Who releives the load from their trailer tires for the winter, how and why?

[Bruce]

I have read about members placing their trailers on jack stands or blocks over the winter to prevent flat spotting of tires. I have never done this but wonder how many do. Can you convince me? Our boat is parked inside our garage for the winter with less than two year old radial tires. It would be fairly easy to block it up for the winter. I bet we will see inexpensive jack stands amongst the seasonal sales.

 

[OperationROL]

I always put the trailer/boat on stands for 2 reasons:

1. Avoid Dry Rot - Dry rot can lead to tire failure, especially if storing outside and exposed to direct sunlight (I would suggest covering the tires also, if storing outside)
2. Avoid Flat Spots - Flat spots can lead to tire failure and most certainly will cause your trailer from towing smoothly. Most flat spots will work themselves out, but I rather not have them in the first place.

 

[jawsf16]

I did it my first season with a Yamaha and never done it since. Lots of hassle for not much reward in my opinion. I noticed no difference in the tires.

 

[OperationROL]

Lots of hassle for not much reward in my opinion. I noticed no difference in the tires.

.....And I was thinking the exact opposite.....Not much hassle, just extra insurance. It takes me a total of 5 minute to have all 4 stands in place.

 

[Master-Spud]

Can't say I've done it on my boat trailer or my camper, never noticed anything wrong, so will probably keep doing it like I am...

 

[PEARCE]

I've never bothered and we have a camper too. Modern radial tires shouldn't have an issue sitting as long as they're properly inflated.

 

[OperationROL]

I've never bothered and we have a camper too. Modern radial tires shouldn't have an issue sitting as long as they're properly inflated.

Unfortunately, mine came with bias tires.

 

[jcyamaharider]

I do but that is the only way I can get it in my garage door.

 

[Kevin M]

I don't either. I have over 10k miles on my tires and 2 seasons of storage. I do store indoors so maybe that makes a difference.

 

[waterboy]

Never have in 20+ years of boating. Never any tire issues either with bias or radials. Yeah OK dry rot every 5-7 years but don;t think winter jacking the trailer will really help with that.

 

[RumDiet]

Yep - we jack it up every year.

 

[Seadeals]

I jack it. I have lots if stands (and jacks) from past Black Friday deals. Takes a few minutes. It would suck to sit on my a$$ for four+ months so I feel sorry for my tires, even though they are apparently up for a "Marathon". Actually it makes it easier to inspect/service the trailer hubs, brakes and leaf springs too. It also makes the boat very stable if you are doing any mods inside. I usually pull the wheels, clean and inspect the tires. All fun little things for a sunday afternoon in the off season when I have boat fever. If other things float you boat, and you have radials don't bother.

 

[robert843]

It does help with extended storage. About 5 years ago my grandfather passed away and he left me his boat. It is a 1989 huricane deck boat sits on a Shorelander double axle trailer. He put it his garage in 1993 on jacks I picked it up in 2009 it had been in the same place for 16 years. it still has those same tires on it today. We don't use it very often but can't sell it do to sentimental value not to mention no one will probably give me any real money for it do to its age but it still looks and runs like a brand new boat so its worth a lot more to me than anyone else. I just noticed this year the tires where losing a little air when it sat for extended period of time so probably time for new ones but they are aprox 20 years old I'm sure the jacks helped with this. i have not put it on jacks since I have had it but it only hold the boat about 6 months out of the year we put the boats in a dry storage marina for the summer.

 

[scokill]

Never have in 20+ years of boating. Never any tire issues either with bias or radials. Yeah OK dry rot every 5-7 years but don;t think winter jacking the trailer will really help with that.

Same for me. More power if people want to take extra caution but as with many things they solve a problem that may not exist.

 

[Britboater]

Maybe not the tyres but jacking up takes the loading off the suspension and stops the springs seizing.

 

[OperationROL]

Maybe not the tyres but jacking up takes the loading off the suspension and stops the springs seizing.

I forgot to list that benefit.....

 

[GTBRMC]

I put mine on jacks. I started doing this when I still had the POS OEM bias ply tires. The last couple of seasons, she rode out the long winter up in a dry stack, so no need. Now she's stored on a concrete floor again, I will be putting her on jacks in the next couple weeks.

Note: I use jack stands in 5 locations - near the tongue (but aft of the swing joint) and fore and aft of the axles both sides. All 5 locations I lift by the trailer frame to unload not only the tires but the springs.

 

[-klb-]

One possible reason this started. I remember driving my parents station wagon back on high school. It had bias ply tires, and would often sit for a week, maybe even two or three between being driven. Even at recommended pressure, you could really feel the flat spots for the first few minutes when you started out that first time. Never found any evidence that it hurt the life of the tires.

You will also see RV trailers up on jacks frequently in storage, but that is mostly to level them, so that the adsorption cycle refrigerator can work, and you aren't bumping into stuff from walking around in tight spaces with out of plumb cabinets/furniture.

 

[-klb-]

I will also say that we still have the original tires on our 2005 MFI trailer, and it has never been lifted for off season storage. They show signs of UV damage, and MFI trailer wear, but nothing I would relate to being parked all year on the tires.

 

[maboat]

Maybe not the tyres but jacking up takes the loading off the suspension and stops the springs seizing.

I forgot to list that benefit.....

For that to happen, the jack stands would need to be on the frame, not the suspension.
Both sets of photos above still have the suspension (not the frame) loaded on the stands, so this benefit does not apply. That said, this all seems more like a solution looking for a problem.

If the tires stored outside, covering the tires is the single-most beneficial tactic to preserving them