Reginald P. Smithers III wrote:
HK wrote:
Reginald P. Smithers III wrote:
HK wrote:

Harry,

When I had a runabout, and kept the boat stored on the trailer, I
ALWAYS kept the trailer propped up using trailer jacks. The reason I
did, was my father (a mechanic engineer) told me to do it. He was
emphatic that the weight of the tires sitting on one section of the
tire over the winter, would cause the tire to become permanently
unbalanced (I think he said a "flat spot". He also said the tires
would crack prematurely, where they sat on the ground. I also
(based upon his recommendations) made sure the tires were covered
with a tarp to make sure they did not dry rot from UV degradation.
Both were very easy to do and took less than 5 minutes.

Now was he correct, heck, I don't know, but the tires were over 20
yrs old when I sold the boat and trailer.


Yes, I'm sure that all the cars sitting in dealer storage lots for
three or four months are propped up on frame jacks so their tires
don't develop flat spots. So are all the new RVs and travel trailers
at the distribution centers. And of course, the 150 boats that my
dealer stores on trailers over the winter, they're all stored on
blocks and jacks, too.

Harry,

As I said, he could be wrong, but I was purchasing his boat and it was
in perfect condition so I followed his maintenance recommendations and
procedure. I not only jacked the tires off the ground, but also put a
jack under the tongue so the adjustable trailer jack was not supporting
the weight.

Whatever floats your boat. You didn't jack the tires off the
ground...you probably jacked the axles off the ground. That might work
with "solid" axles, but I'd be wary of trying it with a torsion bar axle
system, and if you jacked up the frame, the torsion axles would sag, I
would think.

"HK" wrote in message
. ..

Whatever floats your boat. You didn't jack the tires off the
ground...you probably jacked the axles off the ground.

One major advantage of leaving the trailer with the tires *on* the ground is
that in the spring you will notice that they are flat before taking the
jackstands out, only to have to jack it back up again.

Saves time.


Eisboch

Eisboch wrote:
"HK" wrote in message
. ..
Whatever floats your boat. You didn't jack the tires off the
ground...you probably jacked the axles off the ground.

One major advantage of leaving the trailer with the tires *on* the ground is
that in the spring you will notice that they are flat before taking the
jackstands out, only to have to jack it back up again.

Saves time.


Eisboch



That, too, though surprisingly the radials on my last trailer and on the
new one don't seem to lose much air. Over the winter, the last trailer's
tires lost maybe a pound over the winter. I know, because I checked the
tires when I stored the boat and when I took it out of storage.

I do try to park in areas where there is at least partial shade,
especially for the tires, and when I store for the winter, I duct tape
plastic bags on the sides of the fenders so that the tires are screened
from the sun.

I've got an old sports car sitting in a garage. It is sitting on its
Dunlop tires. The car sits for six months at a time. I have never
noticed any "flat spots" on the tires related to storage. Car spends
most of its life under a couple of sewn-together bedsheets.

"HK" wrote in message
. ..


I've got an old sports car sitting in a garage. It is sitting on its
Dunlop tires. The car sits for six months at a time. I have never
noticed any "flat spots" on the tires related to storage. Car spends
most of its life under a couple of sewn-together bedsheets.

My '67 GTO has Coker Redlines on it. After sitting for several months they
develop a small flat spot that is noticeable for a couple of miles, then
they round out.

Eisboch

Eisboch wrote:
"HK" wrote in message
. ..

I've got an old sports car sitting in a garage. It is sitting on its
Dunlop tires. The car sits for six months at a time. I have never
noticed any "flat spots" on the tires related to storage. Car spends
most of its life under a couple of sewn-together bedsheets.

My '67 GTO has Coker Redlines on it. After sitting for several months they
develop a small flat spot that is noticeable for a couple of miles, then
they round out.

Eisboch



My old car is a 1959-60 model, and British, so there's no assurance that
even if the tires were round, the wheels would be.

On Tue, 23 Oct 2007 10:28:49 -0400, HK wrote:

My old car is a 1959-60 model, and British, so there's no assurance that
even if the tires were round, the wheels would be.

Or that it would start and the lights work.

Lucas: Prince of Darkness.

Wayne.B wrote:
On Tue, 23 Oct 2007 10:28:49 -0400, HK wrote:

My old car is a 1959-60 model, and British, so there's no assurance that
even if the tires were round, the wheels would be.

Or that it would start and the lights work.

Lucas: Prince of Darkness.

That was a problem with the MG-A I once owned, but not with any of the
other Brit cars I've had, including a TR4, a Lotus Cortina, a real
Mini-Cooper S, and the Jag I still have. The knock-off wire wheels need
attention from time to time because they do go out of round, but that
hasn't been a problem for me; I rarely drive the car.