Towing cross country on small trailer tires...

Jay K said:
I end up rebuilding all my hubs with Timkens. As mentioned, I got a brand new trailer with a bad hub. Personally, I think it was bad assembly, and the person putting the hubs on did not know how to set/adjust them. Talking with the company, they ONLY sell pre-assembled hubs with minimal grease. When I asked the rep "How does someone go about adding/packing grease in a hub with a grease seal installed", he didn't know. It was a rhetorical question but I had to ask. I went ahead and just hammered out the races on the old hub and replaced with all Timken.

I just did a set of Timkens in my trailer. Adjusted them, greased them, and proceeded to pull the boat 200 round trip miles going 65mph or more. I stopped once on the way and once coming back to see if they were heating up. Cool as the other side of the pillow.

I probably don't trailer nearly as much as @tod osier but I am a fanatic about trailer safety. I had to help someone out with a hub that went bad on the road and it was NOT fun.
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I have no experience rebuilding a hub on the side of the road and I'd like to keep it that way.

It sounds like from what the 2 of you are saying, I'd want to consider wheel/tire upgrades if I was on wheels less than 12". I just ordered some 12" radials that hopefully will behave.

When I'm trailering, I always put my hand on the hubs when I stop to get gas to check temperature. Next fair weather spell we get, I'll pull things apart and repack.
 
@Jay K got me thinking.

Over 25 years ago trailering our 1964 14' fiberglass MFG duck boat, just an open hull, the trailer axle broke. We were on I 91 in CT, pulled over, then looked over the situation for a bit. Somehow, I don't know how we did it, we put all the decoys, the boat, motor, and the trailer in the bed of my F250! I can't believe that we actually put it all in the bed!
Younger, and dumber
 
Jay,

Just an FYI....based on my observations, not all Timken bearings are created equal. I bought them to replace bogie wheel bearings in snowsleds and wheel bearings in a UTV. Made in Korea and China, according to the box. No problems though.
 
MIKE-SID said:
@Jay K got me thinking.

Over 25 years ago trailering our 1964 14' fiberglass MFG duck boat, just an open hull, the trailer axle broke. We were on I 91 in CT, pulled over, then looked over the situation for a bit. Somehow, I don't know how we did it, we put all the decoys, the boat, motor, and the trailer in the bed of my F250! I can't believe that we actually put it all in the bed!
Younger, and dumber
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I've broken a spring on a duckboat trailer before. I did have enough stuff in the truck to make it home, so I have had some good times with trailers as well. :).
 
I'm getting nervous discussing all this trailer stuff. I'm headed out ice fishing tonight, I have a vehicle in a cargo trailer headed to a lake 20 miles away. The trailer is a 2012, never done more than add grease through the bearing buddies and a new set of tires five years ago. This is night fishing for walleyes, I head home around 9. I'll have my fingers crossed. :)
 
tod osier said:
I have no experience rebuilding a hub on the side of the road and I'd like to keep it that way.

It sounds like from what the 2 of you are saying, I'd want to consider wheel/tire upgrades if I was on wheels less than 12". I just ordered some 12" radials that hopefully will behave.

When I'm trailering, I always put my hand on the hubs when I stop to get gas to check temperature. Next fair weather spell we get, I'll pull things apart and repack.
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I think you may have 12's on there based on the pic. They look like load range C as well. Those are decent tires. You can go up to 5.30 in terms of width (not necessary) and an E rating which is way, way overkill. If you do opt for new wheels/tires, I'd just go with another 4.80x12 in load range C which should be 6 ply. I've launched on some awful ramps with the same tire. Now, if you're driving miles and miles down a gravel road, OK, maybe consider a D rated tire. E is just way, way overkill. I can't even imagine why you would ever need an E rated 12" tire/wheel. Pretty cool they offer that, but way overkill.

I believe I have the same size/width on my rig but radial.
 
Jay K said:
I think you may have 12's on there based on the pic. They look like load range C as well. Those are decent tires. You can go up to 5.30 in terms of width (not necessary) and an E rating which is way, way overkill. If you do opt for new wheels/tires, I'd just go with another 4.80x12 in load range C which should be 6 ply. I've launched on some awful ramps with the same tire. Now, if you're driving miles and miles down a gravel road, OK, maybe consider a D rated tire. E is just way, way overkill. I can't even imagine why you would ever need an E rated 12" tire/wheel. Pretty cool they offer that, but way overkill.

If those tires in good shape? I wouldn't do anything. I have probably a couple thousand miles on the same setup wheels/tires. As others said, if they are cracking a bit, might be time to replace.
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They are 12's and going on 5 years old, so I'm replacing them (were I not towing 2000 miles, I'd keep them until they looked bad). I'm going with 145/r12s, which are radials and available in load range e. I have a lake in WY that is 30 miles of horrific gravel to get to - I'll take the 10 ply every day under those conditions.
 
tod osier said:
They are 12's and going on 5 years old, so I'm replacing them (were I not towing 2000 miles, I'd keep them until they looked bad). I'm going with 145/r12s, which are radials and available in load range e. I have a lake in WY that is 30 miles of horrific gravel to get to - I'll take the 10 ply every day under those conditions.
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Yeah that's the way to go then. 145/80-12. That's a long drive on gravel. Right with you on replacing them.

Most of the 145/80-12's I'm seeing online are D rated. The E's come with fancy-shmancy wheels. Something like you'd see on a trailer with a Donzi on it lol.
 
Jay K said:
Yeah that's the way to go then. 145/80-12. That's a long drive on gravel. Right with you on replacing them.

Most of the 145/80-12's I'm seeing online are D rated. The E's come with fancy-shmancy wheels. Something like you'd see on a trailer with a Donzi on it lol.
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I'm trying the Carlisle, be the Kendas are supposed to be OK as well. Neither are what I'd consider a premium tire, but that is what you get in a 12".

Carlisle:

Kenda:
 
tod osier said:
I'm trying the Carlisle, be the Kendas are supposed to be OK as well. Neither are what I'd consider a premium tire, but that is what you get in a 12".

Carlisle:

Kenda:
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Ahh going to replace the tire. That works.

I was never good at matching wheels to tire section widths but I'm assuming that will fit a 4" wheel?

Curious because I probably need to replace my tires soon.
 
Jay K said:
Ahh going to replace the tire. That works.

I was never good at matching wheels to tire section widths but I'm assuming that will fit a 4" wheel?

Curious because I probably need to replace my tires soon.
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Yes on the 12x4" wheel.

They are also rated for 81 MPH, so better than some of the bias tires.
 
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