Boat trailer tires Bias Ply or Radial

**kk alaska** · 3 Days Ago

My single axle spring suspension Bias ply tires are on there second season and bad wear on outside edges. Boat and load around 3K max load. Most trips under 300 miles under 60 MPH.

Will radial tires get better life and safer do not want a blow out on single axle trailer.

**MacGyver** · 3 Days Ago

Are you sure you do not have a bent axle or bad bearing?

**excav8tr** · 3 Days Ago

sounds like a loose bearing.....same type of thing on my utility trailer...just cause there new doesn't mean there good

**kk alaska** · 3 Days Ago

No bearing issues at all. Both tires wear the same, talking to other single axle owners quite common.

**excav8tr** · 3 Days Ago

did you jack up trailer & check them out??

**kk alaska** · 3 Days Ago

Jacked them up replaced and check when tires were new and twice a season since. Pre load is right no heat ever pretty attentive to bearings.

**Big Bend** · 3 Days Ago

With the fact that you have checked tha bearings already you have either a camber or a toe setting that is off. The radial tires will not improve this problem. The load also is not the problem as if you were over loaded you would have inside edge tire wear. Are you airing the tires to the max listed pressure? There are several ways to check both problems. First use about a two foot level , stand it up vertical on the out side of the tire and see if the tire is leaning out at the top, make sure that the bottem of the level is not down on the buldge of the lower side of the tire. The secomd is checking the toe setting. It should be very slight toed in. It would be easier to do with several people. Using something that is about six feet long ,have some one hold one on the outside of both tires at the same height and while they hold the stright edges measure between them front and back. The front should be a little less than the rear. But not much.

**Akgramps** · 3 Days Ago

I have similar issues with my trailer, similar load and I practically wore out a set of tires in one season. I had actually increased the size from 13's to 14's and went with a heavier load range. Still they are wearing unevenly.
I need to increase the air pressure to max on mine, I will have to look in the am but I have a torsion bar axle and I think they are wearing more on the inside. I would stay with the bias ply trailer tires, make sure they are aired up properly. What is the max capacity on the side of the tire?

**Akgramps** · 3 Days Ago

Originally Posted by Big Bend

\ The secomd is checking the toe setting. It should be very slight toed in. .
I have never seen a trailer axle where you could adjust the toe-in...............?

**T.R. Bauer** · 3 Days Ago

It is obvious the previous posters have not had a single axle trailer with a long and heavy boat on it. They wear just as you said as they just don't track that well. You don't have a problem - this is just how they are. Radials track a bit (dang small) better if you ask most folks, but the difference is minimal. Tandems tow totally different - way better in my opinion. But they suck moving around the garage......And they really suck when it comes to doing bearing and tires when it comes to the expense. A personal choice for sure. I will leave the others to argue over it.

**Akgramps** · 3 Days Ago

Originally Posted by T.R. Bauer

It is obvious the previous posters have not had a single axle trailer with a long and heavy boat on it. They wear just as you said as they just don't track that well. You don't have a problem - this is just how they are. Radials track a bit (dang small) better if you ask most folks, but the difference is minimal. Tandems tow totally different - way better in my opinion. But they suck moving around the garage......And they really suck when it comes to doing bearing and tires when it comes to the expense. A personal choice for sure. I will leave the others to argue over it.
Less obvious to those that do.........

**akiceman25** · 2 Days Ago

Under Inflation
This type of wear usually results from consistent under inflation. When a tire is under inflated, there is too much contact with the road by the outer treads, which wear prematurely. Tire pressure should be checked with a reliable pressure gauge.

As taken from here>> http://www.procarcare.com/includes/c...dtirewear.html

**Old John** · 2 Days Ago

Originally Posted by akiceman25

Under Inflation
This type of wear usually results from consistent under inflation. When a tire is under inflated, there is too much contact with the road by the outer treads, which wear prematurely. Tire pressure should be checked with a reliable pressure gauge.

As taken from here>> http://www.procarcare.com/includes/c...dtirewear.html
+ what he said

**kk alaska** · 2 Days Ago

That is exactly what I think, tires are rated for 1760# each. I am going to to try a set of balanced radials and see if tire life improves.
Wear pattern is on outside edges.

**Akgramps** · 2 Days Ago

Something else...................is the trailer frame sitting relatively flat or level?

**SkinnyRaven** · 2 Days Ago

Check the springs as well, I had a wear issue that turned out to be several of the leaf springs were cracked through where they were connected together.

**kk alaska** · 2 Days Ago

With both tires wearing on outside edges it looks like under inflation or I could be exceeding my boat weight. I check my tire inflation before every trip, will check axle and springs. And new tires and carry on. Will put boat on scale to verify weight also.

**Big Bend** · 2 Days Ago

Originally Posted by Akgramps

I have never seen a trailer axle where you could adjust the toe-in...............?
I only said that toe could be a problem. Not that it is adjustble. The org.post was that the tires were wearing on the outside edges not on both sides.

**Akgramps** · 2 Days Ago

Originally Posted by Big Bend

I only said that toe could be a problem. Not that it is adjustble. The org.post was that the tires were wearing on the outside edges not on both sides.
Sure, misunderstood, my apolgies.......... checking the toe-in is probably a good idea, particuarliy so if its a drop axle trailer or a torsion spring style.
Most trailer axles are not straight and have some positive camber, if a axle is bent or not oriented correctly as in attached to a lifted vehicle w/o a drop hitch it could throw off the toe and cause rapid tire wear. If the trailer is not overloaded and inflation is correct this would be fairly even. If there are other issues such as overload or under inflate the tire will wear unevenly, but at a faster rate if tires are not paralle.

I think some dealers tend to set boats on minimum sized trailers, they work but just barely, mine was that way and I wish it was a tandem. Much better set-up particuarily for our roads, if I am going very far I always try to keep weight in the boat to a minumum...

**T.R. Bauer** · 2 Days Ago

I love the single axle trailer and hate it. The tire wear on the edges is something they do as they sway down the road. There is a lot of strain on singles as the boat and trailer hit bumps, turn, and such. Tandems have it too, but have two more tires for stability. It makes a huge difference. As AK Gramps pointed out, most of the time when you buy a boat you get barely enough trailer. That's just what I have too. A dang single axle trailer with a 22 foot C-Dory that comes in around 4500-5000 pounds when fully loaded for extended trips. Guess what? The trailer is rated for 5000 pounds.....Just curious, are you running a hitch extension of any kind. I found with my dually with the camper on the back, and the hitch extension in, the tires wore much more quickly.

**kk alaska** · 2 Days Ago

Std hitch at the correct height. Did some research and about 3 years is pretty common and tire strength after a couple years is way down. So for around $200 why not replace them every 2 years for peace of mind. Just wondered if radials gave better life and any issues.

**SkinnyRaven** · 2 Days Ago

Originally Posted by kk alaska

With both tires wearing on outside edges it looks like under inflation or I could be exceeding my boat weight. I check my tire inflation before every trip, will check axle and springs. And new tires and carry on. Will put boat on scale to verify weight also.

I would think overloaded would wear on the inside, under loaded or excessive axle camber would wear the outside.

**HuntKodiak** · 1 Day Ago

Or, you could buy a double axle trailer.....

Ahhh, I'm just kidding. I've never owned a single axle boat trailer. Have enjoyed reading all the info from those like you that have one. Makes sense that this is a feature of the creature, but anything you could do to limit the sway of the trailer would probably help. Radials do track less, and I don't know how your tow/trailer combo is setup to limit the trailer's tendancy to sway. Sure have seen my share of singles being towed down the road that seem to have a mind of their own.

**kk alaska** · 13 Hours Ago

Bought the highest weight rated radial trailer tire, they said my wear looked typical. Out side edges worn center looked great.
But the surprise was I bought the bias tires new from a local Anchorage trailer supply place. They have different tread, wow never looked at them side by side.

**Big Bend** · 10 Hours Ago

Is this the tires that came off of the trailer? If it is the tire on the right has uneven wear. If you got new tires make sure that you have them balanced , The tire on the right looks like it has a had a balance problem.