Trailer Tires - Moderated Discussion Areas

  ContinuousWave
  Whaler
  Moderated Discussion Areas
  ContinuousWave: The Whaler GAM or General Area
  Trailer Tires

search | FAQ | profile | register | author help

Author Topic:   Trailer Tires

jcdawg83 posted 10-04-2013 03:15 PM ET (US)
I know trailer tires have been discussed before, but what is the real difference between trailer and car tires for a small boat (a Montauk for instance)? Car tires seem to last 4 times longer than trailer tires and have adequate load rating for a 1500-2000 lb load. What benefit do trailer tires give?
Buckda posted 10-04-2013 04:12 PM ET (US)
The biggest difference is in the sidewalls - how much the tire is allowed to flex. The sidewall on passenger tires flexes more than "trailer" tires..and for heavy loads, that flex can lead to increased sway and other problems.
There are other differences to consider (suspension on the trailer is really harsh on the tires, etc), but if you're towing an 18' Whaler or smaller, I think a good quality passenger tire is ok...but once you get into the heavier loads, it becomes increasingly important to stick with tires that are designed to do trailer duty.
Trailer tires don't seem to be as durable as vehicle tires because the trailer suspension is pretty rudimentary - it's rough on tires! Also, trailer tires tend to run in the lane "gutter" more often running over tramp iron, etc. that lies on the outer edges of travel lanes and the sway loads are increased, which wears the tread faster.
Finally, tires are like brakes - use them or lose them. Brake systems don't "like" storage...and neither do tires.
jcdawg83 posted 10-08-2013 08:39 AM ET (US)
I pulled the boat with the new trailer tires about 300 miles this weekend and the difference was very apparent. With trailer tires, I noticed a much steadier, smoother ride than the previous car tires gave. Trailer tracked better and seemed to roll easier as well. The stiffer sidewall was readily apparent.
jimh posted 10-08-2013 08:45 AM ET (US)
There is a notion that the life span of a rubber tire is to be measured also in elapsed time since manufactured, with the suggestion that after about five or six years a rubber tire is ready for replacement, even if the tread wear has not been significant. This situation often occurs in boat trailer tires, which typically do not accumulate too much road mileage. If a boat trailer tire is six years old it might have very little tread wear, but by the above metric, be ready for replacement. I believe the source of this thinking is from the tire manufacturers. It is a prudent method for judging trailer tire replacement.
Trailer tire tread wear can be accelerated by problems in the axle alignment or by bending of the axle under load that causes the tire to run at an angle or camber to the highway.
These factors may tend to make trailer tires appear to have a shorter life span than automobile tires--especially if you compare them to premium-brand tires like a Michelin tire, which is renown for long tire life.
In towing two different tandem-axle trailers over about 90,000-miles in the past decade or so, I have not had any trailer tire problems due to tire failure. On my present trailer, which I have owned for about seven years, I think I am on the third flight of tires. After I acquired the trailer, I replaced the tires just on the basis of not knowing how old the extant tires were. I ran that set for about five years and did a lot of towing. They were due for replacement from tread wear, but I put many highway miles on those tired. I replaced that flight about three years ago. I don't do as much long-haul trailering as I used to. We were often taking the boat on 3,000-mile trailer trips in the past. Now the longer trips are more like 1,200-miles.
jcdawg83 posted 10-08-2013 03:25 PM ET (US)
My car tire trailer tire suffered tread separation even though the tread was hardly worn at all. I do not know how old the tires were since they were on the trailer when I bought it about a year and a half ago. Luckily for me, I was only traveling at about 25 mph when the tread separated. The damage to the trailer fender was amazing considering the low speed.
I think you are correct in saying that 5 or 6 years is about the lifespan of a tire regardless of wear.
jimh posted 10-08-2013 11:18 PM ET (US)
It is not me that says the life span of a rubber tire is five to six years after its manufactured date; it is the tire manufacturers.
frontier posted 10-09-2013 09:53 AM ET (US)
On tires manufactured since the year 2000, you can tell the year made by the last 2 digits of the tire ID number on the sidewall.
In fact, the last 4 digits are the week of the year and the year made.
Example: 4907 = 1st week of December of 2007.
Jerry Townsend posted 10-09-2013 12:44 PM ET (US)
The five - six years has been the "rule" for many years. But, the design and construction of tires has improved over those many years as well.
The vehicle tires are withstanding all of the traction, scruffing, major flexing loads whereas the trailer tires are simply "following" and the only major loading occuring in the event of braking the trailer. As such, from a loading viewpoint, the vehicle tires should wear somewhat greater/more than the trailer tires.
jcdawg83 - I have only heard-of/seen seperation of the tread on recapped tires. Recapping of trailer tires in the trucking business is standard procedure - and virtually all of the rubber you see along the highways is from a truck trailer tire. Your trailer tire may have been a recap.
While you may have only been driving at 25 mph, a 30 inch diameter tire would have been rotating at about 140 rpm - and a piece of hard rubber at that speed is going! to cause some damage. ---- Jerry/Idaho
Buckda posted 10-09-2013 02:08 PM ET (US)
While recap/retread tires are standard industry practice in the trucking industry, I'll note that it is illegal to use a retread/recap on the steer axle. That says a lot.
I've also read about the 5-6 year life span concept and generally agree, although I also agree that tire construction for the brand-name manufacturers has improved.
I always recommend you buy a recognized brand tire for a lot of reasons.
To expand further on my comment above about sidewall flexing: LT and Trailer rated tires are designed for high CG vehicles - and the sidewall flexes less to help alleviate the tendency for the high CG to sway the vehicle. That is why it's important to get these tires for your boat trailer - and especially so for heavier boats where the CG is even higher and the loads are greater.
The trailer type will also factor in on the marginal loads - like an 18' Outrage. With a tandem trailer, you might likely be fine with passenger rated tires...but with a single axle, I'd be more inclined to use a LT or Trailer tire.
Jefecinco posted 10-09-2013 07:41 PM ET (US)
I continue to believe truck or even passenger car tires work well on trailers most of the time. I've seen no evidence to the contrary.
Butch
boatdryver posted 10-09-2013 07:48 PM ET (US)
Jerry Townsend says:
"piece of hard rubber at that speed is going to cause some damage."
That's for sure.--JimL
EJO posted 10-10-2013 03:02 PM ET (US)
Load rating is it. When pulling a smaller Boston Whaler boat on a single-axle trailer a good passenger and SUV tire will do the trick easily and will probably last longer [than some other type of tire would last]. Store the boat trailer on blocks during off season and most likely you'll get 6-years to 8-years out of [unclear, perhaps means Crossover Utility Vehicle], SUV, and passenger tires.
jcdawg83 posted 10-11-2013 03:17 PM ET (US)
For what it's worth; the tire was not a recap, it was a radial passenger car tire 205/70/14. The tread came apart from the tire body while rolling, about one third of the tread separated from the tire body, the tire did not even go flat. In fact, I drove the trailer back home on the damaged tire. Of course, I drove at less than 10 mph and only had to go about 2 miles, but the tire made it back without blowing.
K Albus posted 10-11-2013 03:39 PM ET (US)
Buckda mentions LT tires in his post, but I believe that he meant ST tires. LT stands for Light Truck, whereas ST stands for Special Trailer.
Swellmonster posted 10-13-2013 12:06 AM ET (US)
I run six-ply Michelin truck tires on my Tahoe and they have no flex or sway. How would they handle a tandem-axle 20-foot Boston Whaler boat trailer?
Then again, my trailer on has 13-inch tires.

Hop to:

Contact Us | RETURN to ContinuousWave Top Page

Powered by: Ultimate Bulletin Board, Freeware Version 2000
Purchase our Licensed Version- which adds many more features!
© Infopop Corporation (formerly Madrona Park, Inc.), 1998 - 2000.

Author	Topic: Trailer Tires
jcdawg83	posted 10-04-2013 03:15 PM ET (US) I know trailer tires have been discussed before, but what is the real difference between trailer and car tires for a small boat (a Montauk for instance)? Car tires seem to last 4 times longer than trailer tires and have adequate load rating for a 1500-2000 lb load. What benefit do trailer tires give?
Buckda	posted 10-04-2013 04:12 PM ET (US) The biggest difference is in the sidewalls - how much the tire is allowed to flex. The sidewall on passenger tires flexes more than "trailer" tires..and for heavy loads, that flex can lead to increased sway and other problems. There are other differences to consider (suspension on the trailer is really harsh on the tires, etc), but if you're towing an 18' Whaler or smaller, I think a good quality passenger tire is ok...but once you get into the heavier loads, it becomes increasingly important to stick with tires that are designed to do trailer duty. Trailer tires don't seem to be as durable as vehicle tires because the trailer suspension is pretty rudimentary - it's rough on tires! Also, trailer tires tend to run in the lane "gutter" more often running over tramp iron, etc. that lies on the outer edges of travel lanes and the sway loads are increased, which wears the tread faster. Finally, tires are like brakes - use them or lose them. Brake systems don't "like" storage...and neither do tires.
jcdawg83	posted 10-08-2013 08:39 AM ET (US) I pulled the boat with the new trailer tires about 300 miles this weekend and the difference was very apparent. With trailer tires, I noticed a much steadier, smoother ride than the previous car tires gave. Trailer tracked better and seemed to roll easier as well. The stiffer sidewall was readily apparent.
jimh	posted 10-08-2013 08:45 AM ET (US) There is a notion that the life span of a rubber tire is to be measured also in elapsed time since manufactured, with the suggestion that after about five or six years a rubber tire is ready for replacement, even if the tread wear has not been significant. This situation often occurs in boat trailer tires, which typically do not accumulate too much road mileage. If a boat trailer tire is six years old it might have very little tread wear, but by the above metric, be ready for replacement. I believe the source of this thinking is from the tire manufacturers. It is a prudent method for judging trailer tire replacement. Trailer tire tread wear can be accelerated by problems in the axle alignment or by bending of the axle under load that causes the tire to run at an angle or camber to the highway. These factors may tend to make trailer tires appear to have a shorter life span than automobile tires--especially if you compare them to premium-brand tires like a Michelin tire, which is renown for long tire life. In towing two different tandem-axle trailers over about 90,000-miles in the past decade or so, I have not had any trailer tire problems due to tire failure. On my present trailer, which I have owned for about seven years, I think I am on the third flight of tires. After I acquired the trailer, I replaced the tires just on the basis of not knowing how old the extant tires were. I ran that set for about five years and did a lot of towing. They were due for replacement from tread wear, but I put many highway miles on those tired. I replaced that flight about three years ago. I don't do as much long-haul trailering as I used to. We were often taking the boat on 3,000-mile trailer trips in the past. Now the longer trips are more like 1,200-miles.
jcdawg83	posted 10-08-2013 03:25 PM ET (US) My car tire trailer tire suffered tread separation even though the tread was hardly worn at all. I do not know how old the tires were since they were on the trailer when I bought it about a year and a half ago. Luckily for me, I was only traveling at about 25 mph when the tread separated. The damage to the trailer fender was amazing considering the low speed. I think you are correct in saying that 5 or 6 years is about the lifespan of a tire regardless of wear.
jimh	posted 10-08-2013 11:18 PM ET (US) It is not me that says the life span of a rubber tire is five to six years after its manufactured date; it is the tire manufacturers.
frontier	posted 10-09-2013 09:53 AM ET (US) On tires manufactured since the year 2000, you can tell the year made by the last 2 digits of the tire ID number on the sidewall. In fact, the last 4 digits are the week of the year and the year made. Example: 4907 = 1st week of December of 2007.
Jerry Townsend	posted 10-09-2013 12:44 PM ET (US) The five - six years has been the "rule" for many years. But, the design and construction of tires has improved over those many years as well. The vehicle tires are withstanding all of the traction, scruffing, major flexing loads whereas the trailer tires are simply "following" and the only major loading occuring in the event of braking the trailer. As such, from a loading viewpoint, the vehicle tires should wear somewhat greater/more than the trailer tires. jcdawg83 - I have only heard-of/seen seperation of the tread on recapped tires. Recapping of trailer tires in the trucking business is standard procedure - and virtually all of the rubber you see along the highways is from a truck trailer tire. Your trailer tire may have been a recap. While you may have only been driving at 25 mph, a 30 inch diameter tire would have been rotating at about 140 rpm - and a piece of hard rubber at that speed is going! to cause some damage. ---- Jerry/Idaho
Buckda	posted 10-09-2013 02:08 PM ET (US) While recap/retread tires are standard industry practice in the trucking industry, I'll note that it is illegal to use a retread/recap on the steer axle. That says a lot. I've also read about the 5-6 year life span concept and generally agree, although I also agree that tire construction for the brand-name manufacturers has improved. I always recommend you buy a recognized brand tire for a lot of reasons. To expand further on my comment above about sidewall flexing: LT and Trailer rated tires are designed for high CG vehicles - and the sidewall flexes less to help alleviate the tendency for the high CG to sway the vehicle. That is why it's important to get these tires for your boat trailer - and especially so for heavier boats where the CG is even higher and the loads are greater. The trailer type will also factor in on the marginal loads - like an 18' Outrage. With a tandem trailer, you might likely be fine with passenger rated tires...but with a single axle, I'd be more inclined to use a LT or Trailer tire.
Jefecinco	posted 10-09-2013 07:41 PM ET (US) I continue to believe truck or even passenger car tires work well on trailers most of the time. I've seen no evidence to the contrary. Butch
boatdryver	posted 10-09-2013 07:48 PM ET (US) Jerry Townsend says: "piece of hard rubber at that speed is going to cause some damage." That's for sure.--JimL
EJO	posted 10-10-2013 03:02 PM ET (US) Load rating is it. When pulling a smaller Boston Whaler boat on a single-axle trailer a good passenger and SUV tire will do the trick easily and will probably last longer [than some other type of tire would last]. Store the boat trailer on blocks during off season and most likely you'll get 6-years to 8-years out of [unclear, perhaps means Crossover Utility Vehicle], SUV, and passenger tires.
jcdawg83	posted 10-11-2013 03:17 PM ET (US) For what it's worth; the tire was not a recap, it was a radial passenger car tire 205/70/14. The tread came apart from the tire body while rolling, about one third of the tread separated from the tire body, the tire did not even go flat. In fact, I drove the trailer back home on the damaged tire. Of course, I drove at less than 10 mph and only had to go about 2 miles, but the tire made it back without blowing.
K Albus	posted 10-11-2013 03:39 PM ET (US) Buckda mentions LT tires in his post, but I believe that he meant ST tires. LT stands for Light Truck, whereas ST stands for Special Trailer.
Swellmonster	posted 10-13-2013 12:06 AM ET (US) I run six-ply Michelin truck tires on my Tahoe and they have no flex or sway. How would they handle a tandem-axle 20-foot Boston Whaler boat trailer? Then again, my trailer on has 13-inch tires.