Tire wear

[Robert]

I stored two 5 gallon metal gas cans inside the back doors of my Trooper because in places there was 160 miles between gas stations and my 1984 Trooper only had a 50 L tank. I left some room in the top of the tank for expansion. The caps were tightly sealed, but could relieve presure. I still had trouble with gasoline smell so I added plastic bags around the cans, the smell was nearly gone, but I ended up with gasoline damage on the sissal mats that the gas cans were sitting on.
..
I have never again considered transporting gasoline (except very short trip to fill the lawn mower's gas can) in the people space.

[Catigale]

IN the newspaper this morning is an article on tire life with an industry recommendation that tires be removed from service after 10 years of life.
Its clear they are positioning us for a law that would ban tires from use after 10 years, knowing how politics work in NY


Thanks, wonder why the tire industry would recommend that???



I dont think I have ever had tires last that long, except for the infamous 30 year old tires on the Island 17 trailer, but I dont need the "GUBMENT' to help me find ways to spend money......

Would I trailer 3 hours to the Cape on 10 year old Mac tires at the load limit?? No way.

Would I use same to go 10 minutes to the local ramp? Probably.

Give me the info - Ill make the decision, thank you very much.

[Harrison]

As promised, here are my results from this weekends trailer examinations.

Had the wife drive the truck & boat down the highway. Her first time, so we both were a little nervous, but she did great. Asked her to do a few quick swerves on the highway to see just how much it sways, and how long it took to get back in the groove behind the truck. Id have to say she goes back & forth about 2 times before she settles. One thing I did notice was practically a constant up & down bounce all the way home (17 miles). I thought that was a little unusual.

When we got home, I got out the tape measure. We measured from the front inside edge of each tire, to the ball hitch. Dead nuts on (to within 1/16). So, that eliminated a crooked axle. Next was to check for a tow problem. Lined up two straight edges and measured. To my surprise, shes towed OUT 1/16! I didnt see any obvious way to adjust for this, so were going to have to live with it. Next I jacked each wheel up to check for bearing wear. They were perfect. Very little play, but enough. One thing I did notice, was when I spun each wheel. They looked like the wheel is round, but the tire is egg shaped, by about 3/16 of an inch. This would explain the bouncing up and down the highway.

I did the road test with all the fuel still in the tanks. I havent repeated it without all the fuel weight. Im convinced that removing about 170 lbs from the back of the boat will no doubt help the handling.

---Harrison

[Frank C]

Harrison,
Your problem sure seems very strange to me. Here's why:

• A. Yes, the aft fuel load is bad (hobby-horsing), but tongue wt of 305 is amply reasonable;
  B. Even if fishtailing was extreme, it's unlikely to cup tires so severely, so soon;
  C. Yes, sounds as if the axle is measuring straight and square;
  D. But your wear pattern would normally indicate otherwise;
  E. It's probably very rare, but wonder if spindles are pointing a bit up (or down), plus out?

Even if you combine scrubbing with out-of-round bouncing, it seems unlikely to create such a repeating patttern. Too late now, but I have to wonder how those tires appeared, from aft, while spinning in the air ... agreeing w/opinions above, I'd avoid investing in new tires without an answer.
Bet a trailer builder would diagnose it in a NY-second.

[Harrison]

Frank,

Good points. I too think that my tongue weight is adequate, but, without actually weighing the boat & trailer road ready, it's still a speculation.

Visually, my wheels looks straight. . . even down the highway. I guess I could put my caster camber gauge on each wheel to check for possible camber problem, but me thinks that isn't the issue. Even if it was, I see no obvious adjustment to remedy.

Jodi (my wife) and I have another Catalina trip in the works, so before we go, Im definitely replacing tires. The boat will be towed empty of fuel and some of the load shifted around. Were just gonna have to see.

Im chalking this up to overloading the boat, poor balance of the load, and taking mountain road curves just too damn fast. On the other hand, observing the tire shape, maybe I just got a pair of bad lot tires.

Thanks
Harrison

[zuma hans 1]

Its clear they are positioning us for a law that would ban tires from use after 10 years, knowing how politics work in NY... I dont think I have ever had tires last that long, except for the infamous 30 year old tires on the Island 17 trailer, but I dont need the "GUBMENT' to help me find ways to spend money......

Would I trailer 3 hours to the Cape on 10 year old Mac tires at the load limit?? No way.

Would I use same to go 10 minutes to the local ramp? Probably.

Give me the info - Ill make the decision, thank you very much.

Yeah, but your decision to use 11-year-old tires on your trailer affects me - the other guy - more than you.

There was a time in this country when it was not illegal to drive with bald tires, even if it meant killing another motorist. A famous court case in 1935 changed that.

Just like brain buckets on motorcycles, just like seat belts, just like bumper standards, the government has a role to play in keeping unsafe vehicles off the road.

If your 11 year old tires are dangerous to me - something that may or may not be true, for all I kinow right now - the gubment had better damn well get them off the road, I don;t case how short the distance to the marina is.

[DLT]

Just like brain buckets on motorcycles

Exactly, how does this pose a risk to anyone but the motorcyclist? Isn't his head more like to damage my car if its wrapped in a "brain bucket"? Isn't it easier to hose down, rather than replace, the bumper?

I'm sorry, but I have no problem with Stephen dragging his boat 10 miles on 11 year old tires...Go ahead, Stephen you have my permission...Just tell the cop I said so...

I'm not trying to pick a fight here, but I just think the government has their fingers in too many pies as it is. The age of my trailer tires has got to be wa'ay down on the list of things they ought to be worried about...

[Hamin' X]

I guess I could put my caster camber gauge on each wheel to check for possible camber problem, but me thinks that isn't the issue. Even if it was, I see no obvious adjustment to remedy.

Caster on solid axles is adjusted with wedge shims, between the axle and frame. Camber is adjusted by bending the axle. Toe-in, in the case of the Mac axle, would be done by bending, also.

Rich