Radial Tires?

[Donald Fruge]

My Tracker trailer eats tires. This past weekend I went to Toledo bend which is about a 2 1/2 hour drive from my house.

On the way home blew the second good year radial. The first one went on the trip to Fork last April. These tires weren't even a year old. I think that the boat is too heavy for these small radials and the bouncing cause them tho heat up. The 103 degree temps don't help either.



I am going back to the trailer tires that you can get from BPS. I think they are stiffer than the radials and wont degrade as quickly in the heat.



The one that blew this weekend was still inflated but the tread had torn off all the way around the tire.



Wolf

 

[Staci Matheis]

Wolf - Just how small are the tires?

 

[Donald Fruge]

I will have to get the size off of the tire, but they are basically the same size as the trailer tires that came on the trailer. If anything they may be just a hair smaller. To me they are very bouncy. I had put radials on my previous boat and never had a problem but this boat is much heavier.

 

[TOMMY RICH]

Are they car radials? Or are they Marathons? If they're not Marathons...that could be the problem.

 

[Staci Matheis]

Wolf -



Sorry, I wasn't clear about that..... I ment diameter; 12"? 13"? 14"?



If you have regular automobile sized tires, they certainly have more than enough capacity for your boat and I would suspect that you are losing air somewhere along the line. Perhaps punctures or through the valve stem if you aren't keeping it capped. Possibly even bad rims.



The only drawback to radials are that the sidewall is a bit more vulnerable if you're rubbing it against curbs, tree stumps, etc. But then it would go down right then and there - not wai until you were on the highway.

 

[Donald Fruge]

Ok, here's the details;



They are Good Year Club, 165/70R13 M&S

Max load 963 lbs

44 PSI max pressure



They are mounted onto the original rims that came with the boat trailer when it was new.



Should I go back to the BPS trailer tires?



Wolf

 

[Staci Matheis]

Wolf -



Here's a link to Goodyear's "Integrity" tire. The 175/70R13 will carry 1047# @ 35 psi inflation. It lists for $57 each.



I didn't even see the "Club" name on their list. It may have been a tire that they produced specificly for someone. Who knows what specifications/care they put into it.....



Any automobile tire and brand of tire in the same size will carry basically the same load with the same inflation pressure. That should be plenty for your boat. Just be sure you get a name brand!



me!
http://www.goodyeartires.com/goodye...ire.jsp?prodline=Integrity&mrktarea=Passenger

 

[TOMMY RICH]

No...I'd get the Marathons. That'll be my next set....and these bias plies I have are gettin' there quick

 

[Staci Matheis]

Good idea, TEE!

Here's a link.
http://www.goodyear.com/rv/products/product_marathon.html

 

[Jim B]

I agree with TEE. Car tires really arent made for trailer duty. The marathons are and wil llast you a VERY long time if you keep the pressure right and dont hit stuff like curbs.

 

[Donald Fruge]

Does anybody know what the 165/70 means. I realize that the R13 is a 13 inch tire. The reason I am asking is that the marathon looks like it only comes in a 175/80.



Will that work on a rim/trailer that fits what I have been running 165/70 (which i beleive is not the right size)



The guy who sold me these tires works at a Chev dealership and had his heart in the right place but, I really think that the tire does not fit the application.



What is the wieght of my 18 foot tracker with the gas tank full?



Wolf

 

[Staci Matheis]

165 is the width in millemeters.

70 is the aspect ratio; it is 70% as tall as it is wide.

"R" means "radial".

15 is the rim diameter in inches.



Any tire dealer will have tables that will tell you what width/aspect ratio tires you can put on your rims - but you will also need to know the rim width. It should be stamped on the rim.







A "B" load range tire should do you quite well.

A "C" load range would give you about an extra 250# capacity per tire - but you would have to run them at 50 psi instead of 35 and that would be a harsh ride.



Just be sure to keep whatever tires you chose properly inflated and always keep METAL valve caps on them. Believe it or not, the valve cap is intended to be the primary seal.

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

My marathons have been great. Balance them on your rims and treat them with tire dressing. I have got at leat 30,000 on two of them. The 2 others are new.



TOXIC

 

[Rick Hale]

Kinky Tox--"Watching you tires dressing".??---L O L :>)



What is the best stuff to use on tires??



HaleDamage------------------------------Rick Hale

 

[Carl Meyer]

Me! thanks for the tire lesson. I always wondered what all the numbers really meant. Great Info.

-Carl Meyer

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

Hale,



I use either 303 or Mothers Back to Black (NEVER Armor All on anything). I have never had a tire crack or seperate. That being said, unusual or severe wear if your tires are balanced and in good shape when you put them on, could mean trailer and or axle probelms.



TOXIC

 

[Staci Matheis]

The package weight listed for the PT-185 is 1734#.

Add a couple hundred for gas.....

Another hundred for gear.....



Hm-m-m-m-m.....

Better not let those tires drop below 35#.....



Better yet, get some 14" rims and tires.....

The 205/75R14 "B" Marathon will carry 1430#.

 

[TOMMY RICH]

Black Magic Tire Wet is the best and I've tried them allI only have to treat them about once every couple of months. I can also give a little inside info on bias ply tires(which I do know a little about). The dressing will increase the life of a bias ply two fold. The rubber on a bias is a whole lot harder than a radial. The dressing will keep them from premature "dry rot" and UV which is it's biggest enemies

BTW...Bias Ply's should be run at MAX PSI.

 

[Donald Fruge]

Last night I looked at the "spare" that I put on the trailer when I had the blow out. This is the tire that I bought to replace the tire that blew back in april. It is a firestone P155/80 R13 FR 380. It looks like it stands up to the weight a lot better than the Good years that keep blowing out. Not as much bounce and not much "squish" from the weight of the trailer.



What is the difference between the 165/70 and the 155/80?



Wolf

 

[Staci Matheis]

"P" stands for "Passenger".



"FR380" is a much older designation; "F" was the cross-section, "R" was again "Radial" and I think 380 was the metric rim diameter. Not sure about that last one, it's been just a bit too long!



No telling what the construction differences might be between the two tires.

 

[Donald Fruge]

One more question:



It seems that my tracker is too heavy for the size wheels that are on the trailer. What would it take to put some 14 inch wheels/rims on my trailer? Is it just a matter of finding a rim with the same bolt pattern or will there be finder issues to deal with?



Wolf

 

[Staci Matheis]

The only other issue might be offset - how far inside /outside the plane of the hub the edges of the rim extend. I don't know how big an issue it is with trailers. Again, any major tire dealer will have no problem matching you up with an appropriate set.