Trailer tires

[215explorer]

Looking for advice on trailer tire sizes and brands you trailer guys have had success with. I'm blowing tires that are only 2 years old. I have a 21' Aquasport 215 Explorer and a 21' Venture duel axel trailer with brakes with 14" rims. I'm using ST 205 75 D14 tires. The boat weighs about 5,000 lbs. including motor, gear and fuel. I bought this package used 8 years ago so I can only assume the tire size was correct to start. I heard if I go to 15" rims and a 225 tire. I should eliminate all my problems. Open to suggestions.

[Hardbound]

Looking for advice on trailer tire sizes and brands you trailer guys have had success with. I'm blowing tires that are only 2 years old. I have a 21' Aquasport 215 Explorer and a 21' Venture duel axel trailer with brakes with 14" rims. I'm using ST 205 75 D14 tires. The boat weighs about 5,000 lbs. including motor, gear and fuel. I bought this package used 8 years ago so I can only assume the tire size was correct to start. I heard if I go to 15" rims and a 225 tire. I should eliminate all my problems. Open to suggestions.

I would try to find an E load range tire . Have had plenty of tire problems my self

[BUDC]

If your trailer is one of the torsion sprung axle sets, it is very important to have the trailer frame as level on the hitch as you can get it to distribute the load equally on each axle. Boggie axle sets are a little more tolerant than the torsion set.
That said, as Hardbound mentioned make sure your tires are rated at least for the weight you are carrying -- including the weight of the trailer. A level trailer frame on the hitch, tires specific for trailers, rated for the load and at their rated pressure should cure your problems. 14" or 15" is taken care of by the capacity on the tires, so in this case Size doesn't matter.

Good luck!
budc

[Seahunter]

I have the same size tires on my rig which runs at least #1000 more than yours so it's likely not a load related problem.

First thing, make sure your rig is setup properly as BUDC stated. After that I would get rid of the bias ply tires and go radial tires. I'm going on year 5 on my tires. I got 7 years out of the last set before I replaced them out of general principal.

[215explorer]

Thanks Guys, The trailer is level and I'm having 4 new radials installed this afternoon. I'm going up one tire size to a 215 to handle the weight.

[Grady23]

Which tires are your having a problem with?? If it's the front then the front axle(s) are carrying too much weight and the boat needs to be back some on the trailer. THe same would be true if it's the rear. I doubt that it's the rear because you would be seeing problems with the rig swaying at speeds around 50-60+ MPH. Maybe even lower if the overload is severe.

[Sea Gristle]

Curious, usually posts like this start with brand quality. Are they Carlisle by any chance?

[Hardbound]

Sea Grisle funny you mentioned Carlise Tires I have probelms with them . Heard have there share of design flaws.

[Sea Gristle]

I went to get Goodyear marathons (Many TFer's spoke highly of them and had warned me about Carlisles) but my tire guy talked me out of them, said he had Carlisles on his trailer never had a problem. Don't think I had 500 miles on them, developed a HUGE bulge on the inside sidewall just sitting in the back yard! Luckily I spotted it before I started driving, probably wouldn't have gotten very far. No more Carlisle for me.

[Seahunter]

I went to get Goodyear marathons (Many TFer's spoke highly of them and had warned me about Carlisles) but my tire guy talked me out of them, said he had Carlisles on his trailer never had a problem. Don't think I had 500 miles on them, developed a HUGE bulge on the inside sidewall just sitting in the back yard! Luckily I spotted it before I started driving, probably wouldn't have gotten very far. No more Carlisle for me.

Goodyear released a service bulletin on the Marathons. States that you need to increase the tire pressure 10 psi if running above 65 mph. A lot of guys are not making the necessary adjustments then blaming the failures on Chinese junk tires.

http://www.tirerackespanol.com/images/tires/goodyear/Marathon_Special_Trailer_Applications.pdf

[keylargo]

I have had nothing but great success with goodyear marathon tires. My trailer had carlisle tires on it from factory but they wore funny and wore out extremely fast. My marathons has more than tripled the mileage and haven't wore funny and still have alot of life in them.

[aquaman9]

I have a new Venture Aluminum trailer single axle that has less then 2000 miles on it and the power king tow max tires are about shot. They told me to follow the inflation guid lines of about 50 lbs. The tires have full trad in the middle and the inner and outer edges are about worn off. Don't know what the problem could be. Never had this problem before on any of my trailers.

[Grady23]

I have a new Venture Aluminum trailer single axle that has less then 2000 miles on it and the power king tow max tires are about shot. They told me to follow the inflation guide lines of about 50 lbs. The tires have full trad in the middle and the inner and outer edges are about worn off. Don't know what the problem could be. Never had this problem before on any of my trailers.

If your running tires with the maximum inflation and they are still wearing on the edges, then your boat is too heavy for the trailer. What is happening is the tires are STILL being squashed so much that when in contact with the ground the center of the tire is being pushed in and up toward the rim. You may have tires that have too light a load rating or you may need to go to a double axle trailer.