I have'nt been to the river for 4 years, getting the boat back together and decided to replace one of the trailer tires because of a bad wear pattern. The guy at the tire store tells me some b.s. about replacing the trailer tires every three years because the compounds that are used in trailer tires dry out faster than auto tires. And that all of the manufactures recommend that you replace their tires every 3 years reguardless of how many miles you put on them.
I told him " I call dog sh*t on that. Yeah if I sold motor oil I would recommend that you replace it every 3,000 miles too, sound familiar?"
I think the tire store just doesn't want to have to honor their road hazard warranty at 5 or 6 years. What do you think?
Sleeper CP
Well, most trailer tires fail (rot) long before they wear out. Your tire dealer is not far off base. Besides, its cheaper in the long run to not have a failure on the road. Also, if your boat hasn't run in quite a while, I'd replace the battery as well...
Gosh, I guess I'm 11 years over due. And a friend of mine just replaced his, and he was 10 years over due. Carry a spare and fix it when it breaks.
I consider it cheap insurance. Boat trailer tires aren't expensive compared to performance car tires.
Would you rather have a flat in the desert when its 110 degrees?
If you think your tires are the slightest bit sketchy I'd replace em.
I change em when the sidewalls start to crack. They last longer in the garage as opposed to the side of the house but 3 years is bs...
Think of it this way. When one of those tires blowout, tread comes around to rip the fender off, which then scrapes the side of the boat causing major damage, and just for good measure the tread went through a car window:idea: Possibly wouldn't happen but any part of that scenario could. At the begining of this year I had a tire go bad. They were the original ones from '04. I went ahead and had them all replaced for $400 with some Mile Markers. Def gives me piece of mind when towing at 1:00 am in the middle of the desert. Also I believe it is true that the rubber compound gives out before the tread is gone on vehicles like trailers and motorhomes. I've getting alot of lessons in blown tires lately
I change em when the sidewalls start to crack. They last longer in the garage as opposed to the side of the house but 3 years is bs...
This is what I do.
Gosh, I guess I'm 11 years over due. And a friend of mine just replaced his, and he was 10 years over due. Carry a spare and fix it when it breaks.
There is nothing more enjoyable than sitting on the side of the road in 100 plus heat with a flat.
Xlaration, I don't know anyone who keeps a BOAT that long...
I change em when the sidewalls start to crack. They last longer in the garage as opposed to the side of the house but 3 years is bs...
That's what I've always done. Take it from a guy that has had his share of trailer flats over the years. $200 or so every 3-5 years is no sweat. Having to change a flat is a lot of sweat. If any damage to the trailer or boat is prevented, then it is worth it. I've had 3 flats and 1 delamination before I finally figured it out. Keep the tires fresh and carry a spare.
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