Trailer Tires

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lowdsrtjon
Posts: 1
Joined: Sun Dec 13, 2009 8:27 am
Location: Palm Desert

Trailer Tires

Post by lowdsrtjon »

:) My trailer tires have super low mileage on them they have been protected by covers since they were new. When should they be replaced? I've had two blowouts before and that has made me paranoid, it was a expensive costly mess that I want to avoid. :oops: :oops: They are now going on four years old but show no signs of cracking or rotting to the eyes. Thanks LDJ
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Mitch
Posts: 1217
Joined: Mon May 09, 2005 5:33 am
Location: Fresno, Ca

Re: Trailer Tires

Post by Mitch »

According to what I've read, tires are "Old" at 4 years and should be replaced. Anything after 6 yrs are considered unsafe. Check with a local tire shop for further info. If they've been protected from the sun, and show no "checking" you might be ok. If you're running a single axle trailer, I wouldn't take the chance. It's cheap insurance for no blow out and possably loosing control and damaging the trailer, or boat, or both !!!
2007 "Numb Nut"

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Trace
Posts: 214
Joined: Mon May 16, 2005 10:19 am

Re: Trailer Tires

Post by Trace »

I store my boat & trailer in the garage and replace the tires every 5 years. They still look good, but I have had problems after that. They always make it 5 years.
fishwithron2

Re: Trailer Tires

Post by fishwithron2 »

According to my mechanic, tires tends to get old and dry after so many years even tho they look good with little wear. If it sits too long it'll develope a flat spot on it. Worse time is summer when it's hot and going down the road long distance. Cheaper and safer to replace it after 3-4 years than have a blowout on the highway where you can lose everything.
My friend has the Good Year Marathon and had 3 blowout on them and one of them was just a year old. This is just using his boat twice amonth traveling r/t 80 miles. I have Tow Master and so far never had any problems so far other than nail or screw in the tire. Tow Master almost 1/3 cheaper/
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Rich461
Posts: 95
Joined: Tue Mar 15, 2011 1:14 pm

Re: Trailer Tires

Post by Rich461 »

I used to work for Goodyear and here is what I learned from the about storing tires for extended periods of time.
Jack up the vehicle and place jack stands under the spring shackle area. Lower the tire pressure to 15 psi.
Coat the tire with silicone spray and wrap it in a black plastic bag. For boat trailers be sure to put a jack stand
under the hitch also where the two sides come together. Get the frame as level as possible.

To store tires for a really long time you want to remove them from the rim. This will prevent water vapor rot inside
the tire. Costco uses nitrogen now so take them there and have the tire removed from the rim, cleaned, and then
inflate them with Nitrogen. Nitrogen won't have water in it. Compressed air has a lot of water vapor in it. But remember
once you have nitrogen in the tire, you cannot put air in it, ever.

Trailer tires blowout because of one reason: overloading and underpressure. I always have 5 psi more than the rated maximum
on my tires. This adds just enough extra carrying capacity without improper tire wear showing up. If a trailer keeps blowing tires
then it is either out of alignment or out of skew. This will heat those tires up to unbelieveable temperatures. It's like peeling out
for 100 miles or more. An out of alignment trailer will show pour towing traits (like a constant pull on the truck) an out of skew
trailer will try to turn left or right all the time. If your trailer keeps heading for the curb or the center line, all the time, it is out of skew.
Out of alignment will show up in the tire wear. If the tires show more wear on the inside tread; then it is toed out too much. Just the
opposite for toed in. If both outside treads are worn, you are either overloaded or underinflated.

Take your boat to a scale and weigh just the tires with the boat on the truck. Now read the maximum load statement on the side of the tire.
Multiply that by two and you will get the maximum weight your boat and trailer should be at. If you are within 200 lbs of that maximum; your
tires are too small for the load. Find stronger tires.

In my years of working on boats and stuff, I have found guys who put everything in the boat before they leave for a trip. Don't do that!
Put as much as you can in the truck. 100 pounds of extra gear in a boat is a lot on those tires. Remember that the trailer moves up and down
all the time, so that extra 100# adds a lot of weight when gravity gets ahold of it.
1997 Ranger 461VS
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B. Worm
Posts: 129
Joined: Wed Feb 06, 2008 9:23 am

Re: Trailer Tires

Post by B. Worm »

8) :roll: :lol: :roll:
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