Troubleshooting Trailer Tires On Tandem Axle Boat Trailer Wearing Quickly

Question:

Tandem axle boat trailer. 12 inch tires. Wheels 4 hole 4 inch on center. Alignment supposedly good. Not overweight. Tires wear quickly, especially rear. Will better tires help? Radials? I would like to upgrade to 13 inch, but flange is 5 inch. Clearance is no problem. Wheels are quite old. I could do tires and wheels. Suggestions?

asked by: Jim H

Expert Reply:

There are a few things that can cause trailer tires to wear quickly. Is the tire wearing normally as in all of the tread has even wear, or are they wearing unevenly?

First is if the wheels are bent from hitting a curb or pothole, next is if the tires are not run at the max air pressure stamped on the sidewall of the tire, and next is exceeding the load capacity of the tires.

Since you mentioned your tires are not overloaded I would check the wheels for any noticeable damage that could indicate they are bent. Are the tires on the trailer aired up to the max pressure stamped on the sidewall? Trailer tires have a thicker side wall and not running the max air pressure can cause quick and or uneven wear.

Going with a quality set of tires will definetly lead to a longer tire life. You did not mention specifically which tire size you have, but here are my recommendation for each size offered:

5.30-12- Taskmaster 5.30R12 Radial Trailer Tire - Load Range C # TT53012C

145R12- Kenda Karrier S-Trail ST145/R12 Radial Trailer Tire - Load Range E # AM10140

4.80R12- Taskmaster 4.80R12 Radial Trailer Tire - Load Range C # TT48012C

As you can see each of the tires mentioned are radials, which are what I recommend as they will have better performance on paved road which is where the majority of trailers spend the majority of their time. If your tires are bias plys, you will need to make sure to replace all of the tires with radials as these two types of tires cannot be mixed or you will experience a very unstable ride.

If you find that your wheels are not bent then replacing them will not fix the issue. With that said if they do not have the look you are wanting or if you find they are bent then you will want to replace them. For a boat trailer like yours I really like the Aluminum Split Spoke Trailer Wheel - 12" x 4" Rim - 4 on 4 # AM22318HWT as they are aluminum so they will not corrode due to being in the water, and really have a more appealing look than the standard trailer wheel.

Even though you mentioned that the alignment is good, if this issue has happened with multiple sets of tires I recommend taking the trailer to a reputable trailer shop and have them verify the alignment.

I included videos of the products mentioned for you to take a look at.