Raising Trailer on Blocks During Winter Storage

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Author Topic:   Raising Trailer on Blocks During Winter Storage

brooks macmillen posted 11-18-2009 02:41 PM ET (US)
Having just found a nice set up for winter storage (with concrete floor). [Seeks] feelings one way or another in regard to blocking the trailer in the air to take weight off the trailer springs and tires. [The trailer will be stored for] a six month time period.
Buckda posted 11-18-2009 03:03 PM ET (US)
Not necessary, but not a bad idea either. Blocking the trailer ensures that someone has to work very hard to move it - meaning any would-be thief will move to easier prey.
Personally, I just ensure that the tires are at the appropriate pressure and let them sit...
jimh posted 11-18-2009 10:11 PM ET (US)
I raised my trailer so as to take the load off the tires for winter storage, once. Never bothered with it again.
newt posted 11-19-2009 07:09 AM ET (US)
Ditto what Jim said, except that I am a slow learner, so I did it for two seasons and then never again.
brooks macmillen posted 11-19-2009 07:54 AM ET (US)
Thank you for the input, new trailer, new tires so I should be just fine.
jimp posted 11-19-2009 11:12 AM ET (US)
Well, I block up the trailer every winter and store the tires inside my shed. Figure that it can't hurt to keep the tires out of the weather. The big plus for me is giving the lug nuts a workout twice a year. If not, they could be a bear to remove - regardless of how much you rinse off the trailer after dunking in salt water, after a season of sitting in the sun, the lug nuts get tough to remove. Additionally, with up to 90" of precipitation a year, including over 180" of snow the last two seasons, I don't like the tires sitting in water, getting frozen in, etc.
And, I've also noticed that nobody else seems to do this. But I also noticed that many people don't give a hoot about taking care of their boat or equipment and their boat looks it.
JimP
Peter posted 11-19-2009 11:16 AM ET (US)
I jack my trailer up for the winter to get the weight off the tires. Probably not necessary but gives me something to do.
deepwater posted 11-19-2009 07:57 PM ET (US)
I jack up my trailer any time its not going to be moved for more than 6 mos,,its been up for 2 years now and i can spin the tires and clean under it ,,I sent jimh a tire video link,,It tell you how to tell the week and year your tires were made ,, not many ppl know the tires they just bought new could be up to 8 years old,, with all the emails he gets he might not have gotten to mine yet,,it was very interesting in the tire manufactures recommend you replace your tires when worn or at 6 years which ever comes first,,but what if they are 5,1/2 years old when you bought them
jimh posted 11-19-2009 11:44 PM ET (US)
It should also be noted that many situations of winter storage don't allow for immobilization of the trailer, such as, for example, being stored in a yard or shed where some movement of the boat might be necessary (to permit other boats stored behind it to be accessed). That's my current situation, so, whether I want to or not, the tires stay on the ground.
jp2217 posted 11-20-2009 07:51 PM ET (US)
I always take the tires off. But last year I did not, and when I tryed to take the lug nuts off this year the lug nuts gave me alot of problems!!! Ieven snapped one of the tire studs. I had to bang it out, and find a place that had the same size bolt!!!! It was not a fun.
motparts posted 11-20-2009 11:44 PM ET (US)
take the tires off!!! your out of your mind.. you might as well take the engine off too.
kgregg posted 11-21-2009 09:54 AM ET (US)
How important is it to keep sun off of trailer tires while boat is not being used? I sometimes see RVs parked with covers over their tires. Blocking the trailer and removing tires (to keep them indoors) may be good idea.
tedious posted 11-21-2009 04:18 PM ET (US)
If security is a problem, taking the wheels off and storing indoors is a pretty good deterent. I'm going to go one better and take the hubs off too - but only because it's time to learn how to repack bearings anyway.
Tim
Mambo Minnow posted 11-25-2009 10:48 AM ET (US)
KGREGG, I would tell you that I recently learned that sunlight has a bigger impact than one might think, especially in Florida. In last 6 months, I have replaced all 4 of my tires.
They were all 10 years old, so owed me nothing, but in last 3 years I have been in Florida, the sun/heat accelerated their demise. I went to the storage lot and found the tread separated from the tires sitting in the storage lot. The two on the sunny side were first to go.
New idea: Tire shop recommended if you can not at least block the trailer, to put 2x4s under the wheels vice letting the tires sit on gravel for prolonged period.

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Author	Topic: Raising Trailer on Blocks During Winter Storage
brooks macmillen	posted 11-18-2009 02:41 PM ET (US) Having just found a nice set up for winter storage (with concrete floor). [Seeks] feelings one way or another in regard to blocking the trailer in the air to take weight off the trailer springs and tires. [The trailer will be stored for] a six month time period.
Buckda	posted 11-18-2009 03:03 PM ET (US) Not necessary, but not a bad idea either. Blocking the trailer ensures that someone has to work very hard to move it - meaning any would-be thief will move to easier prey. Personally, I just ensure that the tires are at the appropriate pressure and let them sit...
jimh	posted 11-18-2009 10:11 PM ET (US) I raised my trailer so as to take the load off the tires for winter storage, once. Never bothered with it again.
newt	posted 11-19-2009 07:09 AM ET (US) Ditto what Jim said, except that I am a slow learner, so I did it for two seasons and then never again.
brooks macmillen	posted 11-19-2009 07:54 AM ET (US) Thank you for the input, new trailer, new tires so I should be just fine.
jimp	posted 11-19-2009 11:12 AM ET (US) Well, I block up the trailer every winter and store the tires inside my shed. Figure that it can't hurt to keep the tires out of the weather. The big plus for me is giving the lug nuts a workout twice a year. If not, they could be a bear to remove - regardless of how much you rinse off the trailer after dunking in salt water, after a season of sitting in the sun, the lug nuts get tough to remove. Additionally, with up to 90" of precipitation a year, including over 180" of snow the last two seasons, I don't like the tires sitting in water, getting frozen in, etc. And, I've also noticed that nobody else seems to do this. But I also noticed that many people don't give a hoot about taking care of their boat or equipment and their boat looks it. JimP
Peter	posted 11-19-2009 11:16 AM ET (US) I jack my trailer up for the winter to get the weight off the tires. Probably not necessary but gives me something to do.
deepwater	posted 11-19-2009 07:57 PM ET (US) I jack up my trailer any time its not going to be moved for more than 6 mos,,its been up for 2 years now and i can spin the tires and clean under it ,,I sent jimh a tire video link,,It tell you how to tell the week and year your tires were made ,, not many ppl know the tires they just bought new could be up to 8 years old,, with all the emails he gets he might not have gotten to mine yet,,it was very interesting in the tire manufactures recommend you replace your tires when worn or at 6 years which ever comes first,,but what if they are 5,1/2 years old when you bought them
jimh	posted 11-19-2009 11:44 PM ET (US) It should also be noted that many situations of winter storage don't allow for immobilization of the trailer, such as, for example, being stored in a yard or shed where some movement of the boat might be necessary (to permit other boats stored behind it to be accessed). That's my current situation, so, whether I want to or not, the tires stay on the ground.
jp2217	posted 11-20-2009 07:51 PM ET (US) I always take the tires off. But last year I did not, and when I tryed to take the lug nuts off this year the lug nuts gave me alot of problems!!! Ieven snapped one of the tire studs. I had to bang it out, and find a place that had the same size bolt!!!! It was not a fun.
motparts	posted 11-20-2009 11:44 PM ET (US) take the tires off!!! your out of your mind.. you might as well take the engine off too.
kgregg	posted 11-21-2009 09:54 AM ET (US) How important is it to keep sun off of trailer tires while boat is not being used? I sometimes see RVs parked with covers over their tires. Blocking the trailer and removing tires (to keep them indoors) may be good idea.
tedious	posted 11-21-2009 04:18 PM ET (US) If security is a problem, taking the wheels off and storing indoors is a pretty good deterent. I'm going to go one better and take the hubs off too - but only because it's time to learn how to repack bearings anyway. Tim
Mambo Minnow	posted 11-25-2009 10:48 AM ET (US) KGREGG, I would tell you that I recently learned that sunlight has a bigger impact than one might think, especially in Florida. In last 6 months, I have replaced all 4 of my tires. They were all 10 years old, so owed me nothing, but in last 3 years I have been in Florida, the sun/heat accelerated their demise. I went to the storage lot and found the tread separated from the tires sitting in the storage lot. The two on the sunny side were first to go. New idea: Tire shop recommended if you can not at least block the trailer, to put 2x4s under the wheels vice letting the tires sit on gravel for prolonged period.