# Trailer tires



## permitchaser (Aug 26, 2013)

Mine look fine, plenty of tread but their 4 years old and my tire guy says replace
What is your schedule for replacement


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## southerncannuck (Jun 27, 2016)

When they either wear out or reach the 7 year date from build date.


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## permitchaser (Aug 26, 2013)

southerncannuck said:


> When they either wear out or reach the 7 year date from build date.


Thanks ill check the DOT info on the tire


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## Guest (Jan 14, 2020)

southerncannuck said:


> When they either wear out or reach the 7 year date from build date.


I'd be a little worried running trailer tires for 7 years. Tires are cheap, skiffs/lives are not! I'd go no more than 3 regardless of mileage.


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## southerncannuck (Jun 27, 2016)

As basic as it seems, proper inflation goes a long way to avoiding problems. Now wheel bearings are another issue


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## firecat1981 (Nov 27, 2007)

Shoot my tires are 10 years old and still do the job just fine.


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## topnative2 (Feb 22, 2009)

dry rot is the change indicator


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## DuckNut (Apr 3, 2009)

Wheels, tires, lug nuts, hubs and bearings every three years.


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## Seawoods (Feb 4, 2019)

A few years ago I started replacing them after 2-3 years. My trailer tires usually failed on an interstate highway or, more commonly, a 2 lane high speed county road with no shoulder. IMO trailer tires are one of the least dependable components of a boat/trailer/vehicle rig so it's peace of mind to have newish tires driving back home from Chokoloskee at night after a long day.


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## jimsmicro (Oct 29, 2013)

I literally have never worn out a trailer tire. I think I've trailered about 50k miles in the last 6 years. They generally just explode on the highway. I always carry two spare tires and a farm jack.


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## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

I've worn out trailer tires -lots of them and popped more than my share, but I'm towing my skiff on the road well more than 20,000 miles a year... 

What greatly shortens trailer tire life expectancy is either under inflation (it will say right on your tire what the capacity is - and what the tire pressure needs to be... mine says 1358lbs at 50 psi... run those tires at 30lbs and they'll get hot - too hot, all too quickly ). The other thing that gets them is uneven wear... Watch your tires like a hawk - particularly when the trailer is unloaded and sitting at a ramp somewhere - any sign of uneven wear means danger - the slightest bit of cord showing means you'd better replace that tire before it pops at highway speeds (and takes out your fender lights or occasionally even the entire fender...). Just another one of those "ask me how I know moments". Most simply run their tires until one pops - and at highway speeds there will be little left to find out what happened.... Yes, a road hazard can jump up and bite you, but under inflation or uneven tire wear is much more likely... Find a bad tire before it pops and you're money and time ahead in my book... 

I actually keep two spares with me going down the road every day - for a single axle trailer (bad feeling, replacing a tire and realizing you still have 100 miles to go - with no spare remaining...). I long ago figured out that having a few extra spares ready to go at home (three of them with new tires mounted and balanced sitting in my garage)... When you're running constantly you're never around when tire stores are open (except for an outfit like Walmart...). With the extras I can wait to replace bad tires when I have two of them - another time savings for me... 

Hope this helps - most of what little I know about trailering - was learned the hard way (and should have come with a box of bandaids....).


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## firecat1981 (Nov 27, 2007)

I think over inflation can be equally as bad. I keep seeing guys here and on THT saying they run the tires at their max psi no matter the load. With loads as light as ours that can cause issues too. 
Example my tires are a max of 90psi, but if I inflate to that they round off and run/wear on the center of the tread only. At 78-80psi they wear more evenly, and feel better going down the road.


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## topnative2 (Feb 22, 2009)

The speed rating on the trailer is for the tire and not your truck.
Under inflation builds up more heat than over inflation
PSI is for fully loaded

LM hit it on the nose.............and I do believe in getting them balance if your driving highs peed for any distance.....you will feel the difference immediately


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## topnative2 (Feb 22, 2009)

And the go to tire these days> ARE?

These, https://www.tredittire.com/tire/rainier-st/, came w/ my float on...like the speed rating


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## Tailwaters (Apr 9, 2019)

I had a problem with trailer tires on my CC boat several years ago. When I asked some tire guys about it they said boat trailers are notorious for this since most aren't balanced correctly. They weren't referring to the tires them selves not being balanced but how the boat is positioned on the trailer. They said my best bet was to get radials like the ones used on cars. Yes they cost more but since I didn't have to replace them every other year it saved me money in the long run. 

Bearings are a different story, I replace those ever year regardless. It's also a good idea to keep a spare tire on a new hub so you are ready incase either fail.


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

I like using Michelin Defender HT


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## Viking1 (May 23, 2010)

I do a lot of towing with two boats and a camper. I replace tires after 3 years and the longest I would go is 4 years. After 4 years you are set for a blow-out on the road which is no fun. I keep a high end 12V charger in my truck to keep tire pressure at the correct level while on the road with multi-day trips. If I do a tow over 300 miles I will put grease in the Bearing Buddies before I launch the boat. I keep my grease gun in a Tupperware container to keep things clean.


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## georgiadrifter (Jan 14, 2009)

topnative2 said:


> And the go to tire these days> ARE?
> 
> These, https://www.tredittire.com/tire/rainier-st/, came w/ my float on...like the speed rating


Rainer ST on my trailer as well. Over 5000 trouble free miles....of course I just jinxed myself.


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## jmrodandgun (Sep 20, 2013)

lemaymiami said:


> I'm towing my skiff on the road well more than 20,000 miles a year..


Do you have a tire preference? It's a 230 mile round trip on Louisiana roads for me. I need to replace a wheel so I was going to replace both and get new tires while I was at it.


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## redchaser (Aug 24, 2015)

If you're replacing wheels, get you some 20's with them wire spokes that extend out in a big old cone.


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## jmrodandgun (Sep 20, 2013)

redchaser said:


> If you're replacing wheels, get you some 20's with them wire spokes that extend out in a big old cone.


I am not above putting a set of 14 inch 100 spoke Daytons on my boat trailer.


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## lemaymiami (Feb 9, 2007)

Just think of all the young fools who know just how quickly they could rip those fancy wheels and leave your trailer sitting on its frame - wherever it's parked...

For JMrod...
I'm running relatively cheap Kenda Loadstar Karriers, load range C, radials, 13" - and getting very good results (I used to run Carlisles -both are relatively cheap Chinese tires - the Loadstar has a much sturdier sidewall..). Why do you need to replace a wheel as well? Some of the galvanized steel wheels on my rig (I have two on the trailer, another two spares -one on the trailer the second one chained down in the bed of my truck for the road, and three extra spares ready to go in my garage..). Some of those old steel wheels are at least 30 years old and still hauling the freight year in and year out. Each one, of course, has a brand new tire that's properly balanced when it was installed... When everything is set up right I expect to get a full year's usage (20,000 miles at least...) with the Loadstars (if a road hazard doesn't jump up and bite me...).

Not wanting any more hassle than necessary - these days I'm ordering the exact tire and quantity needed on E-Bay - and they're at my front door three days later. My local tire outfit does the mounting and balancing... I'd buy my tires from them as well - if they had them (or could get them) but that's just not the case...


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