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Trailer axles

Pete Collin

Pete Collin
in This Old Boat

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Xxx

Xxx

Posted
Posted

Don't put car tires on please!! Even if you have a tandem axel, my cheap a$$ uncle did that, and 3 years ago coming home from the Black River Camp Grounds, I was towing and this thing was all over the place. I asked him if he checked the air pressure and he said it was right on, I said this thing tows like $hit, never used to be like this, he said I bought car tires because of the tandem axel he said the tire guy said there is no need to purchase the higher priced trailer tires, OK then, down the road we go(knowing in my mind that we are never going to make it home, just by watching the tires perform in the mirror) 65mph we travel with no problems, start seeing signs for Syracuse and 100 yards before the first exit I hear a loud bang and then smoke pouring out the back of the trailer, OF course on the left side, traffic side, so I pull off RT81 as far as possible and sure as $hit the back tire shredded to pieces. Ripped the brake lines off and wrapped around the hub and axel so tight and being steel belted radials you couldn't grab a hold of it, get a pair of gloves and a hack saw I was able to get the tire to spin, so we could get off the highway, to a little parking lot got the tire off and went to put on the spare, the wheel wasn't the same pattern as the hub. Luckly I had jack stands with and we jacked the boat up and put it on jack stands(4) took all 4 wheels off and headed home. Next day he went and bought 4 Trailer tire and back up we go, bolt them on and no swaying and still have the same tires on today!! So you do what you want, I've got a tandem axel trailer and I put the best tire I could on, this is no place to be cheap!!

Big Dave

Big Dave

Posted
Posted

Tire cupping is caused by the tire balance .   Have the tires balanced and that should stop :yes:

NitroMusky

NitroMusky

Posted
Posted

Pap

Not disputing your findings but just curious How big that boat of your uncles was?

I mentioned that some bass boat guys will use car tires, but spreading that sized load across 4 tires generally leaves each tire well within normal operating capacity of a car tire...and believe me, many of these are guys who are fanatical about their rigs, not just some yahoos that dobt know any better.

That said, There are much heavier boats that also have tandem axles with 4 tires that do still require the extra carrying capacity that a trailer tire offers.

Wonder if the guy at the store really knew his $hit when recommending them for your uncles particular boat...or maybe he just got a bum tire?

jimski2

jimski2

Posted
Posted

Radial tires are designed to go straight while trailer tires must follow the tow vehicle easily. Side wall strength is necessary to keep heat buildup down. My trailer tires have a sixty pound inflation pressure indicated. There must be a good reason for it.

Tim Bromund

Tim Bromund

Posted
Posted

Jim, no offence intended, but are you not grasping the fact that there a a lot of radial ST Trailer Tires available? You seem to be continually confusing radials as car tires only.

Adm Byrd

Adm Byrd

Posted
Posted

Ok here is my 2 cents: Dick Black has a good point on tires except "good quality" trailer tires for most smaller axles don't exist - probably because we all buy on price, I bought Carlisle's this year and even they come from China now. I agree you need to check for alignment movement of the springs  but Pete's wear sounds like a bent axle. Glad you found an axle that fit, many are stubs that are custom install and not cheap to replace.

Bob

jimski2

jimski2

Posted
Posted

They sell "snow tires" and I have not bought them in fifty years since radials work well enough with their traction in snow. Trailer tires do not need traction. Look in the paper and see the "snow tires on sale". 

Xxx

Xxx

Posted
Posted

Would snow tires work well in a snowmobile trailer application?

I have relation that is in the tire business, now don't quote me but I'm pretty sure that you cant buy a radial trailer tire any more, you used to but I think the last time I put tires on I gave him the #s and when I went to mount them they were a little taller and his reply was you cant get that tire any more, every trailer tire "I" can get is bias so that's whats on my boat trailer, NITRO this dude is semi pro bass fisherman, just got a brand new NITRO and its a tandem trailer with bias ply trailer tires, as far as my uncle he went to Walmart  and got 4 tires and had Hallie put the tires on that's my relation but he didn't know skip was going to put them on his boat. as far as weight his boat is a 18ft fiberglass with a 4cyl I/o no wonder right!!

Tim Bromund

Tim Bromund

Posted
Posted

I have relation that is in the tire business, now don't quote me but I'm pretty sure that you cant buy a radial trailer tire any more, you used to but I think the last time I put tires on I gave him the #s and when I went to mount them they were a little taller and his reply was you cant get that tire any more, every trailer tire "I" can get is bias so that's whats on my boat trailer, NITRO this dude is semi pro bass fisherman, just got a brand new NITRO and its a tandem trailer with bias ply trailer tires, as far as my uncle he went to Walmart  and got 4 tires and had Hallie put the tires on that's my relation but he didn't know skip was going to put them on his boat. as far as weight his boat is a 18ft fiberglass with a 4cyl I/o no wonder right!!

 

hmmmm

 

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/types/trailer.jsp

 

http://www.easternmarine.com/trailer-tires/

 

http://www.etrailer.com/dept-pg-Tires_and_Wheels-sf-Tire_Only-pt-Radial_Tire.aspx

NitroMusky

NitroMusky

Posted
Posted

I put new RADIALS (kuhmo trailer tires) on my trailer this spring. Nitro likely put bias ply on their new rigs purely out of cost savings; simple as that.

Xxx

Xxx

Posted
Posted

Now this bothered me to no end!!, I've just got back surgery but the pain was worth it. I have bias ply on my trailer, I know that they are 4 years old, so that's 4 trips to Oak Harbor western Ohio and back 4 trips to the Black River Camp grounds and back. I know it's 250 miles from the house to the BRCG and 600and some to Ohio and they still look like new. When I tow I tow, RT81 North bound 70-75mph, keep up with traffic, you don't know she's back there. I tow with a Ford Expedition on a 1 ton frame with a Hypertech max energy chip in her so she goes!!  I know none of this was not necessary but I had to do it for my own piece of mind, also not saying radials are better or worse just saying I'm pleased with what I got. I do see other boats in tow swaying all over but that could be another issue. and I don't use any of those torque arms you see on some boats. I think it the size of the vehicle and boat probably closely match each other. 22ft Sea Ray cuddy with 350 I/o actually it's a 355 bored 30 over, complete rebuild only thing I used was the crankshaft, new billet rods torker heads valve released .30 over pistons marine cam 250-325hp new two barrel intake and new baker carb that flows 650cfm. My other 2 uncles have Modified dirt race cars and all the stuff was stuff given to me that they no longer use. I could of never afforded all the fancy stuff but let me tell you it doesn't take me long to get from Henderson to Stoney Isl.

And all new exhaust and shutters and all new bellows. should be good for a while. I know everything sounds sweet at 2800 rpm which puts me at 26mph comfortable cruising and 5500rpm put me at 46mph I know she will twist 6000rpm for sure but man she drinks the fuel. I only use her that way to try to out run a storm, other wise just 2800rpm is fine.   Over and out pap!!!

 

Xxx

Xxx

Posted
Posted

What motor is in your Expedition?

5.4 with the HYPERTECH max energy programmer

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