Uneven trailer tire wear

[SkunkedAgain]

I noticed that the outside tread lines on both of my boat trailer tires are close to bald. All of the other tread lines look like new. It's a Karavan trailer hauling a 165 Navigator. I bought it new last July and I estimate that it's got 6,000 miles on it. I stopped in at the boat shop last night and they told me a few things that caught me off guard:

1) Trailer tires are only meant to last about 8,000 miles

2) They set up the trailers to assume that fisherman load them with hundreds of pounds of gear, so there is a positive camber that flattens out when the boat/trailer is fully loaded with gear.

Are these statements true? 8,000 miles isn't much for someone like me who tows a boat to Vermilion once or twice per month. Also, the positive camber statement seems odd but I guess that I could buy it. The wheels look vertical to my untrained eye. In any case, I've usually got 100-150lbs of gear in my boat on the way up and 50-100lbs on the way home.

The real question is, now that I've got to buy new trailer tires can I get the camber checked/fixed at a regular tire shop?

[Fish Head]

I've had a similar experience with my Karavan trailer and 185 Navigator. After 2 years, my tires were bald on both sides and good in the middle. I was told it was due to the tire pressure. The tire pressure on the trailer tires is supposed to be about 50psi (on mine anyway). I had my tire pressure set to about 36 psi, therefore the uneven wear.

So I replaced the tires with new ones and kept my tire pressure to 50 and it’s happened again in 2 years. Not sure what's up with that.

[Down Deep]

To me it sounds like your boat is to heavy for the trailer and causing the tires to toe out. The only way I can think of to get more mileage out of the tires would be to flip them on the rims once or twice a season which would be a pain in the A## or lighten the load.

[jeffreyd]

not sure how they would camber the wheels as i am guessing your trailer is a spring suspension and not independent? how to the wheels land on the ground when you are standing behind the trailer? are they leaving a full footprint or is there some missing? since you state the outside is worn this would indicate that the wheel and tire is running on that edge and not middle or inside. might be worth taking it in loaded to an actual trailer shop or suspension place that can check the overall angles.

[SkunkedAgain]

I keep those tires between 47 and 50psi because anything less and it feels twice as heavy to pull.

I don't think that it's too heavy. For the outside treads to be worn but the rest okay, the wheels have a positive camber meaning they look like this:

\---/

Obviously not that extreme, but you get the idea. Put more weight in the center and it will force the tires to straighten. Less the weight and they'll get even more positive camber.

I guess that I'll have to take it in somewhere.

[jeffreyd]

like a ford I beam suspension. If you raise the front end, it will suck the tires in until you drive and let it settle out. still dont see if it has spring suspension how this could happen unless something is bent

[Bigtom]

I believe that the manufacter preloads the axel meaning they bend it. I had this done on my fish house frame. If you have seen an aluminun flat bed semi trailer on how it is bent when it is empty. Than straight when loaded.

But I don't think that is your case. Because that would be your boat would be to light.

I have a shorelander trailer with 5 year old tires on it. I go fishing 2 to 3 times a month and plan on getting a nother years worth out. kock on wood

[AaronM]

It's normal, happens to many trailers. Just watch your tires and rotate when needed, then replace.

[Jim Almquist]

When it comes time to replace the tires take a look at radial trailer tires.

[Duffman]

Quote:

I noticed that the outside tread lines on both of my boat trailer tires are close to bald. All of the other tread lines look like new. It's a Karavan trailer hauling a 165 Navigator. I bought it new last July and I estimate that it's got 6,000 miles on it.

I've got the same set-up, and also the same problem. I just replaced both tires after 5 years, not sure on miles. If it wasn't for that outside tread on both tires looking pretty scary, I'd have kept the old tires for longer 'cause the rest of the remaining tire tread looks pretty good.

Keep us updated on what you find out, I'm very curious.

Thanks,

Duff

[Northlander]

So what does everyone consider to be the best radial boat trailer tire?

[vermilionfox]

I second Northlanders question. I need to replace all four plus the spare on my pontoon's trailer. I'm going from bias-ply.

[remington 300]

i just put on some goodyear marathons this year, so far so good but a little to early to tell as far as wear goes.

[Northlander]

So did you get the USA made Marathons or over seas model? I was looking on Walleye Central and there was talk that the USA ones were supposedly better? Anyone ever heard this?

How much were they a piece and where did you find them?

Im leaning towards these Goodyear Marathons as well.

[vermilionfox]

I'm not even sure there are any U.S. made Marathons. Last I heard, no trailer tires were still being made here. If you have more info on that Steve let me know. I trailer about 4000 to 5000 miles a year. Vermilion is a long way from here!

[Northlander]

After much searching you can still get very few USA made Marathons in certain areas of the country. Sounds like very few can order them up. My dealer up here says he can not get them and all that he knows of and he can get are coming from over seas.

Check out some sites and see what you can find on them. I think it was W.C I found the talk.

Another tire my guy says he has good luck with is Akurt Tires. They are $25 a piece cheaper and he says he hasnt had any issues with them in the 5 years they have sold them.

Ya the big V is a haul for you man. I was up with Cliff a few weeks back and we did well even though we had terrible winds.

[remington 300]

i think they were around 80.00 a piece and i got them at a goodyear shop down here in the cities, i also never new about the oversea version, i have no idea which i have, but probably foriegn, the price is about double a bias ply but i wasnt happy with the way they wore,and figured id give them a try. if looks are worth any thing they just look like a better tire than the standard, carlisle or caravan tires you see on alot of boat trailers,and ive used in the past.

goodluck with the search,

mike

[trolloni]

whatever tires you get ,get at least 8 ply which is the strength in the sidewalls, on a trailer if youre tires are wearing wierd its the axle could be that camber there tellin you guys about ,the way several of youve described it sounds like the way that edge is wearing,or if the axle is bent forward or back the center of the tread will chunk in the middle take it to an alinement guy they can tell you what and why its doin what it is 8000 miles sounds awful light to me, i just put new ones on mine after running light truck tires for 10 years with 3 trips per year to big v 500 mi one way ,also i got 62000 miles on my firestones that are on my suburban, and oh yeah ,there the same kind that blew up on fords !! i like to show em to them cutthroat lawers!!

[Northlander]

8 ply? Are we still talking trailers here?

What class would these be and weight limit?

My tires now are ST175/80D13 class c with 4 ply and 1360# WEIGHT

I couldnt find any trailer tires 8 ply

[SkunkedAgain]

I finally dropped my wheels off at the local filling station. They'll flip them on the rims for $20 (half of what the other alignment shop quoted). When I delivered them this morning the guy said, "Whoa, I see what you said about the uneven wear. You should get another couple years out of them after we flip 'em." I told him that they wore like that after only one year of service. I could see the bewilderment on his face.

Oh well, at least I can get a total of two years out of these tires instead of the one I was doomed to get!

[benjineer]

I wouldn't use anything but radial trailer tires. The outside and inside of mine barely touch the road with 40psi (that's on the Lund S-16). I replaced both tires and the spare with Carlisle radials on my Pro-Line center console. They are wearing well after about 2 years. My axle is a 2" square tube with the ends inserted and welded. I don't see how camber would be adjustable. I looked at the tag on my EZ-Loader the Lund is on. It is rated for up to 2200 lbs. I don't have anywhere near that on it. The tires that came on it are old but don't have many miles on them. I've probably put 1,000 on them with most of that being the trip home from WI. They still look about the same. If what that guy is telling you is true, mine should be worn down on the edges. I expect mine to die of old age and dry rot before they wear out.

[Dale_Gribble]

My trailer is older and the leaf springs are worn so its giving the trailer negative camber even when i dont have much in it. Could be the cause of some of the uneven wear for you guys too...

[JohnMickish]

There are still US made Marathons but not in every size. Some are made in Canada as well so not all trailer tires are from China. Tirerack has the country of origin for each size of Marathon if it really makes a difference to you.

[marine_man]

Here's what I'd be tempted to do if it bothers you...

Load up your boat in it's most "normal" load configuration - I'm not talking going to Canada / etc.. but whatever you normally run for weight on the majority of your trips.

Find a trailer alignment shop and have them take a look at it... they should be able to get it aligned for that load that should minimize the irregular wear on the tire.

marine_man