Long-Term Trailer Tire Storage

[maxie]

Whats the best way to keep trailer tires stored while they are still on the trailer, outside in the elements......the trailer is only used for winter storage and the sun, rain, cold etc beats down on the tires....do not see any sidewall cracks yet, but the clock is ticking I'm sure.....hate to lose 4 D-range radials with very little treadwear. Do you just cover them? Armour All them? Do they make any special products for the rubber like a conditioner? Any ideas would be appreciated. Thanks

[Halfscoop]

No ArmorAll, give them a shot of 303 Protectant once or twice a season, that will take care of them.

[imthomas]

Long term boat trailer storage & tire care:

I have had sucess with these steps:
1: lift the weight off the tires once parked - jack up the trailer and place jack stands under the frame to support the weight
2: Get the tires out of the sun - fabric wheel covers are a affordable way to block the sun rays - even better - once the trailer has been set on jacks - remove the tires & place them in storage - a cool dry place will double the life of your tires in some extrem conditions like FL
3: Make sure your air pressure is back up to normal before using the trailer - most tires will loose pressure over time
4: If in a saltwater condition - always rinse your boat,motor(s), trailer & tires very good with lots of fresh water each time it comes out of the water

Anyway, good luck...

[maxie]

Who makes the 303 stuff?
Also, what about the tires when sitting with a load over a 6 month period during the winter.....the boat and trailer gotta be 5000lbs +

thanks for the feedback

[Doug in Bermuda]

Commmrcial equipment, RVs etc. sit for months, sometimes years in lots, no special care.

Taking most of the weight off & covering the tires certainly would extend life though. More trailer tires die of old age than tred wear.

[Halfscoop]

Originally Posted by maxie

Who makes the 303 stuff?
Also, what about the tires when sitting with a load over a 6 month period during the winter.....the boat and trailer gotta be 5000lbs +

thanks for the feedback

303 is the company that makes several products, what you want is the 'Protectant it acts like SPF for vinyl and rubber, very popular with boaters.

http://www.303products.com/shop303/i...protectant.cfm

[ABoater]

Yeah, what 1/2scoop said (and the others).

I've been using 303 since the early 80's and swear by it. I use it on everything rubber and plastic, on everythig that I own (boats, motorhome, vehicles, dirt bikes). It's great on the tires, dashboards, trim pieces, etc...

It's a UV inhibitor that really works!

As far as the OP goes, yes, when I store my motorhome in between trips, I use the leveling jacks to lift it up to take most of the pressure off of the tires. I also hit them with a coat of 303 about four times per year.

I use the boats way too often to worry about lifting them off of the ground, but that is a good idea for folks that let time lapse in between uses. The weight will contribute to sidewall cracking from the pressure being in one place for an extended period of time (same goes with the RV's).

You can find 303 in most automotive stores these days. Camping World also sells it at a discount.

Stay away from West Marine unless you like paying more than the list price for it...

[maxie]

Sounds like the weight during long term storage will age the tires even more than the UV...I'll have to come up with a jack stand or lift system to take the pressure off......the tire will definitely go bad before the tread even sees any wear...

thanks for the info guys....

[Butch Davis]

Remove the tires from the trailer and store them inside. That will probably double the effective life of the tires. Generally trailer tires stored outside should be replaced at five to seven year intervals. If they are "real" trailer tires like Goodyear Marathons they may go a little longer because of the higher "carbon black" content of the rubber.