Couple questions regarding trailer tire maintenance

[GoVols01]

Do the tires on the trailer need to be rotated, like a car's tires or no?

Also, what do you guys do to prevent flat spotting of the tires when the boat/trailer is parked all winter and doesn't move?

 

[Shannon]

I am able to park mine in the garage. So we put it on Jack stands. I do rotate side to side and leave the wheels off during the winter. Have no idea if it is necessary to rotate or if it even helps? Gives me piece of mind so I do the rotation.. It also gives me a chance to look over brakes and suspension.

 

[bronze_10]

I think rotation is situational.. I have to crank my boat trailer around in a cul deal sac with parked cars in it every time we bring it home. The front drivers side tire and the back passengers tire have more wear on the outside edges from sliding sideways in that tight turn even if it is only for a few feet. So I rotate mine to try to even it out some but only once a year or so, maybe longer if I don't tow much. I also take the chance to balance them as well.

 

[JBehrens]

I have my trailer in a garage type storage unit, I put down 1/4" ply wood and park the trailer on top of that then use stands to take some weight off in the winter. I still leave some weight on the tires just in case the stands fail or if I have to have the skis cleaned in the off season.

 

[Mainah]

I have never been one to rotate trailer tires. Keep in mind that if they are uni directional (there will have a rotation arrow on them if they are) you won’t want to swap sides. You can prevent flat spots by putting it on jacks/blocks or moving the trailer around at intervals so the contact patch is different.

 

[bronze_10]

I have never put my boat on stands over the winter. . I prob should. Butmy tires seem to smooth out in a few miles.

 

[GTBRMC]

When I had the original (translated: "super shitty") bias ply tires, I did as suggested above and used jack stands to take the majority of the weight off the tires during offseason storage (about 7 months where i live). When one of my bias plies blew out one hot Fourth of July weekend, I upgraded to good radials and no longer used the jack stands without incident for the next 4-5 years until I sold it.

 

[Noko]

I drive all of one mile to the boat ramp twice a year, so I don't do anything with my trailer tires.