If someone could help me out here, Last year I purchased two new trailer tires cause the ones that came with it got cracks on the sidewalls (02) I figured they were dry rotted, I was checking out my trailer yesterday and the one tire is starting to get a crap load of tiny cracks, I only put 70 miles on the tires, anyone know why this is happening? I'm taking the one back Monday and need some ammunition. Cheap tires? should I go bigger, I dont want to shell out 80 bucks every year for a new tire.
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Trailer tires
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Waterwings
Well-known member
What brand of tire are you using, and are they bias-ply or radial? Inflated correctly? Don't know why they're cracking with only 70 miles use. I'd take 'em back.
kentuckybassman
Well-known member
I found the best thing to do is just run a regular radial car tire and forget about the trailer tires. I spent more money on trailer tires than I did gas the last few years.
BTW,you don't use Armoral or anything like that on your tires do ya? I heard that will make them crack :?:
BTW,you don't use Armoral or anything like that on your tires do ya? I heard that will make them crack :?:
There is a guy on another forum that had the same problem on his tires (including spare) for his travel trailer, that had been kept covered, and fully inflated. Turns out they were from a bad bunch, and the company is sending him another set free.
Car tires are not a good idea on trailers. Because they don't have to be used on drive, or steering wheels, they have much stiffer sidewalls, that won't sway as much. Also, trailers tend to get more storage time, and less travel time, so the composition is such that it will store better without flat spots, and will weather better.
Car tires are not a good idea on trailers. Because they don't have to be used on drive, or steering wheels, they have much stiffer sidewalls, that won't sway as much. Also, trailers tend to get more storage time, and less travel time, so the composition is such that it will store better without flat spots, and will weather better.
kentuckybassman
Well-known member
Just wondering,but why are stiffer sidewalls bad?I know you said they won't sway as much but I don't have any trouble with mine swaying at all.bassboy1 said:
Also,I found that if you block under your trailer for storage time (winter) you wont get flat spots.I know of quite a few people with trailers that have car tires on them but we are also pulling bass boats and not tin boats so that might make a difference.So far I have had pretty good luck with mine and they were a little cheaper so I done what I figured was best.
Quackrstackr
Well-known member
That's actually backwards.
Passenger car tires have softer sidewalls than trailer tires. You need a stiffer sidewall on trailer tires to keep the trailer from swaying side to side.
The compounds in rubber need a certain amount of flexing to keep the compounds from becoming brittle. With so little useage on your tires, that may be why they are prematurely dry rotting.
Day after day of direct sunlight is also horrible for trailer tires. It dries the compound out. Covering the tires with those special covers that some use on travel trailers can actually make things worse instead of better in that particular case.
Passenger car tires have softer sidewalls than trailer tires. You need a stiffer sidewall on trailer tires to keep the trailer from swaying side to side.
The compounds in rubber need a certain amount of flexing to keep the compounds from becoming brittle. With so little useage on your tires, that may be why they are prematurely dry rotting.
Day after day of direct sunlight is also horrible for trailer tires. It dries the compound out. Covering the tires with those special covers that some use on travel trailers can actually make things worse instead of better in that particular case.
Rereading my post, it is confusing as all get out. In the second word of the second sentence of the second paragraph, the "they" was supposed to be trailer tires, and not car tires like it implied. Anyway, what I was trying to say was exactly what Quackr said. Stiffer sidewalls on ST (special trailer) tires control swaying a bit better.
Direct sunlight and lack of use are torture for all tires, but I am fairly sure that ST tires are designed to be a little more tolerable of that.
I haven't heard the thing of tire covers causing more problems than they help. Gonna have to research that a bit more.
If you want to read up on the issue of the other guy and his tires, here is the link.
https://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=247417
Direct sunlight and lack of use are torture for all tires, but I am fairly sure that ST tires are designed to be a little more tolerable of that.
I haven't heard the thing of tire covers causing more problems than they help. Gonna have to research that a bit more.
If you want to read up on the issue of the other guy and his tires, here is the link.
https://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=247417
Thats exactly how my tires look, with that light brown ring. I,m going to go to the trailer place today (if their open) and see if they will make good or if the I have to go to the manufacturer, That was very helpful, Thanks bassboy1.
