Move trailer tires

[Bren989]

Does anyone know the average age of the tires that come on the seadoo move trailers? I'm trying to figure out if mine are wearing weird (will how quick they are going) or if they just don't last that long. I've put about 5000 miles on them.

 

[Nike12000]

are they wearing uneven or are they chopped if you run your hand over them are they directional can you rotate them?

 

[Bren989]

The outermost treads on both side of the tire seem warn out whereas the inside treads look great. I checked the tire pressure and it was what it should be so idk if they are just made thinner on the outside or something.

 

[Nike12000]

or they need rotated if applicable or the axle is a little crooked.

 

[tom scheidecker]

Trailer axles can be aligned and I had to do that on an equipment trailer we used a lot. Also tire pressure is critical as under inflation can wear the outside ribs. The tires are half of your suspension since the springs only do so much. Trailer tires are different than car tires and are supposed to have stiffer sidewalls. They probably cheap out on the rubber like they did on everything else. I have a Move trailer and I'm not at all impressed with it. It is barely adequate to haul the 125 miles round trip to our favorite spot and as soon as we can afford it, it will be replaced. Tom

 

[jammin777]

agreed with the above, the edge tire wear (outside and inside) is a sign of under inflation. over inflation would cause middle wear.
are they bias ply or radials? may try radials next. but go with radial trailer tires.

 

[mdntblu]

What's a good trailer? I always get Zieman.

 

[tom scheidecker]

The other thing I read in the trailer owners manual is that we have "sealed bearings" which can't be repacked. You have to replace the whole hub. See if there is any movement when you lift the wheel off the ground, and wiggle it side to side and top to bottom. I've had bearings last 100,000 miles and the replacement didn't last 10,000. Whoever came up with this idea should have the fleas of a thousand camels infest their nether regions. I've never heard of Zieman but if you like that brand, go for it. We are lucky enough to have a company open up here that builds trailers from thick wall aluminum stock, and we can order it with the options we want. Cupping may have something to do with balance, and it's hard to catch an out of balance tire on a trailer if it isn't way out. Also check the fasteners that hold the axle to the trailer to see if there is any loose hardware. Good luck, and let us know what you find. Tom

 

[Spimothy Leary]

5K miles, depending on the tire itself, seems like quite a bit of miles to me but I probably average about 1K miles a year so I usually sell the trailer long before tires wear out.

I always thought oxidation was an issue and sitting for long periods, which generally speaking is bad for a tire.

What mileage do y'all usually get?

 

[Bren989]

Okay so I'm going to try to answer everybody's questions in this post. If I miss anything, feel free to ask it again.

The trailer is only two years old, but we drive to northern Maine from North Carolina once a year and to and from Connecticut so I gain miles quickly.

Tire pressure seems good to me, the trailer recommends 50, dealer recommended anything between 55-57. Mine are at 57 and 56.

They are the stock tires that come on the seadoo move trailer (I can't remember what kind they are) so maybe they should just be replaced because they probably aren't the best quality.

I will look at tightening the fasteners next time I get it out and see if that makes a difference. I will probably rotate them while I'm at it.

I think I will bring it in to the dealer soon and just see what they have to say. Maybe they are fine and I'm just not used to trailer tires.

 

[Coastiejoe]

Does the tire itself say what the pressure is SUPPOSE to be?
I have owned skis and boats for something like 35 years. I have never replaced a single tire on any of my trailers.

Regardless of anything else, if your tires are wearing evenly, it is a matter of getting the pressure correct for your tire vs load. If your centers are good but the outer edges are not, you need more air.

 

[Spimothy Leary]

FWIW, I don't know what size you have now, so maybe the following is worthless but:

these are the tires on my single trailer. 205/65/10 $99 each (even cheapos were $45 when I last looked so it was only $100 extra)

made a noticeable difference in look and feel, tows like a dream, IMO if your going to upgrade, explore if your fenders would allow you to get some fatty's. Its worth it for any long distance regular. I bought this trailer just before last years 10 hour drive to georgia, big difference on some of those crappy back roads and I feel better when rolling over railroad tracks and such.

if you were a 6 miles to the ramp guy i'd just suggest a cheap set anywhere but for long trip reliability you want great tires and a spare, replace springs when applicable & hardware if needed and your set for the next few years.

The question still needs to be settled, is it wearing bad because of bad tires or bad something else so when you or a shop replaces them, alignment should be checked.

 

[jammin777]

i think most pwc trailers come with bias ply tires. if yours has them, it may be worth a try to switch to radials as they will wear better, last longer and ride smoother. some cheaper bias ply tires tend to wear on both in an outer edges.
i wonder how long those sealed hub bearings last when dunked in water often?

 

[Bren989]

Okay it looks like I'm going to be finding some better tires. I always assumed they came with at least decent tires but also didn't realize that they are probably good tires for <50 miles to an from the ramp but maybe not so great tires for 1000+ mile road trips. As for problems with the axel and alignment, I will bring the trailer into the dealer and have them take a look at it since I want to make sure everything is all set before my trip up north at the end of June. Thanks for all the help everybody!