Fender clearance

I'm modifying an old A frame trailer for my December delivery TI. I replaced the 8" tires with 12" ones and purchased a pair of fenders to add to the trailer. How much clearance do I need to leave between the top of the tire and the fender ? My springs have three leaves and it's an all steel trailer. My framework for the TI has to extend over the fenders because it's a narrow trailer and the TI will not fit between them. I don't want to make the fender clearance any greater than necessary because it will raise the TI as well.

thanks guys

Chris

Did you measure the clearance you had before with the smaller tyres?
As you haven't changed the springs I'd be using the same clearance with the newer wheels.
If you think that will be too high then you need to measure how much travel there is with the springs compressed. You might have to add bump stops between the axle and the chassis to limit travel.

Stringy, I'm putting fenders on this trailer for the first time. It was bare before.
thanks
- C

You're apt to find that your trailer is so stiffly sprung that the TI will never load it to the point that much fender clearance is necessary.

However, I think you'd want to figure out a way to bottom out the springs and then measure how much clearance you need for those tires so that in that position the tires do not rub the interior of the fenders. Put them a quarter inch above the worst case scenario and you will be good.

Hmmm...OK, didn't realise a trailer might not have fenders originally.
As I said then you would need to measure how much travel you have in the suspension and adjust accordingly, allowing for any extra load you may be carrying.
On a smooth road there may not be much suspension travel but hit a pothole and it could bottom out.
As Tom said worst case+ bit for safety.

I can compress the springs by gently pushing the frame down with my forklift.
thanks
- C

My trailer probably only has 3 inches or so between the top of the tire and fender without issues even with 2 pa's and a toolbox on it.


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Thanks for the info Josh

For reference here's a pic of it.


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I thought that this thread would be about a sale on electric guitars...

I have one of those too with a different kind of clearance issue

I still haven't mounted the fenders but I changed to 2000 lb springs then loaded the trailer with several hundred pounds of weight lifting disks and measured the before and after clearance. I think the fenders will be fine just mounted to the grid above the tires.

Chris