Crappie Boat Trailer Tires?

[joewildlife]

The tires on my three year old boat trailer are wearing strangely. It is a 1756 Xpress, an aluminum bass boat, the trailer tires are 14". The center "ribs" are fine, but the ribs on both the inside and outside of the tire are well worn. The tires have a wierd cross section, highest in the middle. And before you say my tires are underinflated, which would be the prognosis if it was a auto's tire, they have been pumped to 50 pounds, max rating, since new.

I thought I had a bent axle until I noticed my buddy's trailer tires, on a 17' smokercraft millentia V bottom boat looked the same.

Is it just time for new tires? Or is something else going on?

Joe

[Grumpy]

You might jack it up and check to see of the wheel is on tight with no play in the bearings. Also, have the tires balanced.

[DADAKOTA]

Ya shouldn't run a tire at max rating for general use. I'd run no more than 42-45 pounds in them. I'd also check the wheel bearings and balance.

[crappie cowboy]

Go to Walmart and get you car tires, there brand [Douglas sp] and have them balanced, and that should solve the problem.
I went though the same thing, but now have the Walmart car tires on for some time now with no problems at all.
There will be some on here that will say you shouldn't put car tires on a boat trailer because the side wall's are not as thick as a regular trailer tire, and may blow out in a cruve, and on and on.
That's bull, if that's true, then why don't the car's have blow outs in cruves, it's much heavier?????.
Not many years ago big bass boats came with auto tires from the factory. I don't think boat traile tires are worth a dime, I will never put them on my trailer again, they don't hold up very long at all.
Good Luck...........crappie cowboy

[trouthater]

CC, is the suspension on you r car the same as your boat trailer? I doubt it! Thats you should run trailer tires on your trailer and car tires on your car. different suspensions = different tires!

[bentpole]

I've also ran Car tires for years,Never have had any problem,The only blow out I've had was on a trailer tire.

[catman]

the tires on one side of my skeeter trailer are wearing also, nice to hear all these comments i`m still trying to decide what kind of tires also.took my trailer to the dealer and everything seems to be lined ok, don`t know if it is the tires are what.

[siscoken]

It never hurts to check that your trailer wheels are running straight ... axles do bend from time to time causing tires to wear out too soon.
You can check your alignment roughly with a lazer level. Just lift your trailer off the floor and set the level on the side of the tire ...up and down ... verticle. The tire should just tip out slightly at the top... about 1/8 inch. Then rotate the level hrizontal and let the lazer shine on a wall either in front or behind the trailer, put a mark on the wall and do the same on the other side. If the marks on the wall in front are the same distance appart as the measured distance between the lazers when they were against the tires... then the tires are tracking straight down the road. There should actually be some toe in. 1/8 inch is a good place to start. Remember 1/8 toe in at the tires may translate to 1- 1/2 inches at the marks on the wall.
Ken

[joewildlife]

the wear is even around the circumference of both tires so I doubt balance is an issue, although I will get the next set balanced.

the bearings are tight.

good suggestions on checking alignment with the laser!

I think the sidewalls are so stiff that it puts the weight on the outside of the tread. That is my guess.

Joe

[talltimber]

I run all trailer tires at max pressure. They are then, and only then, able to support the weight rating on the sidewall. It is perfectly safe to run them at that pressure. Now, if you are concerned about the rough ride,and the load on them is nowhere close to rated, then I think you would be ok in reducing pressures. Other than a little smoother ride I don't know why you would want increase the heat in your tires, reducing the life of the tire. I run car tires on my trailer too. They are wearing just like yours, but so is my horse trailer with trailer tires on it. I think it's a trailer thing. If your axle was out, I think you would see wear on one side of the tire on BOTH tires(side pull). If they were out of balance I think you would have "whipping out" issues, which is uneven wear radially(versus laterally now). I think we would get better wear out of our tires if they had an edge on them. Let us know what you find out.