How to tell if trailer wheels need replacing

Wheels get less attention than tires and more than they deserve. A bent or cracked rim will take a new tire out with it. Elongated lug holes mean the wheel has been loose. Heavy scale on a steel wheel can hide thinning metal at the drop center.

Inspect the inner barrel, the weld at the center, and the bolt circle. If lug nuts keep backing off, stop and check studs and the wheel before you add more torque. Galvanized boat-trailer wheels earn their keep in salt water; painted steel does not.

When you replace a wheel, match diameter, width, bolt pattern, offset, and load rating. A handsome aluminum wheel that is unrated for the axle is the wrong part. If you want a mounted assembly, we can match a tire and wheel so the balance and load range are already done.

Bring the old wheel or a rubbing of the bolt pattern if the trailer is not with you. Guessing 5-on-4.5 versus 5-on-5 is how people make two trips.