Back in Nov 2019 I replaced the tires on four of my trailers, boat and otherwise.
All were dryrotted pretty bad and losing air.
I searched all over for American made tires but they apparently don't exist anymore.
For the smallest trailer, which takes ST4.80x8 6 ply tires, I bought Duro tires as the Carlisle tires I had on it didn't last two years before one exploded in the yard.
On the trailer under my 14ft aluminum boat I bought two new Kenda tires, it takes 4.80x12 tires. Today I had to put tubes in them because they were leaking through the sidewalls. That trailer is parked inside a large shed with a wood floor and no windows.
On my 18ft boat, its trailer takes 14" tires, so I searched and searched but couldn't find anything but ST rated tires in 14", so I ended up with Kenda ST205/75-14 tires in 6 ply. Those too are leaking now and I also had to add tire tubes. It gets parked under a large carport with the tires up on several pieces of 2x12 wood so I can get the bow up high in the air. The carport is closed in on two sides and backs up to my garage.
On my car trailer, it takes 14.5" tires, I was able to find LT8,00x14.5 tires for it, those seem fine so far.
I also have a small single axle camper that has Kenda Load Star ST225/75-15 8 ply tires on it, those tires are three years old and also leaking through cracked sidewalls now. Its got less than 10 miles on it since the new tires, which were dated 8 of 2018 when they were installed.
That's the only one that I can find LT tires for, and those tires would have to be from China.
The original tires on these trailers all lasted for many years, what's up with tires these days? I could understand if they were 10 or 20 year old tires but these aren't 2 years old yet. The one that blew up on the bike trailer was dated 11-2018, the remaining tire is dated 7-2018. All of my trailers get tire covers when their parked, all get parked on pavement, most are inside.
The tires I took off my car trailer in 2019 were original from the early 80's, the tires on my 18ft boat's trailer were just as old and still holding air. I only changed them because the rims were rusty. Its original tires were Goodyear Polyglass F78-15 bias ply tires, its what came new on that trailer back then. They were dry, and cracked badly on the sidewalls but they never leaked. The new tires seemed to loose air almost right away, even before showing any cracks. My 18ft boat's trailer also had GY Polyglass tires on it that were likely from 1978. It was cheaper and easier to buy whole wheel assemblies so that's what I did for all but the 14.5LT tires.
All were dryrotted pretty bad and losing air.
I searched all over for American made tires but they apparently don't exist anymore.
For the smallest trailer, which takes ST4.80x8 6 ply tires, I bought Duro tires as the Carlisle tires I had on it didn't last two years before one exploded in the yard.
On the trailer under my 14ft aluminum boat I bought two new Kenda tires, it takes 4.80x12 tires. Today I had to put tubes in them because they were leaking through the sidewalls. That trailer is parked inside a large shed with a wood floor and no windows.
On my 18ft boat, its trailer takes 14" tires, so I searched and searched but couldn't find anything but ST rated tires in 14", so I ended up with Kenda ST205/75-14 tires in 6 ply. Those too are leaking now and I also had to add tire tubes. It gets parked under a large carport with the tires up on several pieces of 2x12 wood so I can get the bow up high in the air. The carport is closed in on two sides and backs up to my garage.
On my car trailer, it takes 14.5" tires, I was able to find LT8,00x14.5 tires for it, those seem fine so far.
I also have a small single axle camper that has Kenda Load Star ST225/75-15 8 ply tires on it, those tires are three years old and also leaking through cracked sidewalls now. Its got less than 10 miles on it since the new tires, which were dated 8 of 2018 when they were installed.
That's the only one that I can find LT tires for, and those tires would have to be from China.
The original tires on these trailers all lasted for many years, what's up with tires these days? I could understand if they were 10 or 20 year old tires but these aren't 2 years old yet. The one that blew up on the bike trailer was dated 11-2018, the remaining tire is dated 7-2018. All of my trailers get tire covers when their parked, all get parked on pavement, most are inside.
The tires I took off my car trailer in 2019 were original from the early 80's, the tires on my 18ft boat's trailer were just as old and still holding air. I only changed them because the rims were rusty. Its original tires were Goodyear Polyglass F78-15 bias ply tires, its what came new on that trailer back then. They were dry, and cracked badly on the sidewalls but they never leaked. The new tires seemed to loose air almost right away, even before showing any cracks. My 18ft boat's trailer also had GY Polyglass tires on it that were likely from 1978. It was cheaper and easier to buy whole wheel assemblies so that's what I did for all but the 14.5LT tires.
