Jump to content

Trailer Tires


Fishician

Recommended Posts

I trailer my 16 ft Redfisher with a Continental Trailer with 13 inch Loadstar tires that are nearing their 3rd birthday. They have about 3000 miles on them and very little tred wear.When do you guys think they should be replaced. The boat is kept indoors. I am always concerned about dry rot which is impossible to see.

As always, thanks for your hrlp

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've heard that under those conditions, just make sure to check for "wobble" as you trailer the boat and any sort of spider cracks on the sidewalls (which would indicate dry rot).  Trailer tire's have a DOT (Department of Transportation) time stamp that provides the tire's date of manufacture. The last four digits tell you everything you need to know. From what I understand, about 3-5 years is the lifespan of an average trailer tire, even if it appears to still have good tread depth. More years are possible with exceptional care.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I had an issue with a 5yr old tire that had no dry rot visible,but blew on the way to launching.  The tire had only 1500 miles.  I will plan on replacement every 5 yrs regardless.  My boat is stored inside as well.  Not that expensive,but don't want the risk.     BTW make sure the tire pressures are where they should be 50lbs.,way higher than truck and car pressures.  It is probably the major reason for blow outs .

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Get bigger rims if you can, smaller rims means more revs, more wear on both the tire and the axle/bearings. If you can fit 14 or 15s I'd do that if you are getting new tires. I have 14s on my trailer, I will never have one with anything smaller than a 15 again.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The biggest thing I have worried about is inflation.  If they are inflated correctly and have no signs of rot or bulging.  Then they should be ok.  Under inflate a tire and it will be a mess . . over inflate and it will be worse.  If I recall my trailer had the inflation info on it.  It supersedes the tire mfg.

If you do change . . suggest you go from bias (if you have them now) to radial.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 3/30/2018 at 6:32 PM, FLDXT said:

Get bigger rims if you can, smaller rims means more revs, more wear on both the tire and the axle/bearings. If you can fit 14 or 15s I'd do that if you are getting new tires. I have 14s on my trailer, I will never have one with anything smaller than a 15 again.

Good information and suggestion. I moved up from 13" to 14" rims/tires when I had my new 16' Bonefisher trailer made and it made quite a difference on tire longevity. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 4/1/2018 at 8:25 AM, DonV said:

Good information and suggestion. I moved up from 13" to 14" rims/tires when I had my new 16' Bonefisher trailer made and it made quite a difference on tire longevity. 

Why would the wheel size impact revolutions? Tire size would. Stiffer see walls (if the tire size stayed the same) etc. would potentially be at play  however I dont think Rotations is one of them. Correct me if I'm wrong

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, General disarray said:

Why would the wheel size impact revolutions? Tire size would. Stiffer see walls (if the tire size stayed the same) etc. would potentially be at play  however I dont think Rotations is one of them. Correct me if I'm wrong

Smaller rim goes around more times, more wear on your bearings/axle I believe if my physics/geometry lessons are still functional. Smaller rims also limit speed. When you step up in rim size you also have better options for tires, load ranges, types, etc...

I can't tell you how many people I see on the side of the road changing boat trailer tires, 95% of them have 13" rims or smaller. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On a single axle trailer, I would replace any tires that are more than 4 years old regardless of mileage.  They give no warning before blowing out and doing trailer and possibly gelcoat damage.  Check the manufacturer's date code on the sidewall it's a week and year code.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Unless your boat is docked or on a lift, you can't get to the ramp to launch your boat if your trailer running gear isn't 100%. Therefore I replace tires every 2 years. Hubs every 3 years. Axle every 5 years. Regardless of miles. 

I am now on my 5th set of Freestar radials, model M-108 (ST 205/75/R14). 2 sets were on my 17MA trailer and 3 sets on my current 18HPX trailer. Ameratrail used them almost exclusively on their standard trailer rims for years and I believe they still do. I always use the beefy bronze valve stems and have the tires balanced. Never an issue, yet (knock on fiberglass!).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

38 minutes ago, FLDXT said:

Smaller rim goes around more times, more wear on your bearings/axle I believe if my physics/geometry lessons are still functional. Smaller rims also limit speed. When you step up in rim size you also have better options for tires, load ranges, types, etc...

I can't tell you how many people I see on the side of the road changing boat trailer tires, 95% of them have 13" rims or smaller. 

 Believe it is Tire is what has the circumference meeting the road there for the rotational quantity. 30” tire on a 20” or 13” wheel still has the same circumference.

 

same reason you can change your truck wheel size without issue but change the tire size and your speedo is off

 

all your other points are 100% agreed. I’d venture to see the increase you saw is in better/different tires due to the larger wheel size

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, General disarray said:

 Believe it is Tire is what has the circumference meeting the road there for the rotational quantity. 30” tire on a 20” or 13” wheel still has the same circumference.

 

same reason you can change your truck wheel size without issue but change the tire size and your speedo is off

 

all your other points are 100% agreed. I’d venture to see the increase you saw is in better/different tires due to the larger wheel size

Same size tires..

http://www.csgnetwork.com/tirerevforcecalc.html

 

Change the rim size only and look at the rpms. Not 100% on this but I am pretty sure there is an rpm difference at the axle for rims size, but my geometry stinks.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 hours ago, FLDXT said:

Same size tires..

http://www.csgnetwork.com/tirerevforcecalc.html

 

Change the rim size only and look at the rpms. Not 100% on this but I am pretty sure there is an rpm difference at the axle for rims size, but my geometry stinks.

Maybe I'm looking at it wrong but it looks like that calculator might be misreading.  When you change only the rim size and leave the tire size the same , tire body, it really is changing the tire size, I think.  If they mean "tire body" is the distance from lip of rim to outside of the tire that would mean a 13" rim with a tire body of 6" would have a smaller circumference than a 14" with a tire body of 6".  It is all about outside circumference of the tire not rim.  I could be wrong as it happens more and more as I age. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You are correct, the taller the tire the lager the circumference the less it spins to cover ground. The big issue for me was a 13" "C" rated tire is rated for 1360#. A 14" "C" rated tire is rated for 1760# bias ply and 1870# for a radial. To me it was a no brainer to go with a tire that was not close to being maxed out at it's capacity at 65 - 70 mph. For all that have had to change a tire on Alligator Ally in the middle of summer extra tire reliability is a good thing.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, DonV said:

To me it was a no brainer to go with a tire that was not close to being maxed out at it's capacity at 65 - 70 mph. For all that have had to change a tire on Alligator Ally in the middle of summer extra tire reliability is a good thing.

Been there done that....not pretty :(

Now, I change my MAXXIS EVERY TWO YEARS and have them balanced when installed and every 6-8 months or if I feel I hit a hard pot hole.

Tires are as much a part of your fishing boat as is the trailer, the hull, and motor....without one, you ain't gett'n on da water to katch da feeeeeesh !!!

 

dc

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The same reason big trucks have big tires, 22.5 and 24.5 ".

The big thing is proper inflation. You air them up and keep them at the marked pressure on the tire. Same goes for your car or pickup.

Tires were engineered (at least the quality brand ones) to run at those inflations and speeds. A 13 or even a 15 inch tire is generating tremendous heat at high speeds.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...