Trailer Tires

[Lockem25]

So I had my second issue(first was a shard of plastic from a broken taillight I picked up somewhere) this last weekend on our way home towing. A huge bubble created on the inside of the tire. I have the 14" wheels on my 2014 boatmate trailer. Tires were inflated to 48PSI load range C. I do not remember the brand of the tires though but can check later.

I have on order the Hankook Vantras that are a load range D. I hope these are good tires as I do not wish to go through a lot this summer.

Anyone have any experience with these tires and pressures? It shows max psi 65PSI. I assume I will run about 60 and they will heat up to maybe a little warmer than max on a long highway pull? Trailer is usually stored 15 minutes from the lake with the boat on it but we are going to a different lake this weekend.

[MN Ryan]

I have not heard of the Vantras, but I have had really good luck with Hankooks on my truck. Please update after you get them as I am probably due for new trailer tires next spring.

Edit: Whew, those are not cheap!

[SatherG230]

The 65psi is the specified tire pressure when cold, not the working / warm tire pressure. Towing that G23, I would inflate them to 65psi. Underinflated tires run hotter than properly inflated tires.

I had a bad trailering day returning from the 4th of July up north back in 2019...Had a blowout on the front right trailer tire at 75mph. I was near a left turn lane onto a quite road and thankfully, the oncoming two lanes had a nice gap to negotiate the turn. It was a weird feeling just before it happened - felt additional drag, just like I was all of a sudden driving into a headwind. I recall even looking at the trees to see if the wind had come up. Then it started bouncing a bit just before all of the smoke started. Jacked up the trailer, unhooked the trailer and headed 10 miles to the nearest Fleet Farm, which was thankfully still open for another hour. (Of course, my wife "reminded" me that we should have a spare tire for it - it didn't come with one.) They put on a Carlisle trailer tire (the only one they had in stock that fit) and had me out the door at 5:15pm. After returning to the boat and trailer and remounting the wheel, we were back on the road!

About 45 minutes later, after driving through some narrow construction zones on I-94 and while participating in some pretty thick traffic, the trailer started bouncing again. I remember the look on my wife's face when I looked at her in the rear-view mirror. That feeling was way too fresh on our minds and as I started to move from the middle lane over to the right lane, the rear trailer tire on the passenger side blew. And there we sat on the side of I-494 after every store that would sell tires was closed. I had to phone a friend. He came with a spare and my floor jack which made the job pretty quick once he finally arrived. (Thankfully, since it was now after sunset.) I smiled as I thought we were back on the road, but when I turned the key, it just clicked...the battery was down from the flashers being on so long. I always carry wrenches and jumper cables and there was a charged-up battery in the boat, which made jump starting it much safer than using another vehicle. Needless to say, I was WAY glad to get home.

Two days later, I purchased 4 new Goodyear Endurance Trailer tires and a new rim and kept the Carlisle as a spare, which should be as good as the Marathons (aka Marabombs) that it came with. I have been very pleased with the Endurance so far - and feel more comfortable with the higher load range and speed rating. I keep them inflated to 65psi all the time.

Looking back trying to determine a cause, we didn't hit any debris that I was aware of and I am not sure whether the weight on the other tire when the first one blew was enought to cause that one to fail too. But, I did task my father-in-law with checking the tire pressures before we left. I am a stickler for proper inflation and check / adjust them often. I handed him a digital gauge, but I'm not sure he had his cheaters handy...Ultimately, I suspect the tires that blew were possibly underinflated.

[MN Ryan]

Ouch, SatherG230!

I bought my boat from a guy in WI who lived about a mile from the local boat launch, and looking back now, I am sure he didn't do much trailer maintenance. As my BIL and myself were driving I94 back to MN, the trailer started bouncing a little--nothing too worrisome, but it felt a little different. Checking my mirrors, something looked off. I pulled off the freeway into a tiny WI town to check on it and discovered that all of the studs on my driver's side front wheel had snapped and I was rolling on three wheels!

This was 4:30 on a Friday, and I was lucky enough to pull into a town that had a tire shop that was still open and had me on the road in about an hour! I profusely thanked the shop guys and tossed them an extra hundred bucks to have some after work beers.

I now always check my tire pressure and lug nuts before a trip!

(sorry to derail the thread, Lockem25)

[Lockem25]

The 65psi is the specified tire pressure when cold, not the working / warm tire pressure. Towing that G23, I would inflate them to 65psi. Underinflated tires run hotter than properly inflated tires.

I had a bad trailering day returning from the 4th of July up north back in 2019...Had a blowout on the front right trailer tire at 75mph. I was near a left turn lane onto a quite road and thankfully, the oncoming two lanes had a nice gap to negotiate the turn. It was a weird feeling just before it happened - felt additional drag, just like I was all of a sudden driving into a headwind. I recall even looking at the trees to see if the wind had come up. Then it started bouncing a bit just before all of the smoke started. Jacked up the trailer, unhooked the trailer and headed 10 miles to the nearest Fleet Farm, which was thankfully still open for another hour. (Of course, my wife "reminded" me that we should have a spare tire for it - it didn't come with one.) They put on a Carlisle trailer tire (the only one they had in stock that fit) and had me out the door at 5:15pm. After returning to the boat and trailer and remounting the wheel, we were back on the road!

About 45 minutes later, after driving through some narrow construction zones on I-94 and while participating in some pretty thick traffic, the trailer started bouncing again. I remember the look on my wife's face when I looked at her in the rear-view mirror. That feeling was way too fresh on our minds and as I started to move from the middle lane over to the right lane, the rear trailer tire on the passenger side blew. And there we sat on the side of I-494 after every store that would sell tires was closed. I had to phone a friend. He came with a spare and my floor jack which made the job pretty quick once he finally arrived. (Thankfully, since it was now after sunset.) I smiled as I thought we were back on the road, but when I turned the key, it just clicked...the battery was down from the flashers being on so long. I always carry wrenches and jumper cables and there was a charged-up battery in the boat, which made jump starting it much safer than using another vehicle. Needless to say, I was WAY glad to get home.

Two days later, I purchased 4 new Goodyear Endurance Trailer tires and a new rim and kept the Carlisle as a spare, which should be as good as the Marathons (aka Marabombs) that it came with. I have been very pleased with the Endurance so far - and feel more comfortable with the higher load range and speed rating. I keep them inflated to 65psi all the time.

Looking back trying to determine a cause, we didn't hit any debris that I was aware of and I am not sure whether the weight on the other tire when the first one blew was enought to cause that one to fail too. But, I did task my father-in-law with checking the tire pressures before we left. I am a stickler for proper inflation and check / adjust them often. I handed him a digital gauge, but I'm not sure he had his cheaters handy...Ultimately, I suspect the tires that blew were possibly underinflated.

Sounds like a rough experience for sure. I check pressure before getting on the road no matter what.

I tried to find the Goodyears but nobody local to me has them in stock and I need them for a short trip this weekend. All of the reviews I am seein the Hankooks are good tires so I will report back when I get them on(should be tomorrow) obviously towing will be this weekend.


@MNRyan

Nothing is cheap anymore. RV shop near me quoted me for the good years $220 a piece+ $10 for install.
I got a pretty good deal on the Hankooks but I will just install them myself.

[core-rider]

If you're towing that G23 with load range C tires that is most of your problem... you'll need range D or better for that kind of weight IMHO. I would honestly look for a tire load range E if available in your size. You're also running too low on you tire pressures. Move up too at least 60psi.

I have no experience with that brand at all, but I swear by my Maxxis ST8008 tires. Much less weight than you're pulling, but i have a single axle. All the range D tires had issues eventually, but range E on these Maxxis have been issue free for years now. I was right on the fence with range D tires once the boat was loaded.

[j.mo]

The 65psi is the specified tire pressure when cold, not the working / warm tire pressure. Towing that G23, I would inflate them to 65psi. Underinflated tires run hotter than properly inflated tires.

I had a bad trailering day returning from the 4th of July up north back in 2019...Had a blowout on the front right trailer tire at 75mph. I was near a left turn lane onto a quite road and thankfully, the oncoming two lanes had a nice gap to negotiate the turn. It was a weird feeling just before it happened - felt additional drag, just like I was all of a sudden driving into a headwind. I recall even looking at the trees to see if the wind had come up. Then it started bouncing a bit just before all of the smoke started. Jacked up the trailer, unhooked the trailer and headed 10 miles to the nearest Fleet Farm, which was thankfully still open for another hour. (Of course, my wife "reminded" me that we should have a spare tire for it - it didn't come with one.) They put on a Carlisle trailer tire (the only one they had in stock that fit) and had me out the door at 5:15pm. After returning to the boat and trailer and remounting the wheel, we were back on the road!

About 45 minutes later, after driving through some narrow construction zones on I-94 and while participating in some pretty thick traffic, the trailer started bouncing again. I remember the look on my wife's face when I looked at her in the rear-view mirror. That feeling was way too fresh on our minds and as I started to move from the middle lane over to the right lane, the rear trailer tire on the passenger side blew. And there we sat on the side of I-494 after every store that would sell tires was closed. I had to phone a friend. He came with a spare and my floor jack which made the job pretty quick once he finally arrived. (Thankfully, since it was now after sunset.) I smiled as I thought we were back on the road, but when I turned the key, it just clicked...the battery was down from the flashers being on so long. I always carry wrenches and jumper cables and there was a charged-up battery in the boat, which made jump starting it much safer than using another vehicle. Needless to say, I was WAY glad to get home.

Two days later, I purchased 4 new Goodyear Endurance Trailer tires and a new rim and kept the Carlisle as a spare, which should be as good as the Marathons (aka Marabombs) that it came with. I have been very pleased with the Endurance so far - and feel more comfortable with the higher load range and speed rating. I keep them inflated to 65psi all the time.

Looking back trying to determine a cause, we didn't hit any debris that I was aware of and I am not sure whether the weight on the other tire when the first one blew was enought to cause that one to fail too. But, I did task my father-in-law with checking the tire pressures before we left. I am a stickler for proper inflation and check / adjust them often. I handed him a digital gauge, but I'm not sure he had his cheaters handy...Ultimately, I suspect the tires that blew were possibly underinflated.

I've been real happy with the Goodyear endurance. Been running them on my triple axle momentum for about 5 years now.
Solid tires.


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[Lockem25]

If you're towing that G23 with load range C tires that is most of your problem... you'll need range D or better for that kind of weight IMHO. I would honestly look for a tire load range E if available in your size. You're also running too low on you tire pressures. Move up too at least 60psi.

I have no experience with that brand at all, but I swear by my Maxxis ST8008 tires. Much less weight than you're pulling, but i have a single axle. All the range D tires had issues eventually, but range E on these Maxxis have been issue free for years now. I was right on the fence with range D tires once the boat was loaded.

Unfortunately I bought it that way and towed it about 600 miles home. Made the initial journey with no issues but it was also thanksgiving week when we picked it up.

If needed I will have to upgrade to larger wheels as there isnt a load E tire available that I have found in the 14" wheel. We will see how these do and go from there. It only gets towed further than 15 minute rides a handful of times a year