Trailer tire care

[acdc96]

I have to boat trailers. One is a single axle and the other is a double axle.
I put new tires on both of them last year. Since tires are so expensive to replace on my dual axle I want to prevent dry rot from occurring as much as possible ( eventually the treads will wear down or it's gonna dry rot ). The single axle trailer is small with a Jon boat on it... Should I take the tires off and store them in my basement during the winter? And is their any thing else for the single axle?
Now back to the dual axle... I can't take the tires off cause that's 3 tons on jack stands in my driveway on a slight incline I'm not willing to due. Or put it on blocks. I know sun light can cause tire fatigue. So what should I do to the tires?
Both trailers are used 3 or 4 times a year to put the boat in the water and pull it out and the occasional maintenance. I boat in saltwater and always clean the boat and trailer after each use.
So, what should I do to my tires?

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Trailer tire care

keep em inflated to rated pressure on the sidewall and keep em covered... even a peice of plywood leaning against the tire will block uv tho actual covers or pieces of canvas tarp strapped on look better

 

[Chris1956]

Re: Trailer tire care

Gee, the tires on my speedboat trailer are from 1989. No rot to be seen. The tires on my 21 footer trailer are older than that. They are bias belted with the "G78-15" size rating. Anyone care to guess how old those are. Some dry rot, but not a lot.

Trailer fenders keep the sun off 'em.

 

[agallant80]

Re: Trailer tire care

What I see most often at the storage lot is plywood against the tires or canvass covers. I'm with you. I have 4 trailer tires at $100 each plus install.

 

[JimS123]

Re: Trailer tire care

Gee, the tires on my speedboat trailer are from 1989. No rot to be seen. The tires on my 21 footer trailer are older than that. They are bias belted with the "G78-15" size rating. Anyone care to guess how old those are. Some dry rot, but not a lot.

Trailer fenders keep the sun off 'em.

Those old bias tires DID last a long time as long as they were out of the sun. Not so any more. The chinacrap tires need to be replaced every 3 years if radial, maybe a bit longer if bias.

So, plan on a lot of tire expense no matter how good you take care of them!

 

[rentprop1]

Re: Trailer tire care

Gee, the tires on my speedboat trailer are from 1989. No rot to be seen.

I had a boat with tires on it from 1979 till 97 and one finally started a slow leak, don't make them like they used too

 

[Volphin]

Re: Trailer tire care

I've always rolled the tires up on a board to keep them off the pavement and covered them with vinyl wheel covers.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Trailer tire care

Any RV store has tire covers. Use them and don't worry about the tires.

 

[doyall]

Re: Trailer tire care

... ( eventually the treads will wear down or it's gonna dry rot ). ...

Or have a blow-out while underway.

... Should I take the tires off and store them in my basement during the winter? ... Or put it on blocks. ...

If you do not take the tires off or put the trailer on blocks, keep the air pressure in the tires at 60 p.s.i. when not in use. That will help in reducing (not eliminating) flat spotting of the tires. Yes, the flat spot will work itself out in 15 to 20 miles of use but the tread-carcass adhesion will suffer and make a blow-out more likely with every cycle.

If you do take the tires off or put the trailer on blocks, lower the air pressure to 30 p.s.i..

 

[JimS123]

Re: Trailer tire care

That will help in reducing (not eliminating) flat spotting of the tires. Yes, the flat spot will work itself out in 15 to 20 miles of use but the tread-carcass adhesion will suffer and make a blow-out more likely with every cycle.

If you do take the tires off or put the trailer on blocks, lower the air pressure to 30 p.s.i..

In the olden days, when tire rubber was in its infancy, flat spots always resulted from Winter storage on the ground. We always had to put her up on blocks in the Winter. Elevated storage hasn't been necessary for 30 years now, even when using the cheep chinacrap tires. JUsrt keep em out of the sun.

 

[frantically relaxing]

Re: Trailer tire care

Worst tires I've ever seen in my life for rotting sidewalls are good ol' American made Michelins. I swear they have a secret biodegradable ingredient in the sidewall rubber. The spare Michelin that sat in its own spot in the basement of our old '87 Cruise-Air III motorhome had rotted sidewalls, even though it never saw any load or sunlight. I really don't think China can do any worse...

 

[matt167]

Re: Trailer tire care

Those Michellins are a known issue as is the Goodyear Marathon's.. Plenty of complaints on both

The tires that came on my 1951 Chevy were dry rotted but the tubes in them held air no problem, no name bias ply wide white walls. Couldn't have been made any later than 1973 as that is when the NY inspection expired.. They rode like pillows and had no flat spots, and during the initial testing just after the car was running and the brake systems were serviced. A couple 55 MPH passes were made on those tires, and they only deflated for the tire shop when I had some cheapo tires put on just so it would be safe and pass inspection. The car probably had gone about 20 miles on those old tires tho.. Back when I had my '67 Falcon, a K mart bias ply spare with no date code looked practically brand new.

 

[Silly Seville]

Re: Trailer tire care

When it comes to the service life of ANY tire...I think folks are quick to forget a very important function of tires. They like to be exercised...just like engines, and your own body! Yes, it's a fact that the chemical composition of modern tires has changed such that they do in fact "break down" more quickly over time as compared to their old school brothers from the previous four decades. But ultimately, tires need to be driven on! There is an understanding among RV'ers who lay up their large trailers for years in campgrounds, that they replace tires every three years not from wear, but from non-use. It's just as true for us boaters who put negligible mileage on our trailers going to the lake only a few times per season.

In addition to what the others have posted about tire care, I will offer up this suggestion.
First, DO NOT use Armor All on tires that sit more than they roll.
Second DO USE leather conditioner on the tire sidewalls. Not only does it make them appear nice, the oils in the leather conditioner have a preservative effect, just the same as they do on leather and vinyl surfaces in your car interior. A bottle of leather conditioner costs no more than Armor All or other "tire shine" products, and actually benefits the tire. You should be using leather conditioner on the interior of your vessel anyway!

 

[Scott Danforth]

Re: Trailer tire care

Older tires had a lot of natural rubber in them. they lasted a long time, and they did not deteriorate like todays tires. The tires from China (most of the trailer tires, and nearly all of the small outdoor power equipment tires) have things other than rubber in them. Most started deteriorating prior to the seatainer getting here from china on the boat.

Pledge also works on tires and puts oils back in.

 

[doyall]

Re: Trailer tire care

... Elevated storage hasn't been necessary for 30 years now ...

Then why do some major tire manufacturers still recommend it?

Michelin: "If tires are on vehicle, store on blocks to remove load from the tires." Tire Storage | Michelin Tires

Goodyear: "Completely unload the vehicle so that minimum weight will be placed on the tires ... Move the vehicle at least every three months to prevent ozone cracking in the tire bulge area, as well as ?flat-spotting? from the prolonged strain of sidewall and tread deflection" Tire Storage - Goodyear RV

Yokohama: "Long term storage, or storage of seasonal vehicles; i.e. RV's, boat trailers and show cars requires special preparations. Vehicles should be raised on blocks, so weight is removed from the tires." http://www.yokohamatire.com/assets/docs/tsb_112102.pdf

But you are free to believe what you want.

 

[Thalasso]

Re: Trailer tire care

The worst thing for tires is uv rays. When storing tires try to keep out of sun. For storage jack the trailer up (keeps tires from getting flat spots) and deflate tires by 50%. See above^^^^^^^. I use 303 protection on my tires.

 

[JimS123]

Re: Trailer tire care

Then why do some major tire manufacturers still recommend it?

Michelin: "If tires are on vehicle, store on blocks to remove load from the tires." Tire Storage | Michelin Tires

Goodyear: "Completely unload the vehicle so that minimum weight will be placed on the tires ... Move the vehicle at least every three months to prevent ozone cracking in the tire bulge area, as well as “flat-spotting” from the prolonged strain of sidewall and tread deflection" Tire Storage - Goodyear RV

Yokohama: "Long term storage, or storage of seasonal vehicles; i.e. RV's, boat trailers and show cars requires special preparations. Vehicles should be raised on blocks, so weight is removed from the tires." http://www.yokohamatire.com/assets/docs/tsb_112102.pdf

But you are free to believe what you want.

I only believe what I see from personal experience. Years ago I religiously blocked all tires. Before I did that I got flat spots. Twenty years ago I got lazy and stopped the practice. Haven't heard a thunp on ANY of my trailers since then.

 

[doyall]

Re: Trailer tire care

I only believe what I see from personal experience. ...

There is a difference between belief and fact. Unless you have any credentials that qualify your beliefs as fact, I will stick with the experts. But you are still free to believe what you want.

 

[JimS123]

Re: Trailer tire care

There is a difference between belief and fact. Unless you have any credentials that qualify your beliefs as fact, I will stick with the experts. But you are still free to believe what you want.

We're just arguing about sematics anyway. And I don't argue. People ask questions and others provide answers. You have my opinion. Is your opinion based on your experience or merely what you've read?

Yes its a fact that your tire manufacturers made recommendations. And yes its a fact that my old tires thumped and my recent tires of current manufacture don't thump.

Based on all of the chat here about the horror stories of premature tire failure, compared to my experience of getting significantly longer service life, I conclude that my storage procedure must be working.

 

[doyall]

Re: Trailer tire care

...And I don't argue. ...

Then you needed to give this one up after your first post.

... You have my opinion. ...

As always, you are free to believe what you want.