Trailer help

[njmr2fan]

Growing up with my best friends boating family I saw that they would deflate their trailer tires to a very low pressure when they sat. They would also cover the tires to keep them protected from sunlight, and put the whole trailer on blocks high enough to keep the tires off the ground. They said this helped preserve the tires since they only used the trailer twice a year. Maybe that will help.

 

[Marvin willis]

Hankook. Walmart has them for 55 a tire

 

[Glassman]

I just replaced all 4 on my trailer with Hercules radial trailer tires. $60 ea. mounted and balanced (most shops don't balance trailer tires, but I asked mine to). The tires appeared to be in great shape - tread was fine, but the age is the major consideration. Old tires are a ticking time bomb.
My tire guy says 5-6 years max for those tires regardless of how good they look. So I got a few bonus years - I launch about a mile or so from where I store the boat so the last few years the tires didn't see many miles.
Here's a good read:

http://www.westmarine.com/WestAdvisor/Trailer-Tire-Basics

 

[Marvin willis]

So while I was replacing all the hardware to the trailer my wife had the bright idea that I needed to put up the canopy for shade so I did and one of the legs ripped out one of my valve stems so I went and had it replaced put the tires back on and noticed the other tire(same side) was flat and found this in the tire right after he tired to convince me not to buy new tires(tires will be here tomorrow )

 

[Murf'n'surf]

Isn't that the trailer emergency cable clip?

 

[Marvin willis]

I don't know. Where does it go? Not that it would do anything because I removed the brakes.

 

[biglar155]

Isn't that the trailer emergency cable clip?

Looks like it to me.

@Marvin willis It's the clip that holds the emergency breakaway cable in the "normal" position. If you activate the breakaway system (by yanking the cable) that little clip breaks and you need to replace it to unlock your brakes. 'Course if the brakes have been removed, no worries about breaking the breakaway system on your brakes. (Dr. Seuss has nothing on us.)

 

[biglar155]

View attachment 26061

That's nuts. Nice McGuiver work to get back on the road!

 

[Marvin willis]

Got my tires on and went for a test run. Came back and found this going on. Why and should I bother with it?

 

[Murf'n'surf]

I think it depends on what your leaf springs look like. Do you have a broken leaf?

 

[Marvin willis]

Both sides are identical. I don't know if it's from me braking and theweight distributed weird maybe?

 

[Bruce]

Did you get all new hardware or just paint the springs?

I do not see anything wrong. Looks like the left axle is sitting higher which I assume is due to terrain. They should sit even with an even load on level ground.

 

[Marvin willis]

Painted the springs. Nobody had them in stock. Replaced all the bolts. Spent two days cutting and beating all the old bolts out. Springs looked pretty good but I'm still planning on replacing them in the winter. They were level when started and was like that when I returned. I do have a giant speed bump I go over 100 feet before my house that could cause the weight to shift

 

[Bruce]

The springs should shift back and forth as the loading and angle of the road changes. Even jacking up the front of the trailer changes the position of the springs.

I am planning to change all of my suspension hardware over the winter as well.

 

[Marvin willis]

I'm wondering if it's moving more now that all the rusted bolts have been replaced

 

[Murf'n'surf]

Did you turn the trailer as you parked it? That will cause this but will go away as you pull it straight.

 

[Marvin willis]

Yes a lot to get it parked beside my garage

 

[Marvin willis]

Backing up hill. Yep that would do it. Thanks