New to me trailer

[chevy292]

Hey everyone, I just picked up a superior 18' 10K trailer. The hubs were just rebuilt, brakes and magnets were just replaced also. Three tires are brand new and one is going to need replacing soon. The spare is ok but I wouldn't trust it for more than a spare. The trailer can be either pintle hitch or 2 5/16" ball. What do you all suggest I use? The pintle seems stronger to me but I like the quietness of a ball.....

 

[aczlan]

Hey everyone, I just picked up a superior 18' 10K trailer. The hubs were just rebuilt, brakes and magnets were just replaced also. Three tires are brand new and one is going to need replacing soon. The spare is ok but I wouldn't trust it for more than a spare.

On the tires, I might get 2 new ones and relegate one of your current tires to be a spare. That way you can have the same tire on both ends of each axle.

The trailer can be either pintle hitch or 2 5/16" ball. What do you all suggest I use? The pintle seems stronger to me but I like the quietness of a ball.....

IMO (assuming that they are both rated for at least 10k) it is six one way and a half dozen the other.

Aaron Z

 

[Diamondpilot]

Many like the pintle but I prefer the ball hitch. I pull trailers upto 25,000# using 2 5/16" ball. Just make sure you get a heavy duty enough hitch, bar, pin, and ball to handle the load.

Chris

 

[chevy292]

When he replaced the bearings he put on the bearing buddies I think they're called. Do I grease them with the same stuff that is already in the grease gun(synthetic for the loader bushings)? Or should I be getting a special grease for them? How often should I add grease to them? Haha...sorry for all the questions!

 

[Diamondpilot]

With bearings I like to use a grease that is designed for wheel bearings. I have 2 grease guns. I keep a cheap #2 grease for general stuff in one and I like Penzoil Marine grease for all bearings.

As for Buddy Bearings some have a small hole on the side to keep you form over filling it. What it does is as you pump in grease the plunger rises until it gets to the relief hole and then the grease escapes. Some have nothing to do this.

The way I check if it needs greased is to simply put 2 fingers on the plunger at the 3 and 9 o'clock positions and try rocking it. If it can rock it has enough grease. If not its low on grease and bottomed out and needs serviced.

Chris

 

[Gale Hawkins]

I think may call for repacking about every 50K miles. It would be about every 50 years in my case.

There are different thoughts on what grease to use. I tend to prefer wheel bearing grease but what is in your gun may be just fine.

The pintle hitch came on our dump truck so I found a trailer with a matching hitch. I think they come 5K to 50K rated.

I do not notice the noise unless it is a very light trailer of I have negative tongue weight. I just pulled and old farm wagon 100 miles and it clucked a lot with the straight pin but the holes in the old wagon (60 years old) were elongated.

When the wagon wheels was repacked is unknown so I checked them about 20 miles down the road after towing at 65 MPH and all four were cool to touch. After that we just drove at the posted speed miles and all was still cool after 100 miles. On a trailer with brakes I think pulling the wheels to check the brakes will be more important and you can check the wheels then.

 

[chevy292]

Thanks guys, I appreciate the advice. Yesterday I switched the trailer over to the ball hitch, now I have changed my mind. I think I will be going back to the pintle hitch. It's much more forgiving when backing up to the trailer. I can be off a bit and it will still slide right on without wrestling the trailer.

I'll pick up another grease gun and some of that marine grease you recommended. Thanks again!

The three new tires on the trailer are a brand called Carlisle, are they a good tire? I don't want to have problems down the road if they are a cheapy tire.

 

[Diamondpilot]

The three new tires on the trailer are a brand called Carlisle, are they a good tire? I don't want to have problems down the road if they are a cheapy tire.

That is the worst tire on the market hands down. I am sorry to be the bear of bad news but just google it and you will see tons of complaints.

The best tires I have found for replacements is Maxxis and Tow Masters made by Greenball.

Chris

 

[chevy292]

hahaha great....that's just my luck. Well now i'm glad I talked the guy down $500.....I guess I'll replace the one that's bad and get a new spare. I'd like to replace all four but thats just not in the budget right now. I'll use the two new tires on the rear axel and use the new Carlisle as a spare.

 

[Gale Hawkins]

That is the worst tire on the market hands down. I am sorry to be the bear of bad news but just google it and you will see tons of complaints.

The best tires I have found for replacements is Maxxis and Tow Masters made by Greenball.

Chris

Not everyone agrees with Chris if that helps. They need to be their better line not the cheap ones.

China tires can get a bad rap like Michelin and others. I was reading a story on the subject and a China Rep stated that 80% of the orders from the USA is for their lowest grade tires.

I had to get new tires for our UT and at WM new tires/wheels were $60 each. Across the street the same set up was $49. $60 was for a Load B rated Carlisle and $49 was for a Load C rated Carlisle. The new rims of each source looked the same and was from China.

I agree with the general point that Chris makes but the same line of tires can change in quality and country of orgin so fast these days it is hard to make a blanket statement and it apply.

The key to reducing blowouts per the experts we read is to only load to 80% of the tire Load max at max pressure.

If a trailer is rated at 10K pounds gross and it weights 3000 then you can carry 3.5 ton load on it. That would require Load Range D at 80 PSI based on the tires we have on our four tire trailer because they are at that pressure rated at 3000 pounds at 80 PSI. Each line of tire has this info that applies to it.

What load range is your tires currently and what is the max you can get for that rim?

I understand money is tight but I agree to buy a new set would be preferred. Your idea to put them on the front is great because they impact first with objects.

 

[chevy292]

The Carlisle tires on it now are D rated and 65psi max. Also how do I know if I have the better line or the cheapy line?

 

[Diamondpilot]

While this may be true about there being different lines I have owned 3 trailers with Carlisle tires and all 3 sets failed within two years. 2 trailers were tandem and the one in my signiture is a tri axle. I sell boats and I have never seen a set of Carlisle tires make it past 2 years.

I check the pressure once a month or more so I know that is not it. I replaced everyone with Greenball Tow Masters and have not had one single issue.

Same thing happened with my Car Haul trailer. It came with used car tires and I ran it that way for 5 years. Not one flat. I then put 4 new Goodyear Marathons on and 2 failed in 2 years both times pulling my dads Corvette. I again put on Tow Masters and 2 years later and tons of trucks and much heavier equipment pulled and not one issue.

I am convinced.

Chris

 

[Gale Hawkins]

Carlisle Tire & Wheel Company
Bias Line

Carlisle Tire & Wheel Company
Radial Line

Carlisle Tire & Wheel Company
Bias - a guess the last one in this list may be what you have.

You can match up the sizes and deduct if you have one of these three lines or another.

On that trailer only a E (LRE) load rating is going to give any margin of safety if you are going to fully load it. I expect that only radials will go that high based on these charts. This will give you around 3000 pounds of load rating per tire.

Read on your tires what the load rating is in POUNDS. Hopeful at 65 PSI they are good for 2500 pounds. Technically four would give you 10K gross capacity BUT they will not provide the protection against blow out and other problems that a E rated tire that would be good for more like 3000 pounds each.

If you will buy a new set of E rated (3000 pounds) of most any brand of radial tires and put them on the front axle AND your hitch height permits you to tow with the trailer level you will be in good shape. When you replace the current ones get the same your two new ones IF they have given you good service.

There is no way on God's green earth for a man to load a twin axle trailer with a gross of 10K pounds and have 2500 on each tire.

This is why the 80% rule is provided by the tire experts.

As a rule any tire on any equipment hauling trailer with < Load Rating of "E" will leave a bad taste in your mouth. In the case of RV's it is even more critical due to the $$$$ of damage a blowout can cause to the RV itself.

Look at the LRE tires in the charts where the last letter denotes load rating. See their weight and tread thickness. Just in tread you get 30% more so that offsets some of the higher cost because of longer tread life.

Do not fret over what you may not have but just know if you fully load the trailer with less than E rated tires from any brand you choose the will be trouble so just back off with the load you put on it.

Hint 1: At some point you will be tempted to over gross your trailer.

Hint 2: There is NOTHING cheap about low quality tires. Quality only cost ONCE but it up front.

Get you a set of E or better (watch rim PSI limits when hitting F or above tires for anything) and get to trucking.

Shop because I got Carlise UT tires C rated for much less than for B rated by shopping. Find you a small tire store managed by the owner and talk with him or her.

Consider Greenball based on Chris' personal experience and business experience. Just so not overload what you currently own.

 

[Diamondpilot]

I have never owned a single thing with Bias or will I ever. Everything has been radial and we even go to the trouble of putting all the boat trailers on Jack Stands during the off season to prevent sinking and flat spotting.

Chris

 

[chevy292]

I have the Radial tires rated at 2540lbs each....I have adjustments in both the pintle plate on the truck as well as the mounting plate on the tongue of the trailer. So I at least am able to tow it perfectly level.

I have no local tires places near me except the large chain stores, and even they don't carry trailer tires. They have to "get them from the warehouse".

I compared their prices to tires I have seen on ebay. Ebay is definitely cheaper prices but they are also brands I have never heard of. And I don't want to swap 1 bad tire for another.

Chris - Where can I get the tires you talk about? Do you have a local dealer that gets them for you? Online source?

Thanks again for all the info. I hope to be able to milk two of the Carlisle tires for a bit until funds allow replacement.

BTW the tire size is 225/75/15, The guy I bought the trailer from didn't put the wrong tires on it right.....?

 

[Diamondpilot]

Chris - Where can I get the tires you talk about? Do you have a local dealer that gets them for you? Online source?

Thanks again for all the info. I hope to be able to milk two of the Carlisle tires for a bit until funds allow replacement.

BTW the tire size is 225/75/15, The guy I bought the trailer from didn't put the wrong tires on it right.....?

225/75/15 is a very common trailer size. You have the right size. The only other real option in a 15 is a 205/75/15, much too small for your trailer.

As for the tires I get them through a tire company called Tire Barn. They have a web site and will deliver to your door as just the tire or tire and wheel mounted and balanced very reasonable.

Chris

 

[chevy292]

Do you know the actually website? I googled tire barn and came up with a few different things. None of which seemed to be the right place. Tirebarn.com seemed the closest but doesn't let me shop by size

 

[chevy292]

Chris - Why won't you use bias tires? Forgive the ignorance but I don't understand the difference

 

[clemsonfor]

I think cause bias will flat side in a hurry and then have a bounce to them till they warm up and kind of reshape(for lack of a better term). They get a memory if sitting to long without rotating the side that is on the ground, that sounded stupid, you just need to roll them around every so often or set the trailer on jack stands to take the weight off the tires.

 

[chevy292]

Well that sounds like a PITA....Radials it is!