View Full Version : Trailer Tires/Speed
This summer I had two Carlisle tires fail on me. One blew out and upon inspection the other had a bulge the size of a golf ball. The tires were two years old and had roughly 10,000 miles of trailering (maybe less). I have since switched to Goodyear Marathon's. I was reviewing a Bass & Walleye Boats article on "trailer tires" and saw that all manufactures interviewed for the survey (Goodyear, Carlisle and Titan I think) said that a trailer tire (ST rated) has a MAXIMUM speed rating of 65 mph. I usually trailered at 65 to 75 mph. I have since dropped my trailering speed to 60 maximum. I'm kind of fanatical in that I check tire pressure before each trip, so I know that they were always at their 50 psi max pressure. I do not overload. Do you think the speed caused the demise of my tires? I see plenty of posts where guys are trailering at 70 to 75+. What do you think? It just seems odd that both tires went at pretty much the same time.
Best Regards,
FJH
As long as you got 2 new tires on I wouldn't worry about it. If you did get a blow out and had to use your spare you might want to slow down until you get your spare replaced. However if I were you I'd be more worried about having a blowout on the Ford explorer. Also going 60 on the interstate tends to P.O. alot of drivers. I'm just lookin out for ya, your too young to start driving like my Gramma.
Regrds,
Scott
P.S. Pretty Cool Chain Walleye Series is now a qualifyer for the RCL
When towing any trailer, saftey and common sense is number one over anything. Im towing my trailer with a pick up and truck camper on it, with weight of truck and camper over 10,000 pounds. I reduce my speed to 55. Once in awhile i will drift to 60 mph, But i try to maintain 55. 65 is way too fast for any trailer to be towed. If you complain about tires blowing out, you're violating every saftey rule in the book. The number one thing that irrates me the most is when i see some idiot towing a trailer over 65 and passing in the left lane. this idiot should be ticketed and forced to pay a $500 fine. I see so many drivers out there today doing this and they all complain about their tires. It goes to show people lack common sense. So everyone out there be saftey minded, think of yourself and other people on the highway, slow down, reduce your speed and stay in the right lane. Ray
CJHughes@Norstan.com
12-06-2001, 02:01 PM
I bet if you would do a post survey on how fast everyone tows their boats 70 and over would win hands down .
55 to 60 come on maybe a 12" tire or smaller. The road hazard is you driving 10 under. I truly beleive with todays trailers 65 is as safe as 55.
>If you complain about tires blowing out, you're violating every >saftey rule in the book.
Don't get me wrong, but what is "every safety rule in the book" that I was violating? I'm not some nutball freak that passes on the shoulder. I simply said that I had a blowout on one tire and the other was ready to go. I was wondering if speed (65 to 75 mph) was the factor that destroyed the tires. Honestly, before reading the B&W Boats article I didn't know thet the maximum speed for an ST rated tire is 65 mph.
Best Regards,
FJH
I tow at 65, no more, and rarely less. I make sure that the tires are filled to max pressure, to reduce the bouncing, which I'm sure helps keep heat down. Some people say that you can reduce the pressure if you're not towing a full load (max load of the tires), but I find that it tows nicer when they're full. Between myself and my dad, we've never had a boat trailer tire fail before it's time, in our years of towing. I think that the brand actually has alot to do with it, and also that some dealers like to put cheap (not heavy enough) trailers and cheap tires under the boats they sell. Not saying that that is your problem specifically, but it may account for some of the failures that I heard of this year.
Eyez
The RCL qualifier status is pretty cool. I see your boat's for sale. Are you thinking that maybe they'll take the highest Ranger, highest Crestliner and highest Lund? If that's the case, I can understand why you're selling the Lund. Good luck shopping for the Crestliner, with Waz's boat on the market you should be the only C-liner out there :-).
Best Regards,
FJH
p.s. Went to the Illinois River yesterday with Rudy and my brother-in-law. We caught about 25 the biggest was about 3#. Rudy's biggest was just a fuzz over 6 inches, let's just say he had a tough day of jigging in 40 mph winds.
Thanks. I'm running an Eagle trailer (ST205/75/R14 tires).
Best Regards,
FJH
Dave in Mpls
12-06-2001, 02:52 PM
>I'm not some nutball freak that passes on the shoulder.
Of course you are :)
I run Goodyear Marathon ST205/75R14s with a "C" load range under my rig, and typically tow from 65-70 MPH. Have not had any tire problems since switching to the Goodyears (although some folks on the board have) three years ago. I definately cannot say the same for the Titans that came on the trailer - pure junk.
The biggest enemy against tires is not speed, per se, but heat (yes, I realize heat is a function of speed). Seems different tires generate less heat at speed, or are able to disipate the heat more efficiently.
Stay off the shoulder!!
Regards
JUst by reading all these posts most of you guys just don't get it. I am not here to be a preacher to you but I am stressing saftey.Our society today could care less about rules and regulations. Most speed limits in the states are 65 you pull a trailer faster than this you are looking for trouble. It takes longer to bring your vechicle to a stop and if you go out of control you have more problems. This is why I stress reducing your speed it prevents accidents. Accidents are caused by people that don't think about saftey. No matter where you go today very few people do the speed limit. So the next time you drive down the high way pulling your trailer at excessive speeds your putting yourself and someone elses life in danger because of your stupidity. I like to bring up one more point. How many of you inspect your trailer hitches for cracks.I bet you 50 % of the guys don't know how to hook up the safty chains also. Ray
Dave in Mpls
12-06-2001, 03:30 PM
What are safety chains?
Just kiddin' ya, Ray :)
You do bring up many good points.
Regards
If you go to websites for the tire manufactors, you can get the info on these tires. A friend of mine did and found out that none of the trailer tires are designed to go over 65. I've had problems with Carlisle and Titans. I always tow between 65-80mph. There might be some truth to the fact of towing over 65.
CJHughes@Norstan.com
12-06-2001, 03:48 PM
I will admit that going fishing I do 15 to 20 mph faster than I do coming home from fishing . Did you know on the new Chevy trucks that they will only allow you to go 100 mph ! Then the computer kicks in and no matter how much of that skinny peddle you have left before it hits the floor it still won't do over 100 , with or without towing anything behind you . See General Motors is looking out for all the stupid people or guys that are going to miss the last ferry leaving Marlbehead for Kellys Island on a Friday night. Think of how this is going to affect the ratings for all the COP'S shows . Billy Bob can only go 100 mph in that new truck they will catch him for sure .
I admit it! I'm one of those that does 70 going down the interstate! Gosh, I feel much better now with that off my chest!:)
By the way, I use Goodyear tires.
One other thing to think of for safe trailering, make sure your trailer brakes are adjusted properly. Most people never slam on the brakes hard enough to find out, but if one side grabs tighter than the other, it can throw you in the ditch (or oncoming lane) right quick. I know this from personal experience.
Eyez
Your a Funny guy. No "C" boat for me. "L" Boats forever!
Waterdog
12-06-2001, 07:06 PM
Some times bad JU-JU is all it takes to cause tire failure .
Pot holes , curbs , or simple road trash (screws / nails / metal junk / etc.) can mess up a good day .
Drivers rarely see the carnage tires go thru unless you happen to follow towed boats .
iamwalleye1
12-06-2001, 07:11 PM
I myself this year had both Carlisle tires fail on me they were about 50 miles apart. Also my buddie had his both fail about 1000 miles apart. I was told that the tred separated from the steel belt. My tires were only 18 months old! Towing around 60 mph.
Ray has lost it.
12-06-2001, 08:52 PM
An idiot for passing in the left lane? :) You'd sooner see people passing on the shoulder? Speed limit is 70mph on North Dakota Interstates and a rig moving at 60mph is more of a hazard than one keeping up with traffic. Maybe someone else should try to use some common sense before they shoot off their mouth.
Ray has got to open his eyes
12-06-2001, 08:58 PM
Man - if you are this worried about someone driving 66 mph and pulling a trailer, what do you do when someone cuts you off? Run his ##### off the road and demand an explanation? call enforcement? You must be a bass fisherman . . .
The reason me and my boat are blowing by you in the left lane is because you're driving 10-20 mph less than the rest of the highway traffic, and I probably had to punch it to hurry around your slow vehicle and get back into the right lane and out of the way of the faster moving traffic. Since you are "stressing safety" have you considered that your SLOW vehicle is creating a unsafe situation? Did you ever look back and notice all those cars and trucks having to adjust speed so that everyone can merge into the left lane and pass you? The correct speed is right around the speed limit, if you won't keep up with that, you ought to find a slower road to your destination. But you've decided what the right speed is for everyone and geez why doesn't the government pass a law so we can all see it your way? Oh yeah, all us dummies don't how to hook up chains or inspect a hitch like you do either. Too bad Klinton is gone, maybe he could get a law passed and we could all take a towing safety class to make sure we are as smart as you and then we would qualify to buy a special license to tow a boat right?
>JUst by reading all these posts most of you guys just don't
>get it. I am not here to be a preacher to you but I am
>stressing saftey.Our society today could care less about
>rules and regulations. Most speed limits in the states are
>65 you pull a trailer faster than this you are looking for
>trouble. It takes longer to bring your vechicle to a stop
>and if you go out of control you have more problems. This is
>why I stress reducing your speed it prevents accidents.
>Accidents are caused by people that don't think about
>saftey. No matter where you go today very few people do the
>speed limit. So the next time you drive down the high way
>pulling your trailer at excessive speeds your putting
>yourself and someone elses life in danger because of your
>stupidity. I like to bring up one more point. How many of
>you inspect your trailer hitches for cracks.I bet you 50 %
>of the guys don't know how to hook up the safty chains also.
> Ray
That was what happened to me - tread separation on both tires.
Best Regards,
FJH
Big Al
12-07-2001, 06:54 PM
As long as it's a four-lane or bigger highway, there's nothing wrong with driving 60 mph in the right lane. Most highways have a minimum speed limit and I think 60 is well above most minimums.
Besides, going 10 mph faster only gets you there minutes before the next guy.
The people that I have a gripe with are the ones who go 60 mph or less in the LEFT lane!
I agree with you al, with the people driving slow in the left lane. This lane is for the high speed demons. I am strictly right lane because I like to reduce my speed because im hauling a lot of equipment. The one thing that makes me sick is when someone is tailgating me and im trying to drive as safe as possible. Tailgating is against the law and people could care less. They're telling you to get out of my way, i want to go. I refuse to budge for any driver that wants to act like this. They ever plow into me, I will have these people prosecuted to the fullest extent of law,and believe me, I will do it. Ray
You know, I really get a bit fed up with all of the wonderment about trailer tires - failures etc.
Car manufacturers have been making tires for many many years, that get 100K miles on a set of tires, driving at speeds to 100 mph, on the open roads of Germany as well as freeway rated speeds here in the states.
Rather than settling for a trailer tire - go to your favorite tire shop - pick out a suitable tire that matches the load rating of the loaded trailer - i.e. run the fully loaded boat - with maximum vacation, fishing, or tournament load - across a scale. Insure that you give yourself a 50% overload rating from the measured value, and use that tire size for your trailer.
Pay $50-$100 per tire - in the form of the same tire that you would put on your car - and enjoy your trailer and tires for as long as you own the trailer.
If you look at the specs on typical trailer rims - much less stringent and car wheels, the specs on trailer tires, much less stringent that typical car tires - is it any wonder that folks often have problems with trailer tires and wheels.
Put on a good set of car tires and wheels and you will be good to go for many years at any freeway rated speeds, that you choose to tow your rig.
Take care and enjoy.
REW
Jamie,
The last time I went in for tires (mine were doing the same thing and I don't know what they were, but they are what came on the 99' Shorelandr') my mechanic reccomended Hercules Signet SB 802. He knows my driving style and said they would handle the speed and terrain.
I have no idea if they are any good or not, but they seem to be handling the driving very well.
Brian
I'm not sure about the laws in neighboring states but I do know that MI law states 55 mph is the speed limit (max) when towing a trailer.
Certainly safety (not only yours but also the people you are sharing the road with)and control needs to be your first concern.