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Author Topic:   Boat Trailer Tire Pressure

Jefecinco posted 03-09-2014 10:11 AM ET (US)
The first day of Daylight Saving Time (DST) is a recommended day to replace smoke and CO detector batteries in the home.
I find it to be an excellent day to check my boat trailer tires. I cheated a little and did it yesterday. I have two trailers with six tires. I found all the tires to be about 20 PSI under inflated which is roughly 33% PSI loss since the last day of DST in 2013.
I usually have less PSI loss and don't understand why. My best guess is that the ambient temperature was higher last year.
I conclude from this that I need to check tire pressure more often.
A side benefit was noticing a missing Bearing Buddy from the 13's trailer. It was probably thrown off on the last trip to our home.
Butch

jimh posted 03-09-2014 01:14 PM ET (US)
I usually check tire pressure on the boat trailer and its towing vehicle before any long-distance tow. That means it gets checked four or five times during our ten-week boating season. I have a nice dial-pointer pressure gauge, with a very nice brass machined fitting for the valve stem. I also have my own air compressor to add air. The highway gas station with air available at the higher pressure needed (about 50-PSI) is hard to find nowadays.
Jefecinco posted 03-09-2014 05:27 PM ET (US)
Other than lawn and garden tools the two most useful for me are the air compressor and the power washer.
My 15 inch tires call for 65 PSI and the 12 inch call for 60. That seems like a lot of pressure for a 12 inch tire but that's what's called for on the sidewall. The Karavan trailer under the 190 Montauk has a tire pressure sticker like an automobile. It calls for 65 PSI which happens to be the maximum pressure on the tire sidewalls.
When I replace the 12 inch tires next year I'll probably replace them with a larger/wheel tire. I have not checked into 13 inch tires which I know would fit but if 14s would squeeze under the fenders they would be my choice.
Butch
Chuck Tribolet posted 03-09-2014 07:11 PM ET (US)
The pressure on the sidewall is generally max. Remember that
the pressure will go up as the tire warms up and with higher
ambient temperature.
Chuck
2manyboats posted 03-09-2014 09:51 PM ET (US)
If you need air every time you check your tires, you are not checking them often enough.
tedious posted 03-10-2014 07:14 AM ET (US)
Chuck, the sidewall pressure is the max, but it's the max cold pressure, so it's OK to inflate to that amount.
Tim
jimh posted 03-10-2014 11:27 AM ET (US)
For the obsessive tire pressure monitoring trailer boater, there are RF sensors that can be installed and monitored for about $250.
Tom Hemphill posted 03-10-2014 05:43 PM ET (US)

quote:
For the obsessive tire pressure monitoring trailer boater, there are RF sensors that can be installed and monitored...

Can I monitor them, say, when I'm at work?
Jefecinco posted 03-10-2014 06:02 PM ET (US)
A trailer tire monitoring device would be very useful for longer excursions. The $250 cost seems very reasonable to me. If it ever warned you a trailer tire was loosing pressure it will have paid for itself. Of course if you don't have a spare it may be less useful but at least you could call your road service.
Butch
fno posted 03-11-2014 10:49 PM ET (US)
And of course the $250 will seem wasted when a tire blows up and shreds itself and your fender going 75 down the highway. That's what rear view mirrors are for! I have caught two tire failures prior to a major side of the road calamity by making the rear views part of my constant scan of gauges and what not while driving.

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Author	Topic: Boat Trailer Tire Pressure
Jefecinco	posted 03-09-2014 10:11 AM ET (US) The first day of Daylight Saving Time (DST) is a recommended day to replace smoke and CO detector batteries in the home. I find it to be an excellent day to check my boat trailer tires. I cheated a little and did it yesterday. I have two trailers with six tires. I found all the tires to be about 20 PSI under inflated which is roughly 33% PSI loss since the last day of DST in 2013. I usually have less PSI loss and don't understand why. My best guess is that the ambient temperature was higher last year. I conclude from this that I need to check tire pressure more often. A side benefit was noticing a missing Bearing Buddy from the 13's trailer. It was probably thrown off on the last trip to our home. Butch
jimh	posted 03-09-2014 01:14 PM ET (US) I usually check tire pressure on the boat trailer and its towing vehicle before any long-distance tow. That means it gets checked four or five times during our ten-week boating season. I have a nice dial-pointer pressure gauge, with a very nice brass machined fitting for the valve stem. I also have my own air compressor to add air. The highway gas station with air available at the higher pressure needed (about 50-PSI) is hard to find nowadays.
Jefecinco	posted 03-09-2014 05:27 PM ET (US) Other than lawn and garden tools the two most useful for me are the air compressor and the power washer. My 15 inch tires call for 65 PSI and the 12 inch call for 60. That seems like a lot of pressure for a 12 inch tire but that's what's called for on the sidewall. The Karavan trailer under the 190 Montauk has a tire pressure sticker like an automobile. It calls for 65 PSI which happens to be the maximum pressure on the tire sidewalls. When I replace the 12 inch tires next year I'll probably replace them with a larger/wheel tire. I have not checked into 13 inch tires which I know would fit but if 14s would squeeze under the fenders they would be my choice. Butch
Chuck Tribolet	posted 03-09-2014 07:11 PM ET (US) The pressure on the sidewall is generally max. Remember that the pressure will go up as the tire warms up and with higher ambient temperature. Chuck
2manyboats	posted 03-09-2014 09:51 PM ET (US) If you need air every time you check your tires, you are not checking them often enough.
tedious	posted 03-10-2014 07:14 AM ET (US) Chuck, the sidewall pressure is the max, but it's the max cold pressure, so it's OK to inflate to that amount. Tim
jimh	posted 03-10-2014 11:27 AM ET (US) For the obsessive tire pressure monitoring trailer boater, there are RF sensors that can be installed and monitored for about $250.
Tom Hemphill	posted 03-10-2014 05:43 PM ET (US) quote: For the obsessive tire pressure monitoring trailer boater, there are RF sensors that can be installed and monitored... Can I monitor them, say, when I'm at work?
Jefecinco	posted 03-10-2014 06:02 PM ET (US) A trailer tire monitoring device would be very useful for longer excursions. The $250 cost seems very reasonable to me. If it ever warned you a trailer tire was loosing pressure it will have paid for itself. Of course if you don't have a spare it may be less useful but at least you could call your road service. Butch
fno	posted 03-11-2014 10:49 PM ET (US) And of course the $250 will seem wasted when a tire blows up and shreds itself and your fender going 75 down the highway. That's what rear view mirrors are for! I have caught two tire failures prior to a major side of the road calamity by making the rear views part of my constant scan of gauges and what not while driving.