Are my tires sized right?

[brooksk]

My mother-in-law has a boat/trailer that she's trying to sell. Several people have reviewed it and mentioned the nice quality/condition but haven't yet had any tangible offers. My thoughts are that the trailer it's resting is a real eye-sore and needs help. I've added safety chains at the hitch and winch areas (yup, they were missing!) and pulled the right side wheels to repack the wheel bearings. The tires are extremely weather checked/cracked and sized 5.8/5.0 - 8.0 (can't read the name brand). The boat is an 18ft, 80" beam, aluminum, deep V-hull with 80hp Mercury 2-stroke and 4.5hp Mercury kicker. The trailer is a tandom but I cannot find any brand name. Are these tire sizes adequate for hauling this boat? I want to buy new tires but don't want to get anything undersized.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Are my tires sized right?

Although not my idea of an ideal setup for a boat that size, the tires (in good shape) should be ok if they are load range "C". The reason people are walking away is probably due to the condition of the tires and general condition of the trailer. When selling anything, appearance is a very significant factor. It tells (or at least implies) the owner/seller did or didn't care for the product. While it involves a little work, you could launch the boat and park it at a marina for a few days while you have the trailer sandblasted or sand it as best you can yourself. Buy a few cans of Rustoleum primer and a paint color that contrasts the boat and paint it. Retrieve the boat and try again.

 

[Pony]

Re: Are my tires sized right?

posted by upinsmoke:<br />"Buy a few cans of Rustoleum primer and a paint color that contrasts the boat and paint it. Retrieve the boat and try again. "

I'm thinking that Upinsmoke meant "compliments" the boat, and not contrasts it. I also agree that those tires are ok if correctly rated....will 12 inch rims fit it??? id go with 4.8 x 12 or 5.13 x 12.....but then again you may not want to pay for new rims and tires if you can't make up that money in the sale. CLass C of coarse.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Are my tires sized right?

Nope Pony. I did mean contrasts. A contrasting color sets the trailer apart from the boat and since its currently a "turn-off" why not make it a "turn-on". Complimentary colors would imply choosing a color that's the same as the boat or a color "you" think is complimentary. That may or may not be a complimentary color or a selling feature in someone elses eyes. White is a good choice for a back yard paint job as runs and dust in the paint are much more visible in most colors. They are least noticeable in white.

 

[Pony]

Re: Are my tires sized right?

upinsmoke we are clearly on different pages today lol......when you say contrasting i think of a gray boat with a bright red trailer or a blueish boat with a red trailer or something....by complimentary i meant something that isnt a distraction to the boat, in which case white and grays etc would be a good choice no matter what the color since white seems to compliment most things......making it a contrasting color in the way i was interpreting it would draw too much attention to the trailer in a negative way

 

[brooksk]

Re: Are my tires sized right?

Try this one out:<br />The trailer is a rusty brown color (due to mostly surface rust!) and the boat's hull is/was white. Do you still think a white colored trailer in this case would still fly, er sail?

 

[Pony]

Re: Are my tires sized right?

I personally think white would be acceptable...that or a light gray color. I have only owned two trailers....one white and one gray. In the end anything is better that rusty. <br /><br />BTW brooksk when you do decide to paint search this forum for techniques....lots of info out there for ya

 

[brooksk]

Re: Are my tires sized right?

Thanks for the advice, Pony85. I'll most likely start a paint job on the trailer myself and will certainly review all the articles on painting I can find.<br />Right now I am repacking and replacing the boat's wheel bearings. I'm too afraid to move it to show in the condition it was in. Next is new tires. Who knows, I may even like it enough to want to keep it for myself. Usually the way it works, though, isn't it?