Trailer Tire question
 

I have a tandem axle boat trailer which currently has four bias-ply tires
with disc brakes on the rear axle. The two tires on the brake axle are worn
and I am considering replacing them with Radials; I understand that you
never mix bias-ply and radials on the same axle, any reason that I should
not put radials on the back axle, and leave the bias-ply's on the forward
axle??

Thanks-

Bruce - Durham, NC USA

Trailer Tire question
 

On Tue, 24 Feb 2004 01:49:41 GMT, "Bruce"
wrote:

I have a tandem axle boat trailer which currently has four bias-ply tires
with disc brakes on the rear axle. The two tires on the brake axle are worn
and I am considering replacing them with Radials; I understand that you
never mix bias-ply and radials on the same axle, any reason that I should
not put radials on the back axle, and leave the bias-ply's on the forward
axle??

Never mix bias ply/radial tires period. They are incompatible.

Later,

Tom
S. Woodstock, CT
----------

Basic Fishing Program:

10 - Fish
20 - Eat
30 - Sleep
40 - Goto 10

Trailer Tire question
 

I've never understood why one would want radials on a trailer anyway? It's
not like you're after cornering.

"Short Wave Sportfishing" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 24 Feb 2004 01:49:41 GMT, "Bruce"
wrote:

I have a tandem axle boat trailer which currently has four bias-ply tires
with disc brakes on the rear axle. The two tires on the brake axle are
worn
and I am considering replacing them with Radials; I understand that you
never mix bias-ply and radials on the same axle, any reason that I should
not put radials on the back axle, and leave the bias-ply's on the forward
axle??

Never mix bias ply/radial tires period. They are incompatible.

Later,

Tom
S. Woodstock, CT
----------

Basic Fishing Program:

10 - Fish
20 - Eat
30 - Sleep
40 - Goto 10

Trailer Tire question
 

On Tue, 24 Feb 2004 21:51:39 GMT, "Lawrence James"
wrote:

I've never understood why one would want radials on a trailer anyway? It's
not like you're after cornering.

Radials have better load distribution than bias ply and they flex more
- bias ply tires will bounce under stress.

Later,

Tom
S. Woodstock, CT
----------

Basic Fishing Program:

10 - Fish
20 - Eat
30 - Sleep
40 - Goto 10

Trailer Tire question
 

Short Wave Sportfishing wrote:
On Tue, 24 Feb 2004 21:51:39 GMT, "Lawrence James"
wrote:

I've never understood why one would want radials on a trailer anyway? It's
not like you're after cornering.

Radials have better load distribution than bias ply and they flex more
- bias ply tires will bounce under stress.

Indeed; I have four radials on my alum Yo Ho trailer, which also has
torsion bar suspension. It is a "different" kind of tow, and
disconcerting to watch if you are not used to torsion bar axles.

Trailer Tire question
 

Short Wave Sportfishing wrote:

On Tue, 24 Feb 2004 21:51:39 GMT, "Lawrence James"
wrote:


I've never understood why one would want radials on a trailer anyway? It's
not like you're after cornering.


Radials have better load distribution than bias ply and they flex more
- bias ply tires will bounce under stress.

Later,

Tom
S. Woodstock, CT
----------

Basic Fishing Program:

10 - Fish
20 - Eat
30 - Sleep
40 - Goto 10

I guess one could not expect them to hold up against sun any better ? I
will be replacing the tires on my trailer this year I am certin. Any
advice on which trailer tires hold up against the sun the best, as mine
are cracking on the side walls, would be welcome.

Don't do many long distance trips as the boat is stored on the trailer
right next to the the lake. We may take it to another lake if one
appeals to us. But that only happens mabe once a year.

Capt Jack R..

Trailer Tire question
 

On Wed, 25 Feb 2004 00:27:36 GMT, Jack Redington
wrote:

Short Wave Sportfishing wrote:

On Tue, 24 Feb 2004 21:51:39 GMT, "Lawrence James"
wrote:


I've never understood why one would want radials on a trailer anyway? It's
not like you're after cornering.


Radials have better load distribution than bias ply and they flex more
- bias ply tires will bounce under stress.

Later,

Tom
S. Woodstock, CT
----------

Basic Fishing Program:

10 - Fish
20 - Eat
30 - Sleep
40 - Goto 10

I guess one could not expect them to hold up against sun any better ? I
will be replacing the tires on my trailer this year I am certin. Any
advice on which trailer tires hold up against the sun the best, as mine
are cracking on the side walls, would be welcome.

Sun isn't the culprit - it's the long term weight on the tires that
causes the flexing that cracks the sidewalls. To put it another way,
if the tires are stationary for long periods of time, temperature will
expand and contract the air inside the tire causing the tire to shrink
and expand unevenly because of the weight being applied all in one
place. Those cracks aren't from the sun drying out the rubber, but
from stress.

To keep them from cracking, you need to take the weight off the tires
by raising the trailer so the tires aren't on the ground or move the
trailer around once every couple of days.

If my Ranger is going to be sitting for a while (like if I'm using the
Contender for offshore trips) I use a set of bottle jacks and put the
axel on blocks. Takes ten minutes to do. The tires on the Ranger
trailer look as good as they did new and the boat is a 2001 with
plenty of miles on them.

Later,

Tom
S. Woodstock, CT
----------

Basic Fishing Program:

10 - Fish
20 - Eat
30 - Sleep
40 - Goto 10

Trailer Tire question
 

Short Wave Sportfishing wrote:

On Wed, 25 Feb 2004 00:27:36 GMT, Jack Redington
wrote:


Short Wave Sportfishing wrote:


On Tue, 24 Feb 2004 21:51:39 GMT, "Lawrence James"
wrote:



I've never understood why one would want radials on a trailer anyway? It's
not like you're after cornering.


Radials have better load distribution than bias ply and they flex more
- bias ply tires will bounce under stress.

Later,

Tom
S. Woodstock, CT
----------

Basic Fishing Program:

10 - Fish
20 - Eat
30 - Sleep
40 - Goto 10

I guess one could not expect them to hold up against sun any better ? I
will be replacing the tires on my trailer this year I am certin. Any
advice on which trailer tires hold up against the sun the best, as mine
are cracking on the side walls, would be welcome.


Sun isn't the culprit - it's the long term weight on the tires that
causes the flexing that cracks the sidewalls. To put it another way,
if the tires are stationary for long periods of time, temperature will
expand and contract the air inside the tire causing the tire to shrink
and expand unevenly because of the weight being applied all in one
place. Those cracks aren't from the sun drying out the rubber, but
from stress.

To keep them from cracking, you need to take the weight off the tires
by raising the trailer so the tires aren't on the ground or move the
trailer around once every couple of days.

If my Ranger is going to be sitting for a while (like if I'm using the
Contender for offshore trips) I use a set of bottle jacks and put the
axel on blocks. Takes ten minutes to do. The tires on the Ranger
trailer look as good as they did new and the boat is a 2001 with
plenty of miles on them.

Later,

Tom
S. Woodstock, CT
----------

Basic Fishing Program:

10 - Fish
20 - Eat
30 - Sleep
40 - Goto 10

Hummmm That make since,The boat is moved every weekend in the summer but
not much in the winter... Mucho Thanks Tom.

Capt Jack R..

Trailer Tire question
 

"Jack Redington" wrote in message
hlink.net...
Short Wave Sportfishing wrote:

Any
advice on which trailer tires hold up against the sun the best, as mine
are cracking on the side walls, would be welcome.


They make tire covers for RV's, that's probably your best bet.

Rich

Trailer Tire question
 

On Wed, 25 Feb 2004 10:29:34 -0500, "Gene Kearns"
wrote:

On Wed, 25 Feb 2004 00:42:49 GMT, Short Wave Sportfishing
wrote:


Sun isn't the culprit -

To put it another way,
if the tires are stationary for long periods of time, temperature will
expand and contract the air inside the tire causing the tire to shrink
and expand unevenly because of the weight being applied all in one
place. Those cracks aren't from the sun drying out the rubber, but
from stress.


That is about the silliest stuff I have ever read. See:

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tirete...rcracking.html

I stand by what I said.

Which, curiously enough, is pretty much what the article said with the
exception of sun.

Later,

Tom
S. Woodstock, CT
----------

Basic Fishing Program:

10 - Fish
20 - Eat
30 - Sleep
40 - Goto 10

Trailer Tire question
 

On Wed, 25 Feb 2004 11:00:05 -0500, "Gene Kearns"
wrote:

On Wed, 25 Feb 2004 15:49:46 GMT, Short Wave Sportfishing
wrote:


That is about the silliest stuff I have ever read. See:

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tirete...rcracking.html

I stand by what I said.

Which, curiously enough, is pretty much what the article said with the
exception of sun.


Well, we sure got different content out of *that* article!

You missed the part about, "The repeated stretching of the rubber
compound actually helps resist cracks forming," I think.

Actually, I have heard the Michelin Tire rep talk repeatedly about the
deleterious effects of sunlight and ozone on tire.... never once have
I heard anything about tires exercising themselves into cracking with
diurnal heating and cooling. Next time I catch him at a training
seminar, I'll ask.

LOL!!!!

Yeah - well sometimes personally held opinions take a long time to die
even in the face of logical, cogent and perfectly reasoned scientific
evidence.

I was told that a long time ago and it's always stuck with me. Oddly,
it is a technique that I have used on my boats and trailers and the
last trailer I sold had a set of ten year old tires on it and nary a
crack.

Perhaps it's time I return to school and "larn sumthin' gnu".

Later,

Tom
S. Woodstock, CT
----------

Basic Fishing Program:

10 - Fish
20 - Eat
30 - Sleep
40 - Goto 10

Trailer Tire question
 

Rich wrote:
"Jack Redington" wrote in message
hlink.net...

Short Wave Sportfishing wrote:

Any
advice on which trailer tires hold up against the sun the best, as mine
are cracking on the side walls, would be welcome.



They make tire covers for RV's, that's probably your best bet.

Rich



I have considered those, they would have to ulgy or they wander off by
themselves :-)
But thanks for remindingme of that option.

Capt Jack R..

Trailer Tire question
 

How are the torsion axles different from leaf springs in the way they ride? I
thought they were better - particularily for twin axle applications.

Thanks
Dan


Harry Krause wrote:
Short Wave Sportfishing wrote:

On Tue, 24 Feb 2004 21:51:39 GMT, "Lawrence James"
wrote:


I've never understood why one would want radials on a trailer anyway? It's
not like you're after cornering.

Radials have better load distribution than bias ply and they flex more
- bias ply tires will bounce under stress.


Indeed; I have four radials on my alum Yo Ho trailer, which also has
torsion bar suspension. It is a "different" kind of tow, and
disconcerting to watch if you are not used to torsion bar axles.

Trailer Tire question
 

Jack Redington wrote:

Rich wrote:

"Jack Redington" wrote in message
hlink.net...

Short Wave Sportfishing wrote:

Any
advice on which trailer tires hold up against the sun the best, as mine
are cracking on the side walls, would be welcome.



They make tire covers for RV's, that's probably your best bet.

Rich



I have considered those, they would have to ulgy or they wander off by
themselves :-)
But thanks for remindingme of that option.

Capt Jack R..

I use geotex, a black non woven feltlike polyester demi fabric
material held in place with nails inserted in holes poked in the
material like dressmaker's pins.

Geotex is usually available in small bits at any construction site
involving excavation, just for the asking, or is otherwise quite cheap.

Terry K

Trailer Tire question
 

On Mon, 01 Mar 2004 21:14:17 GMT, Terry Spragg
wrote:

a black non woven feltlike polyester demi fabric
material

If you say a black non-woven feltlike polyester demi fabric material
three times really fast, your head will explode. :)

Later,

Tom
S. Woodstock, CT
----------

Basic Fishing Program:

10 - Fish
20 - Eat
30 - Sleep
40 - Goto 10

Trailer Tire question
 

Terry Spragg wrote:
Jack Redington wrote:

Rich wrote:

"Jack Redington" wrote in message
hlink.net...

Short Wave Sportfishing wrote:

Any
advice on which trailer tires hold up against the sun the best, as mine
are cracking on the side walls, would be welcome.



They make tire covers for RV's, that's probably your best bet.

Rich



I have considered those, they would have to ulgy or they wander off by
themselves :-)
But thanks for remindingme of that option.

Capt Jack R..

I use geotex, a black non woven feltlike polyester demi fabric material
held in place with nails inserted in holes poked in the material like
dressmaker's pins.

Geotex is usually available in small bits at any construction site
involving excavation, just for the asking, or is otherwise quite cheap.

Terry K

Thanks Terry:

There are lots of such sites around here as they are building stuff
everywhere. I will start looking around :-)

Capt Jack R..