asking about (at used wheel/tire dealers) that had an 8x6.5 lug pattern and a rather large hub center bore were an '81 Ford F250 and an '82 Chevy K20. Backspace/offset sound like they're important, because I'd like to end up with the tires still fitting within the fenders.

Is my 'quest' feasible and recommendable? If so, any suggestions on smaller and cheaper stock wheels and tires that would fit and work properly on the trailer and lower it by at least a couple of inches? Should I find some that work, I'll put my stock HMMWV set for sale.

[NOTE: Also posted to the G503 site]

Thanks in advance!

 

[Jeepadict]

Any 8 lug wheel from 11-ish on back will fit the lug pattern...Ford/GM/Mopar all had the same lug pattern for years, be it years ago. Any factory wheel is going to have the offset and pattern you'll ever need. If you want aftermarket, you can have tire guys pick any old 8-lug truck in their computer.

My poison of preference is the OE GM cast aluminum wheels that were prevelant in the 99-09-ish 2500/3500 SRW chassis. I went with aftermarket lugnuts from a web vendor so I could run the OE center caps...I kept the factory size pickup/Suburban tires on the wheels so I'd have plenty of spares. My 101A3 had steel cheap factory Mopar wheels and junk mismatched tires that both blew out on my way home.

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[MarkM]

Might I suggest some 265/75/16 tires and as already mentioned a pair of older chevy,Dodge or Ford 8 lug wheels. I have this setup on my M101A2.

Mark

 

[juanprado]

As stated, all older 8 lug non metric wheels should work. also common white wagon wheels at utility and boat trailer dealers will also work. These trailers are lug centric not hub centered so the diameter of the hub makes no difference.

 

[country]

Slightly smaller



TI-380 | Goodyear Wrangler R/T II 16.5" 36x12.5x16.5 With Run Flat Insert Mounted on Rim
Goodyear Wrangler R/T II 16.5" 36x12.5x16.5 With Rim wiht 75% or Better tread for HMMWV 1 1/4 Ton Trucks RT
NSN #:
Part #: 16.5" 36x12.5x16.5
Price: $135.00

 

[juanprado]

I personally would not recommend using the older 8 stud rim with the older bias tires as it is not worth the one inch difference if that 36's vs 37's. Those tires are probably 10-15+ years old date codes as bias HMMWV and 8 stud rims have been out of favor for quite a while.
YMMV

 

[Zed254]

M116A3 with 2000 GMC 1 Ton Van Wheels

I need a spare HMMWV tire for a camper project and decided to change out the wheels on another trailer. Most posts on SS recommend a GM wheel from 1988 - 2009 off of a 4WD truck. No 4WDs available at this moment here but I did find wheels off of a 2000 GMC 1 ton van. Tires are LT245/75R16...

www.steelsoldiers.com

I ended up installing these tires on my M1101, so they will fit your LTT-HC with no problem.

 

[B8B]

Thanks folks! I've found some 7x16 wheels with 8x6.5 lugs online. Would military 7.00x16 NDTs work on them, and will they handle a total weight of 2500 lbs. conservatively?

 

[Jeepadict]

The capacity of the tires is going to be indicated on the sidewall. Tire rating x's 2 = load capacity.

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[juanprado]

Are those tires tube type?
If so, much easier to use a commercial civy tire with no tubes that can be serviced anywhere.

Most places Don't mess with tubes unless hd tire store.

 

[tobyS]

I've bought and used many junk yard rims with very good tires for $25-50. Don't use the NDT bias, use a normal radial (light) truck tire. About Every tire shop has a pair used. They are the same as the many Dexter 8 lug axles on dump trailers and the like.

 

[Mainsail]

Troll through craigslist or the local wrecking yard for sets of three. Nobody wants three wheels so you have a bargaining position.

Buy the three and you have two for the axle and one for a spare.

Here's mine. The top pic, the one on the right is the condition I got them in, and on the left is after attack with a wire wheel. They got a coat of self-etching primer and rattle can tan on top of that.

EDIT to add: I drove on base and around behind the tire store. The racks were overflowing with old used tires! I asked the guy if I could take a set for my trailer, he said sure, but he wouldn't trust any of the tires out there. I found two matching Michelin E load rated tires with at least 50% of the tread left. I found a non-matching tire of the same size that was older, and had about 80% tread left. Those tires are still on the trailer years later, and didn't cost me a penny.