Whats the SMALLEST rim/tire combo

Let me explain.

Up until now I've had my RTT on a mid height bed rack. Whenever I wanted to use the tent, I'd lower it off my garage ceiling using

Racor - PHL-R, Garage Ceiling Storage Rack Lift

this hoist.


However. I just put an ARE cap on the truck, and now under normal circumstances the truck can't clear the garage door frame (ceiling height is no problem) with the tent atop the cap. It's a matter of about 4" inches. Today, more or less to prove it could be done, and since I didn't have any help from family or friends thanks to quarantine, I installed the tent on my new cap while inside the garage.

BUT to get the truck out of the garage I had to do quite a bit of work. In order for the RTT to clear the garage door frame I need to remove the tent cover and ladder. Next I had to lower the rear tire pressure all the way down to 6 PSI. Finally I had to put about 300 pounds in the bed (150# of gear, 150# of wife).

For reference I have the Dakar medium pack leafs and 265/75R16 tires.


Obviously this is a ton of work, and not something I plan to do every weekend. But I more or less just wanted to see if it could be done, plus it was my only way to get the tent atop the cap being solo today.

In order to save this hassle in the future I'm wondering if a 15" rim and smaller tires could work. Changing rear tires temporarily is going to be less of a headache than everything I need to do in this current setup. Anyone have any ideas on what size could work? I'll scour Craigslist to see if theres anything I can pick up. My plan now since it's so much work is to put the tent on the truck in the spring, and leave it there with the truck living outside through the fall and remove the tent before the winter and return the truck to the garage. However I usually garage the truck year round and would much prefer to continue doing so if I can find a way of expediting the tent removal and installation.

 

You would be better off raising the garage opening.

 

Gotta be the first time someone has asked about the smallest tire.

 

Notice he didn’t say “Without Rubbing”.

 

It's a load bearing wall. To reframe that would cost a fortune. At that point it would be cheaper to buy a hardshell tent.

 

You could hire a house moving crew and a brick mason, raise the house by one run of concrete blocks!

 

Yeah, might scrape a curb instead

 

You could go back to stock size, but thats really not going to make that much of a difference. You need 4 inches?! What about lowering the floor? Believe it or not, this is way too often the case when fire departments buy new trucks/engines... but thats a whole 'nother discussion hah

 

That wouldn't be enough, plus I'm looking to go for a whole rim/tire combo. If I do that might as well go as small as I can. Not wanting to remount and balance tires each time that's for sure.

 

Maybe 15'' wheels on the rear would clear the drums then just mount some crummy spare tires on them to make them super low profile, but youd have to swap em on and off to clear every single time you come through the garage

 

You’re looking for a solution in the wrong place. Find the cheapest stock used Tacoma wheels you can find. Unbolt rear two tires/wheels, put on cheap replacement WHEELS ONLY!!!! And then put the truck down on the dollies I’ve linked below and push it out of the garage by hand while someone steers and brakes. Then jack it back up, put normal tires and wheel back on.


https://www.walmart.com/ip/Set-of-4...plQbA9ZqovF4sc9bsXiS-7I97kvS1kBsaAv1-EALw_wcB

 

Oh that's not a bad idea. I've got a bitch of a lip between the garage floor and driveway though I think that would hang me up pretty good. But you also got me thinking I could just drive on the shit rims too lol

 

Lay down a piece of plywood

 

This would only be twice a year to install and remove the tent I'm thinking at this point.

 

You're a thinking man. Thank you.

 

Wouldn’t it be easier to just take the whole tent off the cap every time and carry it into your garage by hand, then use the hoist to get it off the floor?

 

Yes, but that isn't a job I can do alone. Probably can't even do it with my wife and I. I would think a guy on each corner would be necessary.

 

Dis gonna be good...

 

Yeah that might be a good idea too.

 

There was a thread on here about a year ago of a guy who built a pulley system outside of his garage using something like a basketball hoop ( pole in concrete in the ground) as a hoist/ leverage point. Then he transferred it to a 2x4 rig on dolly wheels and rolled it into his garage. Probably about as cost and time effective as your wheel idea.

Something like an engine hoist on a 2x4 rig might cut out the middle man of the pole/ hoist.