Trailer Tires

[CarveItUp228]

OK, let's talk tires!

 

I searched the forum and was surprised to not find anything about tires.

 

My trailer came with the boat and best I can tell it is constructed by Malibu. I have a 2018 21VLX with 700 hours on it and a decent amount of towing done (roughly 18 2-hr road trips plus the returns, and then 15min trips to local ramps times, say, 100). Although that said, I was a bit surprised last summer when one of the wheels basically fell off the trailer, but that is another story.

 

I need to replace at least two of the tires. They are Trailer King ST 215/75 R14. Should I stay with this brand, even though I have not been impressed with the durability? Or are there better tires out there for me to consider? One of my tires is bald, so that one needs replacing for sure. And assuming I want to keep the same type of tires on a given axle, I figures I would also replace the second-worst tire and put those two new ones on one axle, and move whatever is best from those two to the spare position.

 

With the wheels off, and perhaps the boat "up on blocks," I want to check the wheel bearings. I will check for a thread on that as well.

 

Thanks

 

 

[Nick55]

Goodyear Endurance is the benchmark in my opinion.  
However, I also have Carlisle radials on a couple of my trailers and have had good luck with them.  I order through Discount Tire and they will price match (Walmart has been cheaper).  Personally, I’d recommend you check bearings and repack the hubs (or refill the wet hubs if that’s what you’ve got) as well.  It’s also a good time to flush the brake fluid out too. 

[csleaver]

Trailer tires should be replaced every 5-6 years, so it is very likely that the tires on a 2018 trailer are about due for replacement.  Each tire will have a 4 digit number embossed on one side, near the rim bead, with the week and year of manufacture.  For example, "0618" tires were manufactured in February of 2018.

[RyanB]

Another vote for Endurance. I got rid of the OEM junk Chinese tires on my LSV and went with Endurance - and had a noticeable improvement in the way the trailer tows. I tow a lot (distance and frequency) and have had my share of problems with other brands. I changed in around 2016 to Endurance and knock on wood, no troubles since. 
 

A couple other notes. If you have a single tire that is bald, you may very well have trouble with your axle. Torsion axles are not as robust as the old style. And manufacturers are notorious for putting under rated tires on their trailer. My trailer has two 3500 pound axles and a 7000 pound GVWR. I’ve had the boat and trailer on a scale and it is right at that 7000 pounds. 
 

Also, you can ignore the misleading sticker about the Vault bearings on the trailer. Despite what it says, they are not maintenance free. They need to be inspected and adjusted annually (or twice a year if you tow as much as I do). 

[GaleK]

Yep, Goodyear, change them out every 5 or 6 years regardless of if you think they are ok or not. Ask me how I know! Usually trailer tires die from old age and not getting worn out.

Made in US, great tires.

[Hemmy]

@RyanB @Nick55 Where are you taking your trailers to get tires changed and Vault bearings inspected?  Is this a tire shop or more of a trailer shop or are you doing this yourself?  I am over 6 years on my factory original tires.

[dalt1]

Last 20 years I never got over 4 years out of any set of mine. Had Good year, Carlilse, Trailer King, And another I can't remember. Running these now. Expect  they will out live any ST tire.

[Nick55]

I did mine in my garage (I’ve been blessed with a past career of being an automotive technician and my wife acquired a garage full of tools when she married me).  If you are even the least bit handy or willing to learn, YouTube does have a load of videos that can walk you through how to do this.  It doesn’t even have to be a boat trailer, to be honest, brakes are brakes, and hubs are hubs, whether a car, trailer, or whatever.  I don’t have Vault hubs so I can’t comment on their maintenance but I know you can find any specific procedures online.  Almost all small (not a semi tractor trailer) trailers have Dexter or UFP axles/hubs (Dexter now owns UFP) and there is technical info available there as well as on Etrailer.com

e-Trailer Resource Library (videos, hints, tips, and articles)  

https://www.etrailer.com/info.aspx

Complete axle service manual (all 600-8000lb axles)

https://www.dexteraxle.com/user_area/content_media/raw/LDServiceOnline.pdf

Hub repair instructions

https://www.dexteraxle.com/user_area/content_media/raw/059-831-00_HubDrumBearingInstructionSheet.pdf

Dexter/UFP resource center library
https://www.dexteraxle.com/Resources/Information-Center/?type=70

 

For tools, you don't need Snap-On or anything crazy.  Actually, Harbor Freight has stepped up their game in the last 10 years and you can get reasonable tools for decent prices there.  They have just about everything you'd need, from drain pans/trays, to grease guns and lube storage, to brake tools.  I keep a specific grease gun and a wheel bearing packer loaded with the waterproof trailer bearing grease but you can hand pack a bearing too (it's just messy). Join their email list, they often have coupons, and for a big purchase, it might be worth the $30 to join their "Inside Track" club for discounts.  

This is a pretty good video on how to adjust trailer bearings.  

 

And as always, if you need some help and you're local to me, hit me up, I'm always willing to help guide someone on their path to DIY maintenance.  

Edited February 7 by Nick55

[EchelonMike]

Had my first blowout towing in 25+ years of owning a boat in 2020.  Luckily, my karma cup was full and the blowout happened about 10 miles from a goodyear tire store who happened to be fully stocked with Goodyear trailer tires.  I was able to limp down back roads at 35 MPH on 3 tires to the store.

The boat/trailer was a 2008 and trailer tires were original when it happened to me in 2020.  That is serious lifespan, LOL.  The factory tires from Boatmate were the ST's.  Given how long they lasted before one blew, I can't say bad things about them.  I had zero issues with the Goodyears from 2020 until we sold the boat last year.

As far as trailer tire life goes, I will say that if you keep the boat inside, and you obsess about tire pressures like I do, you can get a lot of life out of them.  My new credo is to have a spare, and when one goes, I will replace all 4...because the others are probably coming up next.

Note that many tire stores won't change tires on a trailer.  You have to remove the tires/wheels and take them to the shop.  That is a pain, but also a good time to service bearings and hubs.  

My vote is ST or Goodyear based on my experience, and keep them out of the sun and with the recommended cold PSI settings to get long life from them.  Good luck!

 

 

[Stevo]

1 hour ago, Hemmy said:

@RyanB @Nick55 Where are you taking your trailers to get tires changed and Vault bearings inspected?  Is this a tire shop or more of a trailer shop or are you doing this yourself?  I am over 6 years on my factory original tires.

Fairly easy to DIY, I’ll see if I can dig up the YouTube I watched a few years ago,

tools needed are simple, PVC collar the same diameter of the cap, wood block, mallet, Dexter grease,

basically the black cap should protrude out and when you depress it inward it should push back out , if it doesn’t you should pop the cap off , inspect the level of grease and bearings if any signs of wear. Refill the cap and re assemble. Carefull not to over fill as you can cause the grease to burst through the seals and sling everywhere causing a mess.

I believe the factory over filled several of mine as shortly after delivery I had freeze slung on the inside of 3 wheels after the first few tows. I thought it was bad rear bearing seals but it turns out that were too full of grease and it squeezed out under pressure once the grease/oil heats up.

[CarveItUp228]

Wow, great input on this thread, thank you!

 

Tires

So it looks like I will give the Goodyear Endurance a try then. I have reached out to a few shops to see if I can bring the wheels and new tires to them and have them do the change. I suppose I should use some jack stands to hold up the boat. Anyone have a suggestion on good jack stands for boats and where they place them?

 

I see the Goodyears on Amazon for $150/tire, which is about twice the price of some of the other tires. But if they last longer, that is worth it.

https://www.amazon.com/Goodyear-724865519-Endurance-Trailer-Tire/dp/B076B3PB8F/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1P03WYQ3ACPI&keywords=215+75+r14+trailer+tires+Goodyear+Endurance&qid=1707274478&sprefix=215+75+r14+trailer+tires+goodyear+enduranc%2Caps%2C141&sr=8-1&ufe=app_do%3Aamzn1.fos.f5122f16-c3e8-4386-bf32-63e904010ad0

 

When I add up my mileage over 6 years, I am thinking it is well under 10K miles on these tires. And the boat is kept in a garage, so sun damage should be minimal. Seems like not alot of miles. Certainly not the 50K I get on truck tires. But alas, it is for a boat, and so I realize that makes a big difference. I know that trailering, launching, and all that turning to get into the garage can certainly wear down some tires. With two axles, there can be some sliding when turning. Or maybe my driving sucks? But it doesn't show on the truck tires, so, hmmm. 

 

The below pic is the worst of the 5 tires, by far. This was not the one on the failed axle side. The other four still have decent tread.

 

Hubs/Axles

My hubs are the "Dexter Vault" variety. The manual says not to mess with them for the first 5 years.

 

At year 5.5 (I was going to service the hubs that fall), I had the bearings fail on me and the heat destroyed the axle on that side.

 

I had to limp back on 3 wheels and have the axle on that side replaced ("Z axle").

So yes, I am going to start inspecting them, probably every year.

Here is what the manual says:

 

 

 

So where do you get this special "oil/grease" (Hybrid Oil)? How do you set the torque? How does one pressurize the chamber?

 

Again, thanks for all the great guidance here. I hope this will ultimately help dozens of Malibu owners.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 7 by CarveItUp228

[REHinH20]

I've seen too many trailers that have a bent axle or wheel that causes very poor tire wear.  It's pretty easy to catch a curb or worse and not think too much about it because the jolt on the tow vehicle doesn't feel "too bad".  For anyone that doesn't feel they are getting correct wear from their tires, please consider that it could be something other than the tires.  A good shop can make sure the axles are aligned correctly and that everything is as it should be.  One shop bill isn't bad when you consider what you could be out if there is a problem that hasn't been diagnosed.  I'm not saying that some trailer tires aren't necessarily an issue, because I've seen some bad ones - just throwing out something else to think about.

[RyanB]

3 hours ago, Hemmy said:

@RyanB @Nick55 Where are you taking your trailers to get tires changed and Vault bearings inspected?  Is this a tire shop or more of a trailer shop or are you doing this yourself?  I am over 6 years on my factory original tires.

I buy tires at Discount Tire.  They will service the trailer without me taking them off.

I have a relationship with a mobile trailer technician.  I always seem to have at least 3 trailers, so he comes to the house every other spring to do wheel bearings and brakes.  He is the one that swapped my Bu trailer form surge to electric brakes, and he has replaced axles on both my boat trailers.  A good guy to know.

2 hours ago, EchelonMike said:

As far as trailer tire life goes, I will say that if you keep the boat inside, and you obsess about tire pressures like I do, you can get a lot of life out of them.  My new credo is to have a spare, and when one goes, I will replace all 4...because the others are probably coming up next.

My personal experience is that isn’t something I would recommend.  My trailers are garaged.  I check tire pressure before every trip.   And have had more than one tread separation.  The reality is that one tread separation at interstate speeds will do more damage to your trailer than if you would have just replaced the tires on a schedule (I got 5 years out of my last Endurance before they needed replaced due to tread-wear).

 

51 minutes ago, CarveItUp228 said:

 

Wow, great input on this thread, thank you!

 

Tires

So it looks like I will give the Goodyear Endurance a try then. I have reached out to a few shops to see if I can bring the wheels and new tires to them and have them do the change. I suppose I should use some jack stands to hold up the boat. Anyone have a suggestion on good jack stands for boats and where they place them?

 

I see the Goodyears on Amazon for $150/tire, which is about twice the price of some of the other tires. But if they last longer, that is worth it.

https://www.amazon.com/Goodyear-724865519-Endurance-Trailer-Tire/dp/B076B3PB8F/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1P03WYQ3ACPI&keywords=215+75+r14+trailer+tires+Goodyear+Endurance&qid=1707274478&sprefix=215+75+r14+trailer+tires+goodyear+enduranc%2Caps%2C141&sr=8-1&ufe=app_do%3Aamzn1.fos.f5122f16-c3e8-4386-bf32-63e904010ad0

 

When I add up my mileage over 6 years, I am thinking it is well under 10K miles on these tires. And the boat is kept in a garage, so sun damage should be minimal. Seems like not alot of miles. Certainly not the 50K I get on truck tires. But alas, it is for a boat, and so I realize that makes a big difference. I know that trailering, launching, and all that turning to get into the garage can certainly wear down some tires. With two axles, there can be some sliding when turning. Or maybe my driving sucks? But it doesn't show on the truck tires, so, hmmm. 

 

The below pic is the worst of the 5 tires, by far. This was not the one on the failed axle side. The other four still have decent tread.

 

Hubs/Axles

My hubs are the "Dexter Vault" variety. The manual says not to mess with them for the first 5 years

 

Read the fine print.  You need to inspect and adjust Vaults annually.  I went rounds with them on a warranty claim, so I know this for a fact.  And that tire looks like an axle issue.  Been through that as well.

[Michigan boarder]

My tires have a DOT date of 2013 on them.  I only trailer twice a year, once out of storage and once back, but a tire failure would be such a mess to deal with.  So I'm following this too.

[solorex]

1 hour ago, Michigan boarder said:

My tires have a DOT date of 2013 on them.  I only trailer twice a year, once out of storage and once back, but a tire failure would be such a mess to deal with.  So I'm following this too.

I'm in the same "boat" as you... I trailer twice per year.  Once in the spring, once in the fall... my tires are ancient.

[justgary]

The easy test for trailer alignment is to measure from each spindle to the center of the hitch.  Both sides should be the same.

[Nick55]

@CarveItUp228

I would seriously look at tire pressures on a regular basis.  It should be part of your pre-trip inspection every time you take your trailer. Torsion axles are great for ride quality but they are sensitive to load on each side as well as front and rear axles on tandem/tridem setups.  The trailer MUST be level and torsion axles clocked the same (there’s info on that in the links I provided above) or you will be overloading one axle and that will increase tire temps/wear.  
 

Another sanity check is use a thermal gun and check hub temps after towing for a little while and make that routine.  You can detect low lube, brake issues, and tire issues before they become catastrophic.  

[EchelonMike]

2 hours ago, RyanB said:

My personal experience is that isn’t something I would recommend.  My trailers are garaged.  I check tire pressure before every trip.   And have had more than one tread separation.  The reality is that one tread separation at interstate speeds will do more damage to your trailer than if you would have just replaced the tires on a schedule (I got 5 years out of my last Endurance before they needed replaced due to tread-wear).

My blowout had the tire maintain it's shape for the most part, so it did not damage the fender when it decided to explode.  The pic below makes it look like the tire was bald, but in reality the one that blew looked like the rear one as far as tread wear.  No dry rot or cracking, even treadwear, held air for months on end, etc.   If you tow 10K miles a year, through remote areas, and go fast in hot areas of the country, it might make sense to replace the tires every 4-5 years, even if they look new.  For the way I tow, where I tow, and the miles I tow, that would be a giant waste of money.  

Just got a new 2023 Malibu trailer for my 2022 23 LSV.  Not loving the track record of the Vault set-up.  The oil bath hubs were super easy to service and gave me zero headaches...

[RyanB]

@EchelonMike to each their own. Even if I didn’t tow a lot I wouldn’t go more than 7 years on a set of tires. I’ve seen how much damage a tread separation (when it still attached to the tire for at least a while) can do to both the boat and trailer. If beats the snot out of your trailer and boat. 
 

But I’d also say I’m in the minority here. It seems like most people don’t keep their boats more than 7 years (just an observation not a judgement). 

[Stevo]

+1 for tire pressure, tire pressure, tire pressure 

as far as the vault/dexter hubs, here is the hybrid grease/oil.

https://www.etrailer.com/Lubricants-Sealants-Adhesives/Dexter/DX94TR.html?feed=npn&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiA8YyuBhBSEiwA5R3-E6LNiGdmCQfi3wfwCa4v6OTuxjP3va408GU26TwH8iGTCdEdNfmTsBoChIUQAvD_BwE  I have gotten replacement parts on etrailer 

The pressure comes from filling the cap to the recommended level and using the PVC coupler and wood block I mentioned above hammered into place sealing the hub. There is an install PDF floating around this site as well as the internet https://www.loadrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/The-VAULT-Filling-Inst-07-02-15.psd.pdf

[CarveItUp228]

On 2/7/2024 at 6:45 PM, Stevo said:

+1 for tire pressure, tire pressure, tire pressure 

as far as the vault/dexter hubs, here is the hybrid grease/oil.

https://www.etrailer.com/Lubricants-Sealants-Adhesives/Dexter/DX94TR.html?feed=npn&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiA8YyuBhBSEiwA5R3-E6LNiGdmCQfi3wfwCa4v6OTuxjP3va408GU26TwH8iGTCdEdNfmTsBoChIUQAvD_BwE  I have gotten replacement parts on etrailer 

The pressure comes from filling the cap to the recommended level and using the PVC coupler and wood block I mentioned above hammered into place sealing the hub. There is an install PDF floating around this site as well as the internet https://www.loadrite.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/The-VAULT-Filling-Inst-07-02-15.psd.pdf

 

Thanks Stevo. Is one of those tubes of grease enough for all four hubs?

Do you replace your bearings on a schedule or only if there are signs they need to be changed? My understanding is the test is to jack up that side to wheel off ground, and then pull on wheel at top to see how much movement you get...more than 1/8 an inch and time to replace bearings?

 

 

[CarveItUp228]

Also, is there in easy way to know what bearings you need for your trailer? Or is it generally, pull them out and get the numbers off them and then place an order?

 

Thanks

 

[Stevo]

3 hours ago, CarveItUp228 said:

 

Thanks Stevo. Is one of those tubes of grease enough for all four hubs?

Do you replace your bearings on a schedule or only if there are signs they need to be changed? My understanding is the test is to jack up that side to wheel off ground, and then pull on wheel at top to see how much movement you get...more than 1/8 an inch and time to replace bearings?

 

 

I’ve been fortunate enough to replace my boat before having to replace my trailer bearings, but we do tow a fair amount and I try to keep a watchful eye on the trailer, I keep an IR thermometer gun in my driver door and check hub temps when we have a fuel up or bathroom break.

nothing can ruin a trip faster than a trailer problem mid tow to a week long houseboat trip.

yes that tube should be enough, but if you are swapping bearings on all 6 hubs of a Tri axle, I’d get another tube.

[Nick55]

5 hours ago, CarveItUp228 said:

Also, is there in easy way to know what bearings you need for your trailer? Or is it generally, pull them out and get the numbers off them and then place an order?

 

Thanks

 

The Dexter service manuals I linked above https://www.dexteraxle.com/user_area/content_media/raw/LDServiceOnline.pdf will walk you through most all of this.  The hub section starts on page 49.  The inner race will have numbers on them that can be cross referenced both online as well as at stores like Napa.  You DON'T have to buy Dexter parts, but I tend to not buy the cheapest..... Typically, all bearings for a specific size axle (ie: 3500lb) will have the same size bearings and seals.  FYI, etrailer sells a complete hub bearing kit for less than $20 a wheel. Here's an example for the 3500lb axles. https://www.etrailer.com/Trailer-Bearings-Races-Seals-Caps/etrailer/BK2-100.html

As for determining when to replace vs adjust, that's really an inspection.  I look for signs of wear like galling, pitting and rust.  If I see any of that, the bearings go in the garbage.  If they get serviced with grease, they get checked for adjustment and reset if needed. It's not so much a science, but a trial and error learning curve.  Follow the published directions and you'll be fine.

If you are repacking your Vault hubs, I'd start with two tubes.  

 

 

'

[justgary]

9 hours ago, CarveItUp228 said:

 

Thanks Stevo. Is one of those tubes of grease enough for all four hubs?

Do you replace your bearings on a schedule or only if there are signs they need to be changed? My understanding is the test is to jack up that side to wheel off ground, and then pull on wheel at top to see how much movement you get...more than 1/8 an inch and time to replace bearings?

1/8" is way too much in my opinion.  I like the wheel to turn freely (make sure the brake is not dragging) and have no appreciable free play when I rather forcefully try to rock it top and bottom and side to side.  A little play is OK, but I don't like much.

I usually adjust the bearing preload by tightening the nut until the bearings fully bind, then back off the nut for free rotation and no free play.  If I don't tighten all the way and then back off, I find that the bearings are too loose after the first use.

As for temperature checks, no need for a temp gun.  I put my palm on the tread, then the sidewall, then the hub at every fuel stop.  Each should be warm but not hot.