Bearings and tire durability on a long tow, your opinion and experience wanted

[hotrod53]

I'm planning a trip this summer with my 16' Sylvan. My trailer has 5.30 X 12 tires that are in pretty good shape, I also replaced all bearings and outer races last year and I keep my bearing buddy's full. I always disassemble everything, clean, and repackaged before a long trip. Last year I did a 4 hour trip with no problem, next year I'm considering a 9 hour trip. What has been your experience on long hauls like that? Is this something that I should be concerned about bearings and tires or are they more durable than I give them credit for? I always carry a spare tire and a few spare good used bearings just in case.

The rental place that we are considering has a 12' boat for our use, but I would sure like to have my boat and 50 hp. I'm not a long time long hauler, my trips are usually less than an hour. I'm just not comfortable with how a 9 hour trip may turn out with those little tires doing about 200 mph behind me...lol

Your opinion/experiences?

 

[JASinIL2006]

If you're doing as much upkeep on your trailer as you say, you should have no problems. I do two 1600-2000 mile trips a year, and it's no big deal. I also bring spare bearings and a couple of spare tires. Never had a problem.

 

[fhhuber]

Properly maintained wheel bearings will not be an issue.

Quality of the tire and proper inflation will matter,but highway rated DOT approved tires (rated for the correct load range) will be fine.

under rated or underinflated tires would be expected to blow out in under 30 miles.

 

[Scott Danforth]

bring two spares on long trips. I have had the luck/miss fortune of being able to clear the road of torched off pieces of ribar by embedding them in my tires on I-75 in all the construction thru Georgia on a few occasions.

 

[SilverSS07]

Check the tires over good for any dry rot or cracking. How old are they? I've pulled my little trailer with 4.80x12 tires many times from FL to TN. Usually stay around the speed limit. Never had an issue. When I stop for gas I'll put my hand on the hub to make sure it's not too hot. My buddy borrowed my trailer and went from FL to NC doing about 85-90 the whole way without an issue. You'll be fine.

 

[Mohawkmtrs]

...plus...don't forget the spare wheel bearing grease.

 

[WIMUSKY]

Max out the psi rating on the tire. If it sez max/inflate to 50lbs, inflate to 50 etc......

 

[Frank Acampora]

For bearings I like to use the example of automobile wheel bearings.They come from the factory greased and are never touched again (except in states that require hub removal for inspection). They last the life of the car. Trailer bearings are the same except they periodically get dunked. However, if no water gets into the hub they will last a few trips around the world.

Now, tires have an expiration date so pay attention to it. Back in the day, we ran them until they failed and carried a few spares. I do remember one trip up to New York where I went through four 480 X 8 tires in 130 miles. Luckily, a K mart (up near Secaucus if I remember correctly) was still selling wheels and tires then. Got off the turnpike and bought two new ones. Finished the trip without any more drama.

 

[keith2k455]

As stated, no worries other than tire age. I did an 8 hr drive with my double jetski trailer when we had it. 12" tires, my buddy pulling a boat was going nuts cause I told him to pick 65 or 80 cause I like the converter locked. We did 80 through the ozarks. No issues.

 

[thumpar]

I wouldn't worry about the bearings. Make sure you have a spare tire and the ones on it are in good shape.

 

[smokeonthewater]

btw your little tires aren't "going 200 mph" they are going the same speed as the tires on your tow vehicle.... the bearings are spinning faster but are an absolute non issue.

even with 8" wheels at 100 mph the bearings would be turning at less than 20% of the rpm's they are designed to withstand.....

the bearings in the water pump and alternator on your engine are much smaller and turning at much more rpm....

 

[Blind Date]

+1 on the bearings being a non-issue. My 1995 Triton snowmobile trailer w/8" wheels is still running the original bearings. I'll be that trailer has well over 40K miles on it. Keep them greased and adjusted properly, and they last a LONG time.

 

[Outsider]

I wouldn't pull a trailer 9 hours unless the boat available at destination was absolutely unsuitable ...

 

[JimS123]

Been trailering for 47 years. Not one single bearing issue.

Most of my trailers had either 8 or 12" bias ply tires and never had an issue. With outdoor storage I usually got about 5 years before sidewall cracks were evident. Garage stored tires lasted much longer. Back in those days I used Goodyear made in USA tires. In the last 20 years or so all have been chinacrap. Other than 2 tires that buldged after the first traip, I can't really say I've had a tire problem with the china bias.

One of my trailers came from the factory with USA Goodyear 13" P car tires, also bias. Those suckers lasted almost forever. I would have replaced them with good USA bias 13's, but I couldn't find any in the right size so I went with ST's. So far, so good.

The last experience has been with Carlisle radial 15's ST tires that came from the factory on a new rig (my son's). Three years and both tires literally disintegrated at the same time on the highway. That was 3 years ago. The replacement radials were Goodyears (chinacrap), and they don't look too good now either.

Our summer trips are about 6 hours. If I were to use radials I would replace them in 3 years, no matter what they looked like. And i would only use radials if I couldn't get the size and weight rating in a bias. JMHO.

BTW, garage kept outta the sun, full tire pressure, bearings greased and serviced, etc, etc.

 

[mirrocraft16]

I've got a utility trailer with 5.30x12 tires on it, it was made from an old boat trailer 38 years ago. I've worn out three sets of tires on it and have never had a bearing or tire issue. The last tires I bought were from Central Tractor back in the mid 90's, those are still on it and doing fine. I just pulled it over 500 miles to pick up a metal refinishing machine for my shop.
They are American made 8 ply Carlisle tires that I keep fully inflated to 80 psi. The bearings were replaced when I converted the trailer.
I have been through two sets of springs and U bolts and three couplers but the tires and bearings have been a non issue.

The key is keeping the bearings free of water and well greased, they are no different than the front wheel bearings on most older American rear wheel drive cars and trucks. Trailer tires have gotten worse over the years, I looked around a few months ago for new tires for a trailer and couldn't find anything made in the USA.
With an aluminum boat, you can get away with passenger car tires, I run P165/80R13 tires on two of my boat trailers under light aluminum boats, both trailers have EZ Lube spindles and grease fittings. I carry a grease gun and purge the water out after every launch. I checked the bearings on the older trailer after 2 years this summer and the bearings looked like new.
I must say that since I have a roller trailer, I rarely submerge my bearings, 90% of the time I can launch and load without getting the hubs wet on most ramps.
I also found that on most trailers that came with 5.30x12 tires, you can move up to a small 13" tire and gain only minimal height. I did that under my smaller boat and gained only about 3/4" of overall trailer height. It allowed me to run a 13" car tire that won't have the issues of the newer ST tires due to age.

What I see with most newer ST tires is that they lose air due to cracking, the casing of the tire is compromised by the sidewall cracks, where as on the older tires the cracks you saw didn't cause a leak. The newer tires leak almost as soon as the cracks begin to show.
The tires I took off my utility trailer 38 years ago are on a trailer I use for leaf cleanup around the yard, they still hold air, they look like a dry creek bed but still hold air, yet a set of 8" tires that came on a small trailer I bought two years ago leak out of even the slightest of dry rot cracks showing.

 

[southkogs]

I towed the Bayliner down to Tennessee from Michigan over the summer - right about 700 miles. The trailer hadn't gone farther than 30 miles in over 10 years, and really had only gone farther than 5 miles twice.

I went over the tires and bearings (replaced one bearing) and cleaned a few things up. After my first 50 miles, I stopped and checked the tires and how hot the hubs were. Did the same thing when I crossed the Indiana state line. At that point, I was more comfortable that I'd done stuff right and relaxed and drove on.

I had grease, tools, a spare tire and a spare bearing with me.

You sound like you're gonna' do fine.

 

[hotrod53]

I have 13" tow master range C tires if I recall, they have been on the trailer for 4 years so far. Taking a grease gun would definately be a must, I have bearing buddies and I pump them every few trips. In fact I pump them so much I typically have to scrub the tires to remove all of the grease splatter and I replace seals pretty often. The tires look like new as of now, no signs of cracking. Not a lot of miles on them since I usually fish locally other than last year's trip to the Adirondacks. A 13 footer with a 50 hp isn't real heavy so the tread is still probably 85%. Long hauls aren't something that I typically do, I can't think of a worse bummer on a vacation that snapping an axle or burning a bearing.

 

[bruceb58]

Taking a grease gun would definately be a must, I have bearing buddies and I pump them every few trips. In fact I pump them so much I typically have to scrub the tires to remove all of the grease splatter and I replace seals pretty often.

Once your hubs are full, there is usually never a need to add anymore grease unless there is an air pocket in there which worked its way out. I never have to add grease to my hubs with bearing buddys,

 

[fhhuber]

Discount Tire can still get Carlisle... you have to have them ordered and they avoid that, so they usually won't tell you about it. you have to ask for it.

 

[WIMUSKY]

I have 13" tow master range C tires if I recall, they have been on the trailer for 4 years so far. Taking a grease gun would definately be a must, I have bearing buddies and I pump them every few trips. In fact I pump them so much I typically have to scrub the tires to remove all of the grease splatter and I replace seals pretty often.

If you have grease splatter, you're pumping waaaay too much grease in the buddies and blowing out your seals. Pump enough just to get the outer plate to move, then quit. Don't put so much grease in that the plate is tight against the buddy and won't move... Leave the grease gun at home unless you're bringing spare bearings....