[Capt Crunch]

Does anybody know how to keep boat trailer tires from dry-rotting so fast? I just had to replace mine, they're only 5 years old and almost no wear, but they were starting to disintegrate on the sidewalls due to dry rot.

Does it help if you jack up the trailer in the winter to get the tires off the ground?

Does Armor-All help?

Would inner tubes help prevent them from going flat when the sidewalls got dry-rotted?

Thanks for any tips. Buying 4 new tires every few years gets old fast.

C

 

[TommyTuna]

sun is the #1 enemy - keep them covered with a light colored cover.

 

[Tom Kidwell]

I agree with Tommy. Keep them out of the sun. And no, inner tubes are not the answer. They will only cause you more headaches. The sun is the big problem. I have 5 different trailers in my work fleet and never have a dry-rot problem because I only get two seasons out of them before I have to replace them. Farm wagons however, sit out in a field all year in the sun and dry-rot after two seasons.

 

[Tuna Tyme]

When I winter my trailer I remove them and store them in the shed. If you live in the south and use your trailer all the time I have read where people put UV block on them or get some wheel covers at a camper store.

 

[Lone Ranger]

Check 'Harbor Freight Tools".........they have 4 Trailer Tire covers for $20.00.[Mike]

 

[Capt Crunch]

Mike - Thanks for the Harbor Freight link. I actually found them there for $11 for four!

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=38169

What a deal!

 

[Capt Crunch]

Apparently it's not just the sun that rots trailer tires but also lack of use. That's why trailer tires "rot" out faster than car tires that get used all the time. Best solution: Use your boat trailer more!
Here's some info I got from a poster on another site:

There are two main degrading agents that attack tires and rubber trim. They are UV light waves and ozone. Both of these attack the long hydrocarbon chains of the rubber and by breaking these bonds, shorten the molecules with resulting loss of elasticity and other problems. Tire manufacturers add two primary sacrificial protectants to the rubber. To protect against UV, they add carbon black. This is why tires don't come in designer colors to match your paint. The carbon black will turn white/gray as it absorbs the UV and dissipates the energy as heat. Thus the basis of rubber parts turning gray as they age. To protect against ozone, tire manufacturers add a wax based sacrificial protectant. The ozone attacks the wax and depletes it. As the tire rolls, additional wax is forced to the surface of the tire. This is referred to as "blooming". This blooming refreshes the surface wax protectant. A tire that has not been flexed will have the wax depleted by the ozone and thus begin to degrade and suffer "dry rot".

 

[Lone Ranger]

C.C.,No problem.Very informative article about the tires!Thanks![Mike]

 

[J Lavender]

I use the ArmorAll spray foam on my trailer tires and have never had a problem with dry-rot.
I sold my last boat when it was 9 yrs old and the tires looked like brand new.
My current rig is 11/2 yrs old and its the same story.[smile]

 

[stretchinline]

I would also recommend jacking the tires up off of the ground if your not going to be using the boat for an extended period of time around 60 days or more. The tires tend to develope a flat spot if they stay stationary for long periods of time. Just something else that can be done to prolong the life of your trailer tires................