Trailer tires

[Steve Helscher]

I have a 2000 Trailstar. How many miles can I expect from the tires? Mostly highway use, very little gravel. Thanks

 

[Scott S.]

I have had my trailer tires (178 80 13 ) for 14 months now with a lot of highway miles Tread depth is still great, but they seem to be "Choppy" Looking. People have told me this is normal for a trailer as there are no shocks. Anyone else experiencing this? I will admit I do keep up with traffic at higher speeds usually 70-75. Probably should not go that fast, but I hate Trailergaters.

 

[John Foster]

It all depends. Do you have Radial tires or Bias ply? Do you run them with proper air preasure? Are they balanced? How much weight do you put in the boat when trailering?



Many factors will determine the life of a tire. But From my experiance they should last a few years. I have only changed mine once since 1993 and even then the tread was still good. the side walls were starting to crack so I replaced them.



John

 

[JEFF WHITE]

i had mine on from 1993-1999,did a lot of lake ontario trips in that time,over 300 miles round trip,and also around my area,lots of back roads,a few dirt,not many.they still had thread on them,wore even also.the only reason i replaced them was 1 tire got a broken cord in it,and the thread was starting to bubble out.i still have the good tire yet.



i switched to bridgestone radials,what a diffrence in towing and ride for the tow vehicle also.the radials on the trailer are the best investment i made!

 

[Staci Matheis]

E.T. -



Yes, that is normal. The construction used in radial tires will help to cushion the ride. The kind of speeds you are running won't make any difference - except to the smokies! Tailgaters suck!



me!

 

[Steve Helscher]

They are the standard tires Tracker sells with their trailers. They are still in very good shape. This is the second season with them, and I always make sure they are inflated to the specs. I was just curious. Thanks for the help.

 

[Scott S.]

Thanx for the info on my choppy tires. I will probably upgrade to Radials for Next Season if I keep my boat. Are Most New 2002 Tracker/ Trailstar Trailers equipped with Bias? Is Radial an Option? I was tossing up the idea of Purchasing a Targa 17 or Other Manufacturers Similar Boat. Brakes and Radials are top priority on my upgrade list.

 

[Staci Matheis]

One other thought regarding radials.........



I always keep the tires on my car (and used to on the boat) inflated to the maximumpressure as indicated on the sidewall. Generally speaking, you will get better tire wear that way because the tire will run cooler with less flexing.



However, if you are carrying a relatively light load, decreasing the inflation pressure will allow radials to function much like a spring and cushion the ride. Right next to the tire inflation pressures on the sidewall you'll find the maximum load rating for the tire at that pressure.



Most tire dealers will have - if they can find it - a tire inflation guide that will tell you what the minimum pressure is for any load you are carrying.



DO NOT UNDERINFLATE THE TIRES. This will cause premature failures, seperations or simply having the bead pull away from the rim.



me!