Gentlemen, Check your trailer tires

[Ham]

I'm leaning towards inexpensive. Very few miles will be put on them. It's more that my tires will be replaced because of age. Handling isnt an issue and tread etc. meh. 

[stlfishin]

My money tree hasn't bloomed for a long while, but I learned the hard way not to gauge trailer tires solely by tread wear but by years of service. A decent tire can be purchased for about $75.00 and mounting and balancing shouldn't put you over $100.00 each. Since I'm now older & wiser...I never go more than three years; unless I encounter a road hazard you won't see me changing a flat on my Rivercraft.

I don't wish to preach here but fishing time is precious and many boaters don't even carry a spare causing them to drive the countryside in search and spoil a day. My suggestion is to open a separate checking account for your boat maintenance and feed it each month. For a mere $10.00 saved monthly, you can change out your single axle set every two years to a new set. Personally,  I put about $40--$50 a month in my boat maintenance account and use a debit card to make my preventive maintenance purchases. Over the years, the amount grows to the point you can keep a maintenance fund intact and have surplus to buy what-ever or, put a down payment on that new rig.

 

[fishinwrench]

I'm gonna take a SWAG here and say that probably the reason trailer tires fail prematurely is because they generally sit still for too long.  I bet if you roll them around every few days they'll last until they are bald.    Maybe Jack the trailer up and put it on jackstands, keep the weight off ONE side of the tire for weeks at a time when you can't go fishing.  

What this means is that you aren't fishing enough !  

[MOPanfisher]

I like Wrench's plan better.  Both trailer bearings though smooth, when I pulled the caps off the grease was a greyish brown gravy, so I am gonna replace them all including obviously the seals, and pump it full of marine wheel bearing grease again.  I have never lots a bearing on the road and don't plan to start any time soon.  Especially since this spring the trailer will make a trip to north Missouri and I really don't want problems then.  Already got the new tires on, and bought a used wheel, put the best of the two old tires on for a spare and now just need to get a mounting bracket to put it on the trailer.  There better be more fishing this year to make up for all the work.  While not a mechanic changing bearings, races and seals is not too bad, but every tool withing 15 feet of my boat is a greasy slimy mess.  Will take me a couple hours when I am done just to clean up the tools.

[Mitch f]

Here's a good video: