Boat Trailer Tyres. Would you use them

[Jim@sea]

We have a 24 ft yacht which goes on a single axle trailer.
The trailer has virtually brand new tyres, the only use was when the boat was delivered when new and the occasional launching in the spring and bringing the boat out in the winter. The boat has always been at a Lake District Sailing Club and never used on the road since delivered.
But the boat is a 1997 boat and the date on the tyres are 1995,
The tyres still have the stripes on the tread and bobbles indicating very little wear.
Would you use them.

 

[dunedin]

Absolutely not. New tyres and service hubs.

We had apparently perfect trailer tyre blow out on motorway at 7 years old.
And father had all sorts of problems with blown tyres on 22 foot yacht. Very easy to replace with no boat on trailer.
Very difficult to lift boat to replace on hard shoulder of motorway with lorries going past, and perhaps no jack syrong enough to lift boat + trailer.

 

[john_morris_uk]

Earlier this yeah I replaced all four tires on our daughters boat trailer. They were a similar age and well past their use by date and there was no way I wanted to trail the boat 40 miles with old tires and the possibility of a blow out. It’s a no-brainer as far as I’m concerned.

 

[northwind]

If the boat has sat on the trailer for 6months of the year and the tyres have supported its weight all that time, then they will quite likely have splits inside the tread. As above personally I wouldn't use them, ask yourself, the question am I feeling lucky....

 

[anoccasionalyachtsman]

What, only 26 years old, only ever left outside and everyone's condemning them?

Too right!

 

[waynes world]

For road use no and over 10 years old not legal. Launch trailer in yard then yes.
They will have damage more than likely with being sat with all the load weight on them.

 

[pandos]

Madness to even consider doing so...I had a blow out years ago on 6 year old Michelins that had sat unused for 4 years...

 

[jwilson]

I'd tow it a mile or two slowly on a quiet road, certainly not fast or far. I'd also look closely at the trailer structure/welds after 25+ years presumably outside, even though it's never been in salt water.

 

[Bilgediver]

We found that it wasn't the tyres that initially gave a problem but the valve bodies. One failed on a long drive letting the air out slowly due to cracking in the recess for the wheel. The tyre was destroyed by the time it was noticed by the driver. I was puzzled that the valve was missing from the wheel and looked at the other valve body. As soon as I moved the valve around to see how flexible it was it also failed. The local garage indicated an expected life of 3/4 years. Our wheels ant tyres were almost unworn but about 5/6 years old .

 

[Bru]

I'd tow it a mile or two slowly on a quiet road, certainly not fast or far.

To what purpose?

As already pointed out, the tyres are now illegal being way too old. And such a test will prove nothing

I needed to move my box trailer all of five miles. It hadn't been used for three years and was on four year old tyres which looked perfect. It went about four miles and then a tyre blew out its sidewall!

I had a spare and the means to fit it plus the trailer was empty.

The irony is that I needed to move it to get new tyres fitted before using the trailer for a 100 mile plus run!

I'd also look closely at the trailer structure/welds after 25+ years presumably outside, even though it's never been in salt water.

Now that I totally agree with! Watched a chap who'd bought an old 1.5t digger off us drive it onto his old plant trailer which had stood around on his farm for years. The trailer snapped in two!

 

[penfold]

As every other poster has said; towing on the road with those tyres is playing russian roulette, fit new ones.

Absolutely not. New tyres and service hubs.

We had apparently perfect trailer tyre blow out on motorway at 7 years old.
And father had all sorts of problems with blown tyres on 22 foot yacht. Very easy to replace with no boat on trailer.
Very difficult to lift boat to replace on hard shoulder of motorway with lorries going past, and perhaps no jack syrong enough to lift boat + trailer.

Anyone who tows without a suitable jack is a silly billy.

 

[davidpbo]

As others have said, don't risk it particularly on a single axle trailer. I would want a spare with me as well.

 

[Alfie168]

I'm just overhauling a twin axle trailer that was in perfect condition twelve years ago and has not been towed for ten. Amongst the things I found were....all the brake linings had dropped off the shoes, cracked tyres and rusty wheels. The only reason I'm not junking it is that the main frame looks fine. If you have brakes they need checking and I would strongly recommend not only new tyres, but new wheel bearings. They are surprisingly inexpensive when you consider the potential consequences of deciding not to.
Peace of mind is a great thing too. I shudder to think what might have happened had I been tempted ( unlikely) to use my trailer.....after all, it was fine when I last used it ????

 

[Bilgediver]

We have two road trailers we use a few times a year towing skiffs around the UK and to the continent. We annually check the brakes,bearings and electrics and have learnt to change the tyres due to expected degradation. We change the tyre valves every three years if not changed for other reasons..

Our trailers are from two well known trailer companies and we have had no structural problems in the ten years we have had them . We have changed Jocky wheels and assemblies due to damage caused by driving with then not being raised to full stow position. We have a fully equipped bench for testing and rebuilding light boards . Don't ask

 

[Daydream believer]

I wonder how many people tow caravans without problems. I do not see many by the roadside. ( not counting those in farmer's fields that is!!) However, when one does go wrong they can go wrong in a spectacular way that top gear would be proud of.

 

[Jim@sea]

I'm just overhauling a twin axle trailer that was in perfect condition twelve years ago and has not been towed for ten. Amongst the things I found were....all the brake linings had dropped off the shoes, cracked tyres and rusty wheels. The only reason I'm not junking it is that the main frame looks fine. If you have brakes they need checking and I would strongly recommend not only new tyres, but new wheel bearings. They are surprisingly inexpensive when you consider the potential consequences of deciding not to.
Peace of mind is a great thing too. I shudder to think what might have happened had I been tempted ( unlikely) to use my trailer.....after all, it was fine when I last used it ????

Yes, a boat i bought had a 15 year old Indespention Roller Coaster Trailer and the seller said "I have serviced it myself" Although it was OK on the 300 mile trip back to where I live, the next day I was taking the boat to the marina and the rear wheel locked. On removing the wheel hub I found that the brake linings had detached from the brake shoes and were loose within the brake drum, caught on the brake cylinder and locked the wheel. What had happened is the "Bonded" brake lining had absorbed moisture which caused the inside edge of the brake lining to soften with the result that the lining no longer stuck to the brake shoe. Would not have happened if they had carried on using Rivets fastening the shoes to the linings.
Ten years before that I bought a Drascombe Lugger from Sheffield and whilst towing it back to Manchester a wheel bearing collapsed.
So now I always take a brake drum off the wheel hub and have a look.

 

[fisherman]

Had a blow out yesterday on a 20 mile trip. Tyre treads all look unworn but are obviously getting on in years, had the trailer 4/5 years, second hand. 550kg capacity with 250kg on it.
Several engineers I spoke to said always take spare bearings on a long trip. (And presumably the tools to change them)
My box trailer has bigger wheels, but I note the tyre walls are cracking, particularly all round the tread perimeter, and someone said the cap will come off on the motorway on a long trip.

 

[ghostlymoron]

As someone who had a wheel come off a two wheel trailer, I learnt the hard way what a mess you're in, I would avoid it at all costs. Trailer and caravan tyres may look as if they have plenty of tread left but on closer examination you'll probably find cracks in the bottom of the tread. It's annoying but worth changing them when the cracks become visible.
Also, it's no good calling the AA - they don't carry the kit to be of any help.

 

[fisherman]

As someone who had a wheel come off a two wheel trailer, I learnt the hard way what a mess you're in,

Oh yes...I picked up two bins of used mooring chain from Fal Harbour, I was assured they were 300kg each and that's what I paid for. 750kg all up trailer so OK. Going up the hill in Mabe a wheel came off and went bouncing down the hill, luckily didn't damage anything, I stuffed the Volvo in first and dragged the outfit onto the pavement. With the Volvo jack under the back corner, so only part of the trailer weight on it, no chance. A kind man came out with a long balk of timber and some blocks, we managed to get the wheel back on, and I drove home, slowly.
Out of natural curiosity I weighed all the bits of chain and it came to just over 1400kg.

 

[Sandro]

Five years from making time is the safe duration according to tyre dealers. Yes, there is suspect of conflict of interest so let's allow one more year.

My two tyres failed at short time interval from one another, after (too) many years of little using.