Boat trailer radial tires and tube inserts question.

[Spearo]

I been seen small thin cracks on my 21' boat trailer tires but the treads are like new. Has anyone intall tubes on trailer tires before and is this safe, as I said, the tires look new on top.

Thank you.

[Mist-Rest]

I'm not sure about the use of tubes in radial trailer tires. The problem you still have is tube or not, when the side wall disappears from your tire, what do you expect the tube to do?

[paxfish]

If you're just going to the community ramp - np. I would not use a tire like that on the main roads though.

[VAman]

You may have trouble finding a tire dealer that is willing to install a tube in a radial tire. I don't know that it's illegal, but they just don't do it.

[SEACRAFT72]

The cracking you see is caused by dry rot. This is caused by a combination of water intrusion into the rubber and UV radiation. Car tires usually don't have this problem because they are run more consistently than trailer tires. You can count on your problem to continually get worse. I do not think a tube will have a significant effect. The sidewalls will eventually fail. Recommend new tires. Make sure you get "ST"
When I rebuilt my trailer last spring, I found everything I need on easternmarine.com.
"

[SandlapperGT]

Would not do it for many reasons stated above-

Also the main problem if you decide to do it anyway is that a tubeless wheel has a valve stem mounted directly in the wheel. There is no where for the tube's valve stem to exit the wheel/tire so there is no way to fill with air. If you try and fold the tube valve stem inside the tire/wheel you will have pinch damage and blow out the tube anyway.

[jyasaki]

As I recall, the reason most radials say not to use tubes is for heat buildup. Radial sidewalls flex and generate heat, and the tire is designed to shed that heat. Adding a tube traps the heat (it's actually rumored to generate more heat as the rubber parts slide against each other), and weakens the overall system.

That said, when I was in Costa Rica years ago, it was standard practice to install tubes in radial tires.

jky

[pooldoo73]

Putting a tube in the tire will only cause you to have to change a tire on the side of the road. If you pull the tire at home and have it tubed, you will still have to pull the tire on the side of the road after it blows out. Most times, trailer tires die way before the tread is gone.

[kerno]

The fundamental problemis that the sidewalls felx so much on a radial tire that the tube and the sidewall rub enough that the tube will wear through. The valve stem hole in the rim is the same for a tube or tubless tire, so that should not be a problem. For short runs at low speed, you'll probably do ok. But I'd consider it a stopgap measure only. Blowouts never happen where you'd like them to and traffic does not look kindly at disabled boats.

[skyranchrob]

After you buy new tires spray them with Armorall (silicon) two or three times a year, this will prevent the cracking you are seeing. Rob

[rharris]

trailer tires with tube=blowout on side of road. Buy a new set of tires for the trailer.