Rotate spare tire?

[Navy Jr.]

We bought a new rig last year (boat, motor, trailer). The trailer has a spare tire on board.

I'm wondering if and when that there spare should be rotated with the other tires. Since the trailer doesn't have an odometer, I honestly can't say how many miles we put on it last year. Only a guess of, say, 1,500 miles.

Thanks. -Ken

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Rotate spare tire?

i never rotate mine, just use it as a spare, all it is for is to get home or off the highway, then i either fix, the road tire, or replace it.

 

[reelfishin]

Re: Rotate spare tire?

I agree, the spare should be kept as a spare, some of my spares are new, others are just good used tires, but I never rotated them into use on my trailers. Most of my spares are odd tires that didn't have a match for what ever reason. I would protect the spare when not in use to prevent unnecessary UV damage. I keep mine in the garage and carry it in my truck when I tow.
On long drives, I carry several spares just in case, especially with smaller tires.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Rotate spare tire?

Why not rotate the tires each year. No sense leaving a brand new tire to rot and getting no use out of it. Spare tire covers are available cheap and will protect the old or new spare from the sun. Besides, rotating the tires gives you a good opportunity to inspect them. Just to clarify rotation, I'm suggesting you put the spare on and leave the other wheel. Next year put what is now the spare on the other wheel. Then the third year you end up with the original spare back as the spare again.

 

[capt sam]

Re: Rotate spare tire?

I never rotate mine either, not that it's a bad idea and mine gets alot of miles on it between here and the Keys. I just tend to replace the tires every few years.

 

[Expidia]

Re: Rotate spare tire?

I wish my tires would last long enough to rotate them. I don't find these small tires wear all that well. I'm going to have to replace them towards the end of this coming season anyway.

Like others have said, I can't see the need to keep a brand new tire as a spare.

When I finally need two new ones I'll put the new spare on one side and only have to buy 1 new tire. I'll use the old almost worn one as the spare.

Other posters have said not to use tires from an RV center and to buy tires designed for boat trailers. I can vouch for this because I only got two season from the set I bought in a pinch from an RV center for about $65 each already mounted on gavinized wheels.

I bent the axle and toasted 4 tires real quick my first season. I replaced the axle when I figured out what went wrong. Two new tires wore out from a two hour trip before I had the axle replaced.

Next time around I'm going for a decent set of tires designed for a boat trailer and see if those wear better.

I put about 4-5k on a year trailering (mountain roads too) so I was not surprised to see the cheap set wear quick.

 

[capt sam]

Re: Rotate spare tire?

I've had a bunch of boat trailers and as soon as the trailer tires need replacement I usually replace them with LT tires....yeah I know there's a whole world of arguements about doing this but I've never had a light truck tire on a trailer blow, but I've had bunches of trailer tires (properly inflated I might ad) blow their sidewalls out. The cost is usually less and they last alot longer, from my experience anyways.

 

[BassSpotter]

Re: Rotate spare tire?

I'm in agreement with Capt Sam, I run LT tires on my trailers and they run ride great. I've traveled all over with them and no problems.

 

[NYBo]

Re: Rotate spare tire?

I've never heard of tires specifically designed for boat trailers. How are they different from normal ST trailer tires and who makes them?

 

[boat1010]

Re: Rotate spare tire?

I am thinking it would be OK to rotate the tires on your trailer. I never have. Usually the spare tire I have isn't in very good shape. It serves two purposes. 1. gets me back home or somewhere I can buy a new tire. 2. bad enough that no one wants to steal it.. Have a great one.

 

[reelfishin]

Re: Rotate spare tire?

I wish my tires would last long enough to rotate them. I don't find these small tires wear all that well. I'm going to have to replace them towards the end of this coming season anyway.

..................

Keep in mind that many smaller trailer tires are often just bias ply tires, which even in a full size tire used to be only good for about 10,000 miles or so. I can still remember buying F78-14 tires with a 10,000 mile warranty, I would get 12k out of them if I was lucky, at the added wear and smaller sizes used on many trailers, I would only expect about 5K tops out of them, less if they sit around a lot. Most boat trailers don't see many miles, most probably never see 5,000 miles in their lifetime, many far less than that. If I were to use one boat twice a week, meaning two trips each way to the ramp each week, I would only clock about 5,000 miles over a 10 year span considering that our boating season is fairly short. In the real world, I don't get out every week, and rarely twice in one week. I get out as much as I can, and every chance I get but that's still not a lot of use on the trailer.
My spare trailer gets more miles than does my main trailer, since it's used to chase after all sorts of boats and deals all over. It still has it's original tires on it from 1990, which are showing age cracks but have 75% or their tread left.

 

[Expidia]

Re: Rotate spare tire?

Keep in mind that many smaller trailer tires are often just bias ply tires, which even in a full size tire used to be only good for about 10,000 miles or so. I can still remember buying F78-14 tires with a 10,000 mile warranty, I would get 12k out of them if I was lucky, at the added wear and smaller sizes used on many trailers, I would only expect about 5K tops out of them, less if they sit around a lot. Most boat trailers don't see many miles, most probably never see 5,000 miles in their lifetime, many far less than that. If I were to use one boat twice a week, meaning two trips each way to the ramp each week, I would only clock about 5,000 miles over a 10 year span considering that our boating season is fairly short. In the real world, I don't get out every week, and rarely twice in one week. I get out as much as I can, and every chance I get but that's still not a lot of use on the trailer.
My spare trailer gets more miles than does my main trailer, since it's used to chase after all sorts of boats and deals all over. It still has it's original tires on it from 1990, which are showing age cracks but have 75% or their tread left.

Don't mean to hijack this thread but since several have given me feedback on decent tires . . .
I doubt that they make an LT tire for my size. I don't have them in front of me to quote the size right now.

So who makes a decent tire for a boat trailer that is better than a bias ply tire that I seem to get stuck with?

 

[capt sam]

Re: Rotate spare tire?

Denman tires are pretty good, I don't care for Carlisles or even Marathons anymore.

 

[Mike250]

Re: Rotate spare tire?

I rotate the spare, Silertip has it right. I'd hate to have a flat and put a dry rotted spare on.

 

[NSBCraig]

Re: Rotate spare tire?

Denman tires are pretty good.

The make great mud tires (Ground Hawgs)




I don't like to reverse the direction a tire has been rotating.

 

[Expidia]

Re: Rotate spare tire?

Denman tires are pretty good, I don't care for Carlisles or even Marathons anymore.

Thx Sam
I probably would have went to the Goodyear Marathons if you did not comment on them. I just did a google search for boat trailer tire reviews
and this is the first one that popped up:

It was from 5 years ago but that same tire run is probably sitting in warehouses still. It is their customer service that alerts me to never by Goodyear tires.

For cars I've always bought Michelin past 40 years but the last few sets wore quickly and they don't give a long warranty anymore (now I know why) I was getting maybe 30-40k and they had to be replaced.

I switched both cars over to Bridgestone and they have been great handling and long waring tires so far.

http://www.epinions.com/review/Goodyear_Marathon_Radial_Trailer_Utility_Tire/content_178414587524

 

[capt sam]

Re: Rotate spare tire?

Thx Sam
I probably would have went to the Goodyear Marathons if you did not comment on them. I just did a google search for boat trailer tire reviews
and this is the first one that popped up:

http://www.epinions.com/review/Goodyear_Marathon_Radial_Trailer_Utility_Tire/content_178414587524

yeah it's a shame, they used to be good tires too. Alot of issues come from undersize/underinflation, but I've seen too many blow that shouldn't have.

 

[Expidia]

Re: Rotate spare tire?

Found some interesting trailering tips here:

http://www.boatus.com/trailerclub/qanda/03feb.asp

Sam, of note is this author says ST (boat trailer tires) should be used over LT (light trailer tires).

 

[capt sam]

Re: Rotate spare tire?

I understand the arguement, I have a friend who builds trailers and we see it differently, all I know is that I've had numerous trailer tires blow sidewalls out even though they're supposed to have thicker sidewalls than car or truck tires, I've never had that issue running LT's. These have to be some of the worse tire conditions here, super hot roadways in the summer, salt water, salt air, crappy roads....and no blowouts with LT's.

 

[rrhodes]

Re: Rotate spare tire?

I am pretty much stuck with trailer tires. No truck options out there for me. I have a tandem trailer. 20.5x8x10 Load rated E.... I am looking for a deal on a spare rim and wheel but it is $100+ anyway I shake it.