New (used) trailer checklist for first time boat owners

[wheelman]

4 hours ago, JeffK said:

Hmmmm.  Didn't know that.  Is there a prevention method then?  I was always told it was sun and UV exposure.

In theory nitrogen filled would give a slight advantage as it doesn’t create as much moisture inside the tire but will still create some. Storing your trailer inside away from the elements will also help as the tire does also rot from the outside when exposed to extreme elements. Honestly the best thing to do is just change your trailer tires every 4 to 5 years regardless of wear. No real way to tell when you can have one fail but usually it’s always older tires. 

[JeffK]

Just now, wheelman said:

In theory nitrogen filled would give a slight advantage as it doesn’t create as much moisture inside the tire but will still create some. Storing your trailer inside away from the elements will also help as the tire does also rot from the outside when exposed to extreme elements. Honestly the best thing to do is just change your trailer tires every 4 to 5 years regardless of wear. No real way to tell when you can have one fail but usually it’s always older tires. 

Thanks for the info and advice!

[dalt1]

If you do the math on rated Capacity for these tires, you find we are pushing the limit. I think if the load was lighter or capacity had a bit more safety factor on the top side, they would hold up better. I never get 4 years any more. That being said, my new LSV rides on D rated instead of the C rated on my 2012 VLX , but capacity is still close to the limit @ 7,720lbs. Figure my 18 LSV is 7,200+lbs  ready to go to the lake. My VLX was 6,500lbs. Tire cap for dual was 6,280lbs. If you subtract the 800lb tongue weights, it's still not much safety capacity at the top.

Never noticed the 2 different capacity ratings for single or tandem use until recently.

[JeffK]

After all of this, I went out and looked.  Very impressed with Boatmate and their tire selection.  I've got 103 and Y on mine, which shows to be 1929lbs per tire at a speed rating of 186 mph.  Guess it's time to test that theory for science purposes. 

[ORMailbuboater]

So sorry to hear you had a bad 1st tow.  One other item I find for peace of mind is a TPMS for the trailer.  Hard to see a blow out in progress way back there and when towing in the dark of night  This may not catch a sudden blow out but having this saved me many times when I had a slow puncture or overheating brake caliper.   I don't leave home without it.  Just a suggestion 

Also I carry the Gorilla Automotive 1721 Telescoping Power Wrench - Standard Socket set.  Works for both vehicle and trailer come in handy carrying pouch.   On Amazon for $27.50  https://www.amazon.com/Gorilla-Automotive-1721-Telescoping-Wrench/dp/B000CMJ2KU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1531504111&sr=8-1&keywords=gorilla+tire+wrench

Tire Rack sells the Dill kit for $229 for two wheels.   https://www.tirerack.com/tpms/detail.jsp?ID=190&cat=Aftermarket+Systems

http://www.trailertpms.com/

 

 

[Oml]

Glad to hear everyone was ok but thanks so much for posting this!  Am impending first time boat/trailer owner so finding a list like this was invaluable to find so I can be prepared!

[asnowman]

So i guess i am really pushing the limits on my 2011 trailer, it definately has the origional tires. This year, for the first time, we had a tire come out of storage with a flat area. Normally i store with double wheel chalks to help prevent flat spots, this year for some reason i didn't do it.

So put correct storage on your to do list. I knew it was time to replace them, and towing with oblong tires really sucked. Nice new ones, plus a spare, are on the way now.

[Michigan boarder]

8 hours ago, asnowman said:

So i guess i am really pushing the limits on my 2011 trailer, it definately has the origional tires. This year, for the first time, we had a tire come out of storage with a flat area. Normally i store with double wheel chalks to help prevent flat spots, this year for some reason i didn't do it.

So put correct storage on your to do list. I knew it was time to replace them, and towing with oblong tires really sucked. Nice new ones, plus a spare, are on the way now.

Whadya get?

[asnowman]

5 hours ago, Michigan boarder said:

Whadya get?

3 of these, and a wheel that i hope matches well enough

http://www.trailerandtruckparts.com/ST22575R15-Carlisle-Radial-Trail-HD-Trailer-Tire-LR-E-2830-lb-Capacity-6H04621_p_1510.html#.W2NSNXMpA0M

We generally only tow 100 miles at each end of the season. 

[cowwboy]

I swapped my spare tire mount to one that has a hub built into the mount. Also changed my brakes to hat style rotors so if I have a problem with one part it doesn't affect the other.

I keep a electric impact ( with charger), sockets, breaker bar, bottle jack, tons of straps, and a few generic tools in the truck to compliment the boats toolbox. 
When we take my wife's escalade we also take a full size spare for it (mounted on the trailer) since they don't have spare tires. 

[Michigan boarder]

Makes sense, you simply never know.  I've thought about deleting the full size spare on the back of our Jeep, but then last summer she ended up with a 3/8 x 3" carriage bolt in the passenger rear.

[Creekrat]

It’s also a good idea to either remove the tires or store the trailer on blocks with the tires off the ground when you’ll be storing it for a while

[cowwboy]

19 hours ago, Michigan boarder said:

Makes sense, you simply never know.  I've thought about deleting the full size spare on the back of our Jeep, but then last summer she ended up with a 3/8 x 3" carriage bolt in the passenger rear.

When I worked at Hibdons(tire store) in high school I once saw a brake pad through the bottom of a tire. Still don't know how it got kicked up onto its side to go through the tire but it did. 

[FatGoldChain]

I had a very similar story with my first boat purchase.  Living in San Antonio at the time went up to Austin to purchase a used 2007 Vride, boat was in excellent condition price was great, paid ZERO attention to the trailer.  That was a mistake. 

Made it literally 3 miles from the guy I purchased from's house and had a blow out on the freeway.  Pulled over and took notice that A) had no spare   B) had no Jack big enough to lift  C) Tire Iron I had for my sequoia did not fit the lugs  D) 2 of the remaining 3 tires that were inflated were old and cracked. 

I had my wife with me (luckily not daughter also) and she wasn't nearly as calm as your was More like  beyond upset. Left me with calling and doing everything (which is fine she is not good in those situations).  

Called the original boat owner and to my surprise he felt bad and was willing to help, between him going to get me a spare from Tractor Supply and a Tow Truck guy who happened to be towing another car just up the road stopped (because he thought i was the one that called) let me borrow his Jack and Tire Iron and a whopping 3 or more hours later we were back on the road. Albeit with a spare not correct size and two real questionable tires. 

After a tire store visit on my way home with another 1.5 hour wait I was all fixed up.  

 

THEN I took a closer look at the trailer.... Rust everywhere, chunks of rusted metal flaking off the bunk supports, holes in the bottom of the trailer frame tubes, missing wheel bearing caps, no grease in the bearings, rusted wheel jack , and water in the brake fluid reservoir. Then to top it off I learned my winch was nothing short of Sh*t. 

I won't even get into the story of what I did to replace the trailer...

 

 

Moral of the story... check the trailer and be prepared!

 

[Michigan boarder]

I had a guy drive 7 hours to buy my 454 Echelon.  The night before, getting it ready for a water test, I run my hand over the tire which had full tread, and found really, really bad cupping/raised tread on the inside.  So, I went ahead and put two new tires on it, I knew he'd likely get a few hours from me and have bad stuff happen.  Which would put him in Chicago at the time, great place to be on the shoulder broken down.  The spare had never been used, still had the white stripe on the tread.  I ate the cost of them, but there was no way I could feel right seeing someone pull out of my driveway with a set up for a failure.

[Nathanvg]

While all tires rot with age, limited use must be a big factor also.  I typically use my trailer only to get the boat out/in for the season and only drive a couple of miles.  I have done a few 25 mile trips over the years.  The rest of the time, the trailer is in the barn.  Tires are 18 years old and still look brand new.  They probably wont last to much longer but with such limited use, maybe they will.

[minnmarker]

49 minutes ago, Nathanvg said:

While all tires rot with age, limited use must be a big factor also.  I typically use my trailer only to get the boat out/in for the season and only drive a couple of miles.  I have done a few 25 mile trips over the years.  The rest of the time, the trailer is in the barn.  Tires are 18 years old and still look brand new.  They probably wont last to much longer but with such limited use, maybe they will.

Pretty much the same for me.  14 years and still looking good. Hold air all winter too.

[Falko]

Older tires seemed to last longer than newer ones. My last boat had 11 year old tires when I finally changed them due to paranoia. They still looked fine and had a little cracking, nothing major though.

[Michigan boarder]

28 minutes ago, Falko said:

Older tires seemed to last longer than newer ones. My last boat had 11 year old tires when I finally changed them due to paranoia. They still looked fine and had a little cracking, nothing major though.

Actually that right there is kinda major!