Rotating out a boat trailer spare tire

  • bigcrappie
    Blaine
    Posts: 4294
    #1283475

    If my 2 boat trailer tires are due for replacement (just uneven wear)and I have a new spare (same size). Have people used the spare and bought one to match and use one of the old tires as a the spare? good idea or not?

    Jakob
    Keymaster
    Rogers
    Posts: 1282
    #1192966

    That’s what I do!

    TheFamousGrouse
    St. Paul, MN
    Posts: 11519
    #1192969

    I just rotate all tires until they are all shot and replace all 3 at once. Unless you keep your boat inside all the time, there’s no sense trying to save the spare, because sun rot and age will eventually ruin it anyway and then you’ll just throw away a tire without getting any use out of it.

    May as well put ‘er on and get some mileage out of it.

    Grouse

    big_g
    Isle, MN
    Posts: 22380
    #1193018

    I never rotate trailer tires. It serves no purpose. If they have uneven wear, it’s an inflation problem that won’t be helped by rotating them, it will just give all the tires the wear problem. That or more seriously, you need to get an axle or frame alignment. Also, all tires should be replaced at the same time. Typically every 5-6 years, not because of wear (unless you tow more than 6000 miles a year) but because of dry rot. Rotating and especially rotating in a spare on a trailer is just more work. This is my opinion, take it for what it is

    mossydan
    Cedar Rapids, Iowa
    Posts: 7727
    #1193022

    I just replaced both tires on my trailer and it wasen’t because of wear problems, it was dry rot. A spare on a boat trailer to me is just a spare incase you get a flat. Keep the spare covered and away from the sun and just buy another set of the same sized tires, you’ll always have that spare, unless you have to finally replace that one too.

    iceman35
    upstate New York
    Posts: 423
    #1193075

    wear should not be a problem unless you got something else going on… Yes that spare sits there going unused, but still aging like the rest of the tires… my experience only is after your 3rd year, start thinking about new tires… all my tire flats have been on year 4… My tire stealership was not happy with the brand of tire that comes with most trailers…
    replace only with trailer tires…
    take a few minutes at the ramp when the boat is not on trailer, inspect wheels and tires, give them a good detail job, tire dressing…
    take that spare off some time, same deal, get some air in it…
    I got a mini vacation coming up, boat will be in the water a few days, gonna give the trailwer a good cleaning…

    mxskeeter
    SW Wisconsin
    Posts: 3701
    #1193255

    I replace mine at 4 years old. I keep a close eye on the air pressure and switch them side to side every year. I now fill them with nitrogen also. All the camper manufactures now fill the trailer tires with nitro. Heck I run nitro in my truck tires also. JM2CS.

    Zach H
    Posts: 374
    #1193258

    Quote:


    I replace mine at 4 years old. I keep a close eye on the air pressure and switch them side to side every year. I now fill them with nitrogen also. All the camper manufactures now fill the trailer tires with nitro. Heck I run nitro in my truck tires also. JM2CS.


    Might be a dumb question, but what does nitro do for your tires?

    mxskeeter
    SW Wisconsin
    Posts: 3701
    #1193265

    Nitrogen is an inert gas. Temp does not affect it as much so your air pressure stays more consistent. Also nitro molecules are 3 times bigger than oxygen molecules so they don’t leak down as fast.

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