On Tue, 26 Aug 2008 23:28:42 -0700, Gunner Asch
wrote:

I picked up a "Wells Cargo" type trailer a little while back, didnt
have a spare tire

Contacted the manufacture..they say its a 14" 5x 4 1/2

Anyone know what that lug pattern fits..IE Ford/Chevy etc etc?

I need to get a spare tire and wheel at the wrecking yard, but dont
know what will fit.

Go look on the rims you have for the stamped-in markings, the rim
profile tells you what it interchanges with. It'll be something like
14X5JJ and there will be a load rating right there too.

Get that info, and the tire size info off the tongue data plate (the
rim profile might be there too!) and the wrecking yard monkeys can
find you another rim with a matching profile and offset, and a
matching or higher load rating.

On a trailer you usually want a rear-drive car profile, because the
offset is negative - centered. Front-drive cars tend to have positive
offset with the hubs pushed toward the outside of the tire - put
positive offset rims on a trailer and the tire sits too far in, and
starts rubbing on the fenders, frame, spring hangers...

For tires, if the one that's on the rim is "Past it's Sell By Date"
and showing age checking or full on rot, go get a Special Trailer tire
for it - Grand American Tire has been running full-page ads in the
Daily News, and the prices look real good. You need a ST bias-ply
tire to handle right.

Then again, if you look around online you can usually find the ST
tire and a white spoke rim for $10 more than just the tire by itself.
And new bare rims for $20 - $40, almost not worth messing with used.

(By the way, News Flash - Northern Tool's website sucks rocks for
finding a certain tire or rim, sort by price doesn't help much.)

Mount the spare on the outside - tongue, side, or underneath.
Murphy's Law says you'll only get a flat when the spare is buried
inside under a ton of loose crap, and it'll take you an extra hour to
dig for it - and then you have to put everything back.

-- Bruce --