Tire Wear

During my last trip cross country with Terry trailer talk came up. Interesting topic. To get better ride/tow and longer last from brake parts and tires, have all the wheels and tires ballanced, and watch to be sure the lugs are torqued properly and the same. Makes a lot of sense. Don't just twist them down till they and you make weird noises. Torque wrenches work.

From there, make sure once the rig is all hooked up, check to make sure the trailer frame is level front to rear. I could never achieve this with the original trailer that came with my TC24. From there, getting the axles in the correct spot for proper weight distribution, and check the axle alignment. Some one may have had the trailer set up wrong at one time, and just moved the axles as best they could right then and not alligned the axles, or not even taken the time for a simple measurment.

Then, keep the tires aired properly.

One of the neatest tools/toys I bought for my hauling days is a temp laser gizmo. No more dirty hands to "feel" if the tires, hubs are hot...I get instant digital temp readings in seconds. And, the cats love it too.

This trailer also has the "Super Lube" bearing lubrication system, and warns of mixing different "base complex" type greases. Factory used lithium basy type. A whole page insert in the "owners envelope" on this. Interesting read, and warns of over filling and excess coming out the back and getting on brake components and wearing them out prematurely.

I have about 5,000 miles on my trailer and no aparent tire wear at all....but one hub that will not hold the buddy bearing cover. It is going to the spare rack. I have a King KRT8600B3VR, triple axle.

Often trailers are after thoughts, and not looked at as 1/3 of a proper rig. Tow vehicle, boat, trailer. We often focus on the first two. Then, on this topic, take a look in your owners manual for your tow vehicle. I have just received an education on this. I have a 2005 Excursion, F250 Heavy Duty vehicle, with anything Mr. Ford makes for towing on it. Les Lampman and Roger Johnson & Terry Myers gave me an education on weight distribution packages. Now, in my trucks owners manuals, just like most of yours I would bet.... 6,000 pounds is a magic number.

I was shocked. No, I had not taken the time. My bad. Just when I thought I had been trailering and hauling all my boats... I was back in the first grade!! This, took me to why not to have manual surge brakes on a heavier rig. My trailer is electric over hydralic.

Good topic Bob, and I feel sure you will find your tire issue.
 
Just a thought. The E-Z loader trailer came with 15" wheels. Since our trailer and boat, sans fluids, weighed in at 8000# I would think that towing a C25 with 14" wheels is marginal. The load rating on those tires is 2200# ea, at about 70 psi. I put about 60 psi in, because the interstates are so chewed up, and I want a softer ride. After about 10,000 miles, no wear.

You might discuss that with the dealer, and see how much a change to 15" wheels costs: fenders, rims, etc. Or try Midnight Auto Supply, open all night.

Boris
 
I had questioned the 14" wheels when the trailer was delivered-and told they were plenty--it may well be an issue--espeically since the trailer builder and trailer are 2300 miles apart! The 15" tires I could find only would hold about 80 more lbs per tire--there may be some which are higher capacity. But I was told that to really get the capacity we needed to go to 16" wheels, as I have in the Tom Cat.

The trailer was not quite level (about an inch down in front, with my excursion, but is level with my son's explorer--he has 17" wheels, I have 16" wheels on the truck). The new tires and wheels are balanced and torqued. No problem with the bearings--and I also have been using a lasser therometer for about 3 years--allways the tires and bearings have been cool--less than 100 degrees, even in the desert traveling.

How many of the CD 25's have trailers with 15" wheels--and what is your capacity?

(My CD 22 had 13" wheels, and no problems).

Thanks
 
Well, Bob, I've been to the Chula Vista marine swap meet this morning. Sold everything at 6 am out of the truck: Avon inflatable & life raft, CQR anchor, Baja funnel, etc. Out of there by 8 am, no longer a true cruiser. Then I planted a new tangerine to replace the one the gophers got. Now I finally read your post, and made a special trip DOWN to the boat and UP to the house. Since we live on a 30 deg hill, you owe me one.

From the tire sidewall:

Goodyear Trailer Radials
ST225-75-15
Load capacity: 2540@ 65 psi (cold)

I submit that's >10,000 lbs gross capacity, less the tongue weight. In my case ~800 lbs, and don't ask. They should do it for a C-25.

Boris
 
Boris,
Drop by the house, and I'll buy you a cold one! Thanks!!

Congratulations of selling all of the "Stuff". Interesting. I had asked origionally about Good Year Marathon trailer tires and told it would be $900 moreo--no credit for the standard tires....now I wonder if they could have been the 15" with this capacity!

Edit: after reading the "opinions" of GoodYear Marathons--I wonder if this is really a good tire--lots of negatives. The 15" D range does have the 2450 capacity--most of the other 15" tires are 1860 # load rating. The conversion would not be cheap--about $1500--vs $350 to buy a set of 4 new radials in the 14" size as I just did. I suspect there are relitatively few boaters who trailer 5000 miles a year. On the other hand we put about 12,000 miles on the 22 with no problems.

Thanks again--and probably this is the way to go, if it is possiable...I may take the trailer to Pacific Trailer in Dec when I am out and get their opinion. At this time I am pressed for time--and the trialer will only be taken 2 miles from storage to the ramp in the mean time.

Regards,

Bob
 
Well, Bob, UCLA is trying to prove it's worse than Notre Dame, and USC is trying to give the game to Stanford, so I'll calm by continuing this conversation.

First, I read in some post on C-Brats that the Goodyear Marathon were the only way to go, the person had tried another brand, and had to switch back. Never-the-less, I have 2 ea sets of them; one on the travel trailer and one on the boat trailer, for a total of 8. Both sets came with the trailers. Not a bit of trouble in the last 10 years for the travel part, and so far not a bit of trouble in 2 years for the boat. Probably around 10K miles on each. Both sit in the sun all day (i.e., I don't cover them.)

Second, I also looked at the 225-15 Bridgestones on the 1/2 ton: 1875 lbs ea. They're Desert Duelers, whatever that means, certainly not a truck tyre.. Any load range D 225-15 should have a rating around 2000 lbs.

Since you already have new tyres, the only point to this conversation, if if anybody buys a C-25, they'll insist on 15" wheels. Good luck with your new tyres.

Boris
 
Boris,
Thanks--we will see what happens with the new tires. Ironically, I had ordered the "Best" and the "next to best" came in the next day...so I went with the ones which were there.
 
Brigner/C-Pearl: Go out in your driveway and see what size tires are on your trailer under your newly waxed shinnnnnnny :hot :hot boat. That is if you can move after shinning for a couple of days. :mrgreen: :thup

Bob: Looking forward to seeing you and Marie again soon at the Gulf Gathering.

I will be in the area the week prior. Be carefule when you pass Bill & Brenda. His new pace maker has a 3 speed.

Byrdman
 
We know all about multi speed pacemakers--Marie has had hers since 1980--that is a series since then....and crossed several oceans with the pacemakers.

If Marie gets too fiesty, I have the tools and turn the pacemaker down....
 
I had to go to a frame and axel shop on my new pacific trailer It was more1 year before I began to see bad ware on back to tires 300 plus ok now J Salvamoser
 
I just returned from the Annapolis Power Boat Show. While there we saw that Dave's Trailers of Glen Burnie was present and I recognized one of the staff at the booth. Dave's Trailers is an incredibly well thought of trailer dealer in our area.

I described the problem Bob had with his tires. He responded by pointing to the tires of some of the empty trailers on display and asked if I noticed the slight cantilevered effect where the tops of the tires were leaning slightly outward. I thought I could see this but it was barely discernable. He then said when you load the boat on the trailer, the weight is sufficient to eliminate the cantilevered effect and cause the tires to be vertical. He added that if the weight is too much for the trailer, the tires will cantilever such that the tops are leaning inward. That would cause the tire wear I had described to him.

He added he was quite sure the problem was not caused by the tires.

Bill
Edgewater, MD
 
Bill,
This sounds very logical--I am going to copy this and give it to the trailer dealer. I purchased thru a fellow who sells trailers on the side. The first one I purchased was built somewhere in S. Florida--probably an ACE. This one is a "Starlight" built locally. There is a torsion spring axel--and this cantaleaver effect is certainly critical--and putting on larger capacity tires might not rectify it.

Were these leaf spring axels or torsion springs at the ones at the boat show? Ovbiously there is a lot more to building a trailer than just attatching axels to alunimum I beams....

Regards,

Bob Austin
 
I didn't notice how his trailers were sprung. My trailer, a Load-Rite aluminum roller trailer, uses torsion springs. The specs on my trailer have it with a weight of 1200 pounds.

I'm a legend at Dave's Trailers having been rear ended towing the boat back from their shop last November. When that incident is described, they all know who I am.

It might well be they wouldn't mind giving you an opinion over the phone if that would be helpful. Dave's staff is all great but Dave himself is the soul of that shop. People come from as far away as Florida to buy their trailers there and then have the new trailer fitted to their boat.

Bill
Edgewater, MD
 
Me thinks I should have purchased my trailer at Dave's--and if I remember correctly Bill had suggested that. (unfortunately after I had ordered the trailer locally). I'll see how it plays out, and then start calling. I have the "ace in the hole" of taking the boat and trailer to Pacific Trailers in Dec. if I haven't solved the problem by then.

Thanks,
 
Bob,

A few years ago we ran into a Very similar problem (uneven, hyper-tire-wear after only 5K miles). We checked with the trailer manufacturer and found that with tandem axle trailers, having the whole rig level was extremely important. (That...and using radial tires would greatly extend tire life.)

The rationale is that if the trailer is out-of-level by more than 1/2" overall, either the front axle tires or back axle tires will be unevenly/improperly loaded. I did some measurements (and changed to radials) and the problem has been solved.

The solution involved taking measurements of the trailer (both fore and aft end of the frame) until I could determine "level." (Yes, I used a contractor level as well, but found actual measurements to be more exact.) I then hooked-up the boat to the truck to recalculate the amount the tongue weight caused the truck to "squat." Using this data, I then was able to calculate how much of a "rise/drop" I needed in the hitch-coupler (ie. 2/3/4 inches) to bring the whole rig back to level WHEN LOADED ON THE TRUCK.

Easier to DO than describe.

I suspect this may very well solve your problem.

Best,
Casey
C-Dory Naknek
 
Casey--excellent idea. I have switched to radials. I suspect that the next hitch I get for my Excursion will be an adjustable one--not sure about 1/4" incriments though...I left my hitch with my son, and his truck is about an inch higher than mine (larger tires)--and it definately is closer to being level.

Of course one of the problems we ran into is that the truck/trailer were level when we got the hitch. Then we loaded the truck and trailer for a month trip--including an air compressor and generator, plus a lot of other boating gear which my son will use--and the truck rear came down another inch or so. (still had springs, but maybe air bags would help here, or an equalizer hitch, as Byrdman suggested).

Anyway the dealer picked up the tires today and they are going to the trailer builder and get his impression.

Good thoughts and thanks!
 
Roger,
The trailer dealer (D K Trailers) in Pensacola, and builder in Milton's conclusion was that having the trailer out of level was the cause. It was only a few degrees. This next summer for the long road trip, there will be a level on the trailer tongue to be sure it is level when hooked up. I am getting an adjustable hitch.

The trailer is used weekly, but the distance which it is run in S. Calif. is only about 5 miles round trip. So far, no evidence of trailer tire wear--but this is not a valid test.

I probably will take the trailer to either Pacific or Trail-rite in S. Calif when I go back out there in March and get their opinion.

My local dealer was fairly responsive, but I think that since I was comparing several builders, that he may have speced lighter components than I should have had in retrospect. Of course the problem was compounded by my buying the trailer in Pensacola and leaving it in S. Calif.
 
Ok guys see what you can make of this. I have a two axle trailer with 22 c-dory on it. Its three years old and has untold miles on it. Lots of trips to the san juans, several to the big c, twice to B.C. on the fairy, and lots to the local ramp. Only one tire, the front right(passanger) is almost bald. Now every time I pull the boat out of the drive way I have to turn to the left and go to the end of a cul-d-sac to turn around counter clock wise. so is their something wrong with the set up of the trailer or is that tire getting dragged more then the others? My next question is about balance. If I weight the tounge and find, as I suspect, that its a little front heavy. Should I move the boat and wench or should I move the axles?
 
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