Psa: Look at those trailer tires

[72c20customcamper]

Originally Posted by special-K

Ever since tire mfgrs were mandated to put the date of mfgr on tires they make sure their tires won't last any longer than that. I'd rather see quality long lasting materials mandated so you wouldn't have to think about how old your tires are. My friend has a '40 with the original tires still on it. Not a single check, and he bought the bike 45 years ago. When I sold my '71 wrecker about 5 years ago it had the tires I had bought for my '70 CST/30 with utility body on it that I bought in '89, no cracks. I have a utility trailer that I bought new in '97. I just changed the original tires a few years ago because I was concerned with their age. I think they did have some checking started, but still hauled a load. Just got to be worrisome, so I bought new tires. I bought bias-ply so they would wear out before coming apart. They already look pretty far down. Thinking about replacements already. Why buy good tires that give long miles if they become dangerous before they wear out? The original tires were Goodyear. I also bought a couple sizes oversized, just because. It was an old school way of reducing road wear and heat build up, whether effective or not I don't know. Looks cool with taller rubber, though

The tires on my stepside are at least 24 years old since it was last registered in 96 but the tread is pretty warn so I’m assuming much older. No cracks at all. Problem with tires prior to 2000 the month an last digit of the year is on the tire so a date of 048 could be from 1988 or 1998 no way to tell decade

[special-K]

I left something out, I see now that I read the quote. My friend's '40 is a Harley WLD and the tires are Firestone "Gum Dipped". Virgin rubber, no fillers, latex, or additives. They will outlast us all. 80 years old and ready for a road trip

[Boog]

I'd hate for my life to depend on those 80 yr old tires though.

[Stocker]

Originally Posted by Boog

I'd hate for my life to depend on those 80 yr old tires though.

Agreed..... no matter if they look good and can hold air.

[Andy4639]

I pull my 18' trailer all the time with golf carts back and forth to the beach. 10hr round trips. I don't keep tires on it long enough to dry rot! I use it regularly and wear them out. Between the miles & brakes they last about 2 years at the most. In the first picture you can see I carry plenty of spares!

[special-K]

Originally Posted by Boog

I'd hate for my life to depend on those 80 yr old tires though.

He doesn't seem to ride it. It just sits in his foyer and he rides a '76 Harley. But I'm not sure their age are of any concern. The fact is the tires have not even the beginning of deterioration. They are more stable than a 4 year old tire. They are virgin rubber. That does not rot. They are no more deteriorated than the 80 year old steel frame or aluminum heads. He has been offered thousands for those tires.

When I sold my '85 Jimmy Diesel to a friend of a friend in NH his plan was to come down and drive it from here. That was in '14. We made the deal at Spring Carlisle, but he hadn't paid for it yet. I had swapped the axles, suspension, wheels, & tires from the '91 Suburban Diesel I had. Bought the tires in '03, so they were seven years old when they went under the Jimmy. I drove it the whole time on those tires. I noticed they were cracking just outside the rim/bead area, not good. I told the guy I would never consider driving on those tires all that distance, that he should have new tires shipped to me to put on for him before picking it up. Nope, the hardhead (knucklehead) stuck with running it back on those rotted old tires. Amazingly, he made it back without one blowing up. I never would have done that. Other than safety, that thing had a great body in original paint.
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I was thinking another thing with trailers everyone should be thinking about, have some sort of regiment on. Time doesn't matter like with tires, but miles certainly do. I'm talking about lubing wheel bearings! You see the trailers on the side of the road down due to a roached bearing, it's a common problem. You'd wish it was a bad tire if this happened to you. I would always start off keeping track of the miles used in my head, even go generous with the miles. But I always lose track. It is absolutely necessary to keep a log on the trailer use. Write that mileage down every time that trailer hits the road. 10,000 miles can add up faster than it ever seems. And it's pull them off, removes bearings, clean, pack, install. Those zerks in the spindle cover do not get the job done right. Definitely not for the inner bearing. I still pump grease in those from time to time, too. I guess if the inner gets dry and starts making heat, that might help allow the outer grease to thin enough to seep over and keep from trashing the spindle. But how would you know anything was up without periodically checking?

[Andy4639]

Tim I repack the bearing every year on it. As many miles as I put on it I have to. I've never had any problems with it yet. Hope that is why.
I like you start out with keeping a record but after awhile I just go and forget so at the end of the year it just gets done.

[1976gmc20]

I've had trailer wheel bearings go dry just from sitting around out in the weather, even with practically no miles.

I've got one (at least!) that needs to be repacked right now. I'm not sure that it's even been moved since I packed all four wheel bearings in preparation for loaning it out to someone for a long trip, that they got another trailer instead. I put some new tires on it (year old take-offs from the Jeep) a few months ago and one wheel was grinding just turning it by hand.

Yet one more thing to do ... my list gets longer instead of shorter

[Redneck Rydes]

Boat trailers are especially bad for that,all the water gets in there and poof,my friend was towing his boat trailer down the interstate at about 70 mph blows a tire, jacks it up to put the spare on and lo and behold the hub is welded to the axle,hub seized up dragged the tire till it blew

[1976gmc20]

Originally Posted by Redneck Rydes

Boat trailers are especially bad for that,all the water gets in there and poof,my friend was towing his boat trailer down the interstate at about 70 mph blows a tire, jacks it up to put the spare on and lo and behold the hub is welded to the axle,hub seized up dragged the tire till it blew

Mine is a 12' tandem flatbed. Probably has something to do with sitting out in a couple feet of snow all winter.

[special-K]

Originally Posted by Andy4639

Tim I repack the bearing every year on it. As many miles as I put on it I have to. I've never had any problems with it yet. Hope that is why.
I like you start out with keeping a record but after awhile I just go and forget so at the end of the year it just gets done.

That's a good idea, too. Especially if you use the trailer a lot. For me it varies. But like I said, some sort of regiment. Yours is pack annually. I have a tiny little phone book I keep the registration card in that stays in the glovebox. It's a habit marking mileage after use anymore.

Originally Posted by 1976gmc20

I've had trailer wheel bearings go dry just from sitting around out in the weather, even with practically no miles.

I've never had that happen. This little utility trailer is all I have now. I bought it new in '97 and have packed the bearings four or five times. I do at 5-6k, always looks the same which is good to go many more miles.

[Andy4639]

I brought the red coupe home yesterday to finish putting it back together and to take it to our annual truck picnic next Saturday. I had to stop at Grahams golf carts in Myrtle beach before heading up the road. Some body took these pictures of it and posted them on face book.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/Golf...65055273767510

I plan to carry it on the ramp truck to the picnic next week. I hope by the end of today I have the new axle here.

[72c20customcamper]

Original tire for my 64 studebaker hawk. No cracks checks or splits but I dont think I would trust it . BF Goodrich silvertown