# Trailer Tires



## birdsnest (Oct 2, 2007)

My trailer has been sitting in the lot next door for several years. Both tires were very low on air. I want to tow my 17' Cape Horn to Tennessee for a few weeks but I'm worried about the tires. I put 48 psi in them yesterday and checked this morning. Both had lost 3 PSI over night. The tread is great on both tires but the sidewalls have cracks. I don't want to buy new tires because I rarely use the trailer. I know temperature changes can affect pressure, and I'm hoping that is the reason for the drop in pressure. Is there any way of knowing if the tires are healthy enough to take off on a 800 mile trip?


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## DeepScreams (Oct 6, 2007)

At least one new tire for a spare is cheap insurance for a trip like this. And you may want to put that one on the ground and use an old one as a spare. I have some "not so fun" memories of dragging a boat to the keys with OK looking old tires.


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## a (Oct 2, 2007)

im pretty sure you'll have problems ! When a big truck blows by youthe sidewalls will be stretched, and probablyblow out. When i travel, i always make sure to properly fill the tires with air to prevent blowouts. When i pull over for gas i check the heat bulding up on the sidewalls and bearings.


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## sosmarine (Sep 28, 2007)

I agree with the at least one spare idea. Your sidewalls are dry rotted and will give you a problem.

For future referance I had a tire guy at Big 10 tell me that tires setting on dirt is really bad. He said to get a piece of treated 2 x 10 and park the tires on. This is suppose to keep the dirt from sucking the life out of the rubber.


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## Capt Joe (Oct 3, 2007)

I wouldn't even think of heading out on a several hundred mile trip with tires in the condition you described. I've been towing boats and RV's for quite a few years and have seen a lot of misfortune happen to folks trying to stretch a trip on old dry rotted tires. If I were going to buy one new tire, I'd go on and pick up a pair.

As an option, why don't you see if you can't find a buddy with newer tires of the same size, bolt patterns, etc and work out a deal to 'borrow' or 'rent' his tires for the trip. You hardly ever see a trailer tire...on a boat trailer, utility trailer or a RV... that is worn out from use. They most often go bad just like yours have. But, a couple of free fishing trips, a case of two fo beer, etc might justmaker ita win/win situation for you and your buddy.

Good luck on your trip....and Be Safe!!!!!

Capt Joe


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## GONU (Oct 3, 2007)

I've had some blow outs towing my snowmobiles, now i take no chances with the boat. You can take the wheels to discount tire and have just the rubber replaced. It's about have the cost of a new wheel. If you have time try www.championtrailer.com they are reasonable. I also recommend picking up a spare, it sucks leaving your toys on the side of the road while you go get a tire repaired. Last but certainly not least i would throughly inspect and grease the bearings, bearing races, and castle nuts. That's a long haul on trailer tires I would definitely take some precautions.



Kevin



ps Hope you have a good trip.


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## X-Shark (Oct 3, 2007)

I guess it depends on how long you want to take to get to Tennessee?



Do you want to spend a 1/2 day looking for a new tire when your out on the road?



The other question is have you ever seen a tire blow at high speed and see what it does to your trailer fenders? It ain't pretty!



Capt Joe made a good suggestion.


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## birdsnest (Oct 2, 2007)

OK, OK, OK. Y'all convinced me to borrow some tires from a friend's trailer. Swapped them over in the pouring rain. Even got a spare. Thanks for all of the input.


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## Capt Joe (Oct 3, 2007)

Good move!!!!! 

Now, since your trailer has been sitting for a while, you need tocheck the hubs and bearings. Not a real big job but will certainly add to your safety and peace of mind for your trip.

BTW, you taking your CH to TN to fish?

Capt Joe


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## birdsnest (Oct 2, 2007)

Checked all of the bearings.. alls well. Fishing and sight seeing at Pickwick lake. I'll be working up there for 3 weeks. I usually justbring the kayak but it's a pretty big lake. There's lots of big stripers at the dam and it's hard to fight the current in a yak.


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## Deeplines (Sep 28, 2007)

DON'T forget to take your grease gun and fill the hubs at EVERY gas stop.


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## birdsnest (Oct 2, 2007)

What a dumba$$ I was. I swapped out the wheels and tires in the pouring rain. I also had my friends grandson helping. He is 4 yrs old and kept running around with the 4 way lug wrench. Anyway, somewhere between McDavid and Flomaton I started feeling a strange vibration while towing. I pulled over to inspect and to my horror I had failed to tighten the lug nuts on one side. One of the studs had sheared completely off. I was able to unscrew one of the lug nuts but the other three were so damaged that they wouldn't back off the studs. This was not a problem because the holes in the wheels were so wallered out that I was able to pull the wheel over the lug nuts. The tire was still good and I had a spare rim, but that tire was smaller. 

I was able to remove the damaged studs so I left the boat and trailer on the jack on the side of the highway and drove to the first autoparts store. I bought new studs and lugnuts, then found a tire store who mounted the tire on the spare rim. When I got back the boat was still there and was able to put it all back together without any further problems. 

It cost me about $60, 3 1/2 hours, and lots of pride. I consider myself extremely lucky, if that wheel had come completely off at 70 mph, I hate to think what would have resulted.:banghead


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## BJW (Oct 1, 2007)

No, that was an oversight. The true dumba$$ would have kept driving untill the wheel fell off.


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## freespool50 (Sep 29, 2007)

man, im glad to hear that turned out ok. EVERYONE makes mistakes. 

one thing not mentioned about tire blowouts is valvestems. i bought a boat this past spring. the boat had been dry stored and the trailor stored on the property. about 3 years earlier the trailer was rebuilt including new tires and just let sit. i trailored it from harbor view and got across the 3mile bridge when i felt that shaky feeling. the right rear tire blew out. upon further inspection i noticed it did not have a valve stem left in it. since the tires were not dry-rotted and could not find any other reason for the blow out, i can only ASSUME that the valve stems were not replaced when the new tires were installed. 

moral to the story is REPLACE YOUR VALVE STEMS even though your tires are not used up. they can dry rot too. most of us trailor our boats very short distances and thus the tires dont get heated up that much. but at hwy speeds for long distances the heat builds and dramatically decreases the life of the valve stems if they are too old, they pop out and then of course it is percieved that the "tire blows". i submit that valve stems are to blame insome of the tire blowouts with no othervisible cause


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## pappastratos (Oct 9, 2007)

MY son was pulling our just purchased 22' Wellcraft CC from Mobile to Birmingham. It was a minor fixer-upper. They were crossing the long Mobile bridge & a tire blew out ! COme to find out that the rear leaf spring was broke & tire was rubbing the fender ! Put spare on. They stopped in Bay Minette & had new tires installed. They went to Wal Mart, they would not install them. They went to tire place down the street & they did.Afterhe got it home, we replaced the springs checked bearings. So, check those springs !! Only good for about 5-10 years, rinse them off & spray with WD40 shold extend the life.


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