Trailer Modification

[Chinook]

I agrree with all - and I have also 2 axles, but imagine also how rare tire blowouts are.

I did thousends of miles with trailers (not just with boats...), never had a spare tire. And also watch all the motorsicles... Do they carry spare tires???

but since I have the dual axle trailer... the I even also have a spare tire with me... Just becouse I got it for free...

When I started out with the dual axle trailer, I didn't carry a spare, also thinking that, with 4 wheels under the boat, I was traveling with a built in spare. However, after experiencing a flat tire, and having to limp home on 3 wheels and no spare, I quickly learned that, while this can work, it's not the best situation. I don't have a great deal of clearance between tires and fenders. Also, when the second axle was added, the original one had to be repositioned so that balance was achieved with the two axles. When traveling without all 4 tires helping, the trailer ends up out of balance and, every time I hit a bump in the road, the boat bounced a little on the trailer, just enough for the tire on the single wheel side to rub against the fender. I'd see a puff of smoke from tire rubber with each of those bounces. After that experience, I got a spare tire mounting bracket, and I bolted a spare wheel and tire to it. Even with the tandem axle, I feel having a spare tire along is very advisable.

[Herschel]

I won't even consider anything without dual axles

I would have to agree with that. I, also, drive a dual axle travel trailer, and I have other family and friends that do, too. I participate in a Forest River (a large manufacturer of RV's) forum much like MacGregor Sailors. There is just too much discussion about trailer tires failing even with folks that are savvy about upkeep of their tires. Apparently, there are cheap trailer tires and good trailer tires. It seems to me that not all cheap travel tires will fail, but the reports I encounter seem to suggest that with so many cheaper trailer tires out there, the odds of failing go up. I was slow to accept that I had to put more money into trailer tires than the bare minimum, but the stories keep piling up on this board and others, and my own personal experience with cheaper tires that just seem to go bad "for no good reason" as they say, despite religious efforts at maintenance. I am a "dual axle guy" for sure!

[Harvey]

I have replaced the 14 in. wheels and tires with 15 in. wheels and 2500 lb ST (special trailer) tires and am pleased with the results. The tires and hubs run cooler and I feel safer without the flimsy 14 in. tires and wheels. There was one problem: the larger tires rubbed the inside of the fenders on larger than normal bumps on the road. I changed the spring shackles to 5 in. from E-Trailer and no more rubbing. I haven't had any difficulty launching and retrieving with the trailer a little higher.

I wanted a more reliable trailer but didn't want to spend the money to install a four-wheel system.

It was difficult to remove the shackle nuts because they are pinched, or stamped to bind on the threads so they don't come loose. An impact wrench, which I don't have, would have removed them easily. Instead of using the old nuts, I bought new ones at a truck and trailer shop.

[Harvey]

If you get 15 in. tires, make sure the tire shop installs heavy duty valve stems. Standard automobile stems will blow out and leave your tire flat. I was lucky, it happened as I was entering a parking lot.