Load range...C or D?

[JSGOLD]

I have a 16 foot aluminum 76' Starcraft deep v with a 55hp and 5.5 Evinrude setup, and are need of tires. The ones on it are bias 6 plys load rated C. The tires have plenty of tread(only 3-4 years old) but have vertical cracks around them and are suspect. (Cheapo) I bought a new matching load C late last summer and need to replace either all three, or at least buy 2 more. The boat I know weighs around 750 without the motors, but unsure in the trailor, motors, and tackle. I would think C range is OK. but want opinions...

 

[wifisher]

Re: Load range...C or D?

What size wheels are they? I doubt that the load range will matter much, as your boat is pretty light. There should be a capacity on the sidewall listing the rating in pounds. Make sure this number is greater than half of your trailer weight and you are golden.

 

[superbenk]

Re: Load range...C or D?

Load range C should be plenty for that rig. You might consider radials & keep the tires covered from the sun so they last longer.

 

[dockwrecker]

Re: Load range...C or D?

D is a waste of money. Your boat weighs nothing. It appears your tires are 13" which leaves little to choose from. Be careful to read the DOT stamp as far as age of manufacture to get the most miles out of them, some tires sit forever on shelves especially in that size. Fortunately, your size is relatively cheap to buy. Radials will dry rot as fast as bias plys. Again, your rig weighs very little, and I don't think you'd benefit by buying radials. What will help you is to have them balanced, a light rig with a small diameter tire spins at a high rate. Balancing will help reduce cupping especially in this application.

 

[JSGOLD]

Re: Load range...C or D?

Thanks guys. The tires are 13" and the tires supposedly will hold 1160 lbs each. I was trying to figure the gear and batteries but even then there is not a lot of weight. I want to buy radials, just not sure I can swing them since I have to buy three. I may still do this but was hoping to get by with the bias for a year or two more. Obviously if I had to go to D ratings I would do just that. The money situation is tight right now, but will see what I can do, even if it is two more GOOD bias tires. I must say that the tires the PO had bought must have been JUNK. Thanks again!

 

[dockwrecker]

Re: Load range...C or D?

Hate to break it to you, but in that size of bias ply, they're all pretty crappy regardless who builds them. Just don't buy old ones. You're not running enough weight to stress them much, and try to keep them out of the sun while in storage. Again, balance and air pressure. Those suckers hopping is the biggest stress they'll get other than rot.

 

[Guest]

Re: Load range...C or D?

Go with a regulated TRAILER tire as they will last the longest and be the safest while on the highway. The last thing you or someone you meet on the road needs is a swaying trailer coming at them because for "CHEEPO" low grade tires

 

[SparkieBoat]

Re: Load range...C or D?

you may could go up to 14" tires and raise your wheel wells slightly. you can get better tires that will last you longer. something to think about anyway, i personally prefer taller tires, seem to last longer and give better ride. there is a trailer place near me that sells them on the rim for about $80 a piece, and they are good tires, last me years

 

[JSGOLD]

Re: Load range...C or D?

The one new one I bought late last year was bought from a reputable trailor and truck accessory company (Leonards) and is a lot better than the "wallyworld" ones PO had bought. Sad to say, yes most tires are almost all import but I felt better with this brand (Load Star) than the others I had looked at. Eventually maybe I can get radials, but it looks more and more like bias. I have had pretty good luck with bias tires on my campers, and yes I protect them as much as possible. My camper never sees the light of day unless we are going somewhere and boat sits under a carport 24-7. Not sure if bigger tires woudl work for me but will keep that idea in mind. My boat spends most of the time at a nearby lake and if the trailor is raised anymore it would make getting in and out a little more difficult as ramp is small.

 

[Prophammer]

Re: Load range...C or D?

I don't trust the cracks you have, especially on on summer days out on the Interstate. They can blow out. Radials are nice, but the squatty side wall sticks out and rubs curbs more than bias. I don't know why some dry rot and some don't, cheap rubber I guess.

 

[Cannondale]

Re: Load range...C or D?

I don't trust the cracks you have, especially on on summer days out on the Interstate. They can blow out. Radials are nice, but the squatty side wall sticks out and rubs curbs more than bias. I don't know why some dry rot and some don't, cheap rubber I guess.

A lot depends on frequency of use and how much sacrificial agents the tire manufacturer used in the tire's construction.

The two major degrading agents tires face are, as noted previously, UV and ozone. Tire manufacturers combat this by adding sacrificial agents to the tire/rubber compound. For UV, carbon black is the choice. For ozone, typically a type of wax is chosen. These act like the sacrificial anode on an outboard in giving the corrosive elements something to more easily attack than the actual rubber.

But, as these sacrificial agents are used up/attacked by the respective destructive force(s), the outer wall has to flex to replenish the levels of carbon black and chosen wax to keep the sidewall from drying out and cracking. Car tires typically see lots of miles compared to trailer tires, so car tires are constantly flexing and replenishing the outer skin of the sidewall with the sacrificial substances.

But trailer tires, due to them being used comparatively rarely, can and do have their outer skins of the sidewalls completely use up their sacrificial substances and consequently the UV and ozone begin to attack the rubber, causing the dreaded "dry rot" symptoms....cracking, bubbling, hardening of the tread, etc.

So, unless you plan to use the tires/trailer more to flex the sidewalls more, we're down to covering them to slow the degrading of the sidewall rubber.

 

[tpassmore]

Re: Load range...C or D?

[/Quote] So, unless you plan to use the tires/trailer more to flex the sidewalls more, we're down to covering them to slow the degrading of the sidewall rubber.[/QUOTE]

are you saying that tires need covering even if stored in an enclosed building, protected from environment?

 

[JSGOLD]

Re: Load range...C or D?

The cracks in the tires don't appear to be age cracks but lousy manufacturing. The splits are in the areas where the letters are and it is weird to see. No small splits or cracks in sidewalls other than where the information is. I have had old dry cracked tires but these are just worthless junkers. Of course, he may have been BS'ing mw too about the age...He had them outside for a year and a half (so he said)and I had the boat in an enclosed area for months after that. My camper tires are 6 years old and look like new...not even the begining of small cracks. Of course it is stored indoors. The cracks in the boat trailor showed up all of a sudden after the 6th time we used it. At that point we replaced the one tire, and the second had smaller cracks but we live pretty close to lake so we used it a few times, keeping tabs on it. It won't go anywhere now though until the second one is replaced and I have a good spare.

 

[justchecking]

Re: Load range...C or D?

What year were those tires manufactured? SHould be a tire code then a 4 digit date code. First two digits are week of the year then next two are last two digits of the year. The date code is affixed to a little plate during manufacturing that causes an impression into the tire. Usually very easy to find.

 

[JSGOLD]

Re: Load range...C or D?

I'll check that in the morning and post back......good idea.