Radial or Bias - Update

Mar 28, 2015
184
Macgregor 25 Cherry Creek
The next step in getting my boat (a MacGregor 25) ready for the season is to replace the tires and actually purchase a spare. We don't tow that many miles each season. Usually just from storage to one of the nearby lakes - no more than 30 miles each way. A couple of times per year we hope to make a bit of a longer trip, but less than 200 miles. Currently the tires on the trailer are 225 75R 15's I believe the load range is C but I will be upping that to D either way. My question is, do I really need radial tires considering how little towing I do? I know, they heat up less, and last longer. But... I will be going with ST tires either way. So, what say you? Oh, and I will be replacing the bearings in both wheels and installing bearing buddies.
 
Sep 25, 2008
1,096
CS 30 Toronto
Been there done that. You need to get trailer tires. They have stiff side walls and won't sway much. Ask the tire guys or google them. Another trick is to cover it with a black garbage bag when parked for a long time. Stop the sun UV damage and last longer. BTW I had a Mac26S for many years.
 
Mar 28, 2015
184
Macgregor 25 Cherry Creek
Been there done that. You need to get trailer tires. They have stiff side walls and won't sway much. Ask the tire guys or google them. Another trick is to cover it with a black garbage bag when parked for a long time. Stop the sun UV damage and last longer. BTW I had a Mac26S for many years.
Thanks for the input. I really appreciate it. Now, do you recommend radial or bias tires?
 
Nov 9, 2012
2,500
Oday 192 Lake Nockamixon
You need to get ST trailer tires (not Light Truck or Passenger tires) based on load range. In this size, with trailer tires, your choice is C load range, or D load range. C is 2150 pounds at 50psi max, and D is 2540 at 65psi max. As for whether you should go bias ply or radial, check out this article from West Marine: http://www.westmarine.com/WestAdvisor/Trailer-Tire-Basics Basically, if you're going to trailer long distances, you'd probably want radials.
 
Sep 15, 2009
6,243
S2 9.2a Fairhope Al
what ever you get make sure they will fit your trailer and have the proper clearance in the fender wells with the full load
 
Mar 28, 2015
184
Macgregor 25 Cherry Creek
You need to get ST trailer tires (not Light Truck or Passenger tires) based on load range. In this size, with trailer tires, your choice is C load range, or D load range. C is 2150 pounds at 50psi max, and D is 2540 at 65psi max. As for whether you should go bias ply or radial, check out this article from West Marine: http://www.westmarine.com/WestAdvisor/Trailer-Tire-Basics Basically, if you're going to trailer long distances, you'd probably want radials.
Thanks for the link. It looks like bias ply ST tires it is.
 
Nov 9, 2008
1,338
Pearson-O'Day 290 Portland Maine
Green,
I shopped around and ended up getting a killer deal at, are you ready? . . . Walmart. I forget if they were Carlisle or what, but they were name brand radial trailer tires, 75r15s. I dropped them off and the guys mounted them for nothing. I think I spent $80 on the pair. I have a tandem trailer and it's my belief that the stiffer sidewalls help out while maneuvering in a tight area, like at the ramp. With a single axle, this isn't such a problem.
 
Mar 28, 2015
184
Macgregor 25 Cherry Creek
Several people have mentioned, in this thread and others, that folks should be aware of how close their trailer fenders come to the boat and how the trailer fenders fit with the tires. I'm attaching photos of my trailer and tire set up. From what I can see, I am ok in all aspects if I stay with the same size of tire. I am also including a picture of the wheel hub. It looks like a mess and my guess is I will have to replace the bearings and install bearing buddies (as previously mentioned). Am I missing anything?

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Nov 9, 2012
2,500
Oday 192 Lake Nockamixon
Looks like you have some clearance, Clarence. Depends on how much spring travel you have whether the tire will rub the fender. As for the wheels, yeah, they have some ugly rust. You could try to hit up the rust with a wire brush some, than put some Ospho phosphoric acid on them to turn the rust into iron phosphate, which is rust resistant, than paint them. Or, do what I've done on most of my trailers when I've needed new tires, and just bought the new tires mounted on galvanized rims. As for the hubs, they don't look terrible on the outside, just your bearing buddies have lots of dirty grease. Of course, where it really matters is inside, and the only way to find out what's inside is to take them apart and overhaul them. If you're lucky, they are filled with clean-ish grease, and the races are nice and smooth. If you aren't lucky, you'll be doing the whole nine yards. There are plenty of videos on YouTube how to overhaul bearings. After re-doing a set hammering races in and out with a large screwdriver and hammer, the next set of hubs I overhauled, I cleaned them all up, and brought the hubs and races to my mechanic to drive them out and press in the new races. Then I had trouble getting the damn inner seal into the hub. So, the last time I did it, I just took the hubs in, along with the seals, races, and bearings, and had him do it. If you've just bought the boat, be careful, because it's pretty common for a seller to pull hubs and re-pack the outer bearings, but not do anything on the inner bearing because you have to remove the inner seal to re-pack the inner bearing. Don't forget to check the spindle for rust or scoring. Finally, those bearing buddies will clean up ok, with good solvent, and then the springs and pressure plate should move fine.
 
Nov 9, 2008
1,338
Pearson-O'Day 290 Portland Maine
Mine get immersed in salt water, twice every weekend, for 4 months so every year in the spring I remove my lug nuts, and run them in and out until the move freely, more or less. To do this I have to sit on my impact driver until they free up. They are often smoking when I get them off. I grease'em up and send them back and do it again. This year for Christmas, my youngest boy (24) bought me stainless steel ones. We'll see how those do. I have been looking for stainless lugs but they have proven elusive to date.
 
Dec 28, 2009
397
Macgregor M25 trailer
Hi dscribner, the stainless are very good, but the are two things you must always do, 1 always use never seize on the studs, 2 never use an impact driver, use a manual wrench.
About 20 years ago I got tired of the lugs rusting tight, from dunking them in salt a couple of times a week. Got a set of stainless lug nuts and proceeded to put them on, with my impact wrench, the second lug snapped the lug off before it got tight,
when I started to take off the first one it snapped the lug.

I called the folks at Champion Trailers, where I'd purchased the lugs from, and they said that stainless lugs will gauld fast when using a power tool to spin them and without never seize. It then dawned on me that over the years I'd had stainless bolts seize up on me without never seize.

Since then I've used stainless lugs on both trailers, with no trouble, using four way lug wrench and never seize. On my Grady trailer I've put about 40 to 50k miles on it over the years.
 
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Jun 8, 2004
10,453
-na -NA Anywhere USA
When applying racers you have to be cautious when using a screw driver when hammering them in. I would wide punches if you have one. As for buddy bearings, start them lightly tapping until it holds on, then take a piece of lumber placing it over them and then hammer them in being careful that they go in straight.
 
Nov 9, 2012
2,500
Oday 192 Lake Nockamixon
When applying racers you have to be cautious when using a screw driver when hammering them in. I would wide punches if you have one. As for buddy bearings, start them lightly tapping until it holds on, then take a piece of lumber placing it over them and then hammer them in being careful that they go in straight.
After driving out races, and driving in new ones with the screwdriver and hammer, I said "NEVER AGAIN!" That's why I took the next ones to my mechanic. I have a bad habit of buying whatever tool I need for a particular job. In this instance, I believe I was really smart, and I did NOT buy a bearing press. Sure, it would be easier to do the whole job right there at the house, as opposed to leaving the boat on blocks, and hauling the hubs to the mechanic. But honestly, keep your hubs greased well, check the status of the inner seals frequently, keep Bearing Buddies full of grease, check the temp of bearings when towing, and finally jack them up and spin the wheels annually to feel if they feel good and smooth. These steps will ensure you DON'T have to overhaul the hubs frequently. My issue has been that I tend to buy boats too frequently, and I feel I MUST overhaul the hubs, because I don't trust what the PO has done with them...
 
Nov 9, 2012
2,500
Oday 192 Lake Nockamixon
Woodster, do you still beat them in and out with a hammer using this kit? That kit is definitely storable enough to have on hand, vs. a hydraulic press. Wait, check out this 6 ton press from Harbor Freight: http://www.harborfreight.com/6-ton-a-frame-bench-shop-press-1666.html Maybe I should get one of them? :D Naw, I just don't overhaul hubs frequently enough to justify it...
 
Jun 8, 2004
10,453
-na -NA Anywhere USA
BrianS; I agree with you never to trust what the previous PO has done. I saw some good ones. Took a boat in on trade that a former dealer had installed four black wires to the dual battery with shore power battery charger that did not work correctly. On the AC side of the battery charger, the neutral and hot wires were backwards. All the wires to the batteries were all black. One battery blew up in her face. I traveled to Lake Norman to see her boat and saw mickey mouse work. Sold her a boat and maintained it. She told her friends of the service and the distance traveled to make sure she was fine. Sold quite a few there afterwards. One reason for the yellow negative for the DC side now came from that incident.
 
Sep 15, 2009
6,243
S2 9.2a Fairhope Al
Woodster, do you still beat them in and out with a hammer using this kit? That kit is definitely storable enough to have on hand, vs. a hydraulic press. Wait, check out this 6 ton press from Harbor Freight: http://www.harborfreight.com/6-ton-a-frame-bench-shop-press-1666.html Maybe I should get one of them? :D Naw, I just don't overhaul hubs frequently enough to justify it...
i knock them out with a blunt drift pin and install them with that kit ...i am more concerned about the bearing surface than i am the backside in the hub ...the races are hardened and can take some brute force.....
 
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Nov 9, 2012
2,500
Oday 192 Lake Nockamixon
i knock them out with a blunt drift pin and install them with that kit ...i am more concerned about the bearing surface than i am the backside in the hub ...the races are hardened and can take some brute force.....
That's good to know. Filed for future reference! I know I have a drift pin set somewhere. I forget what I bought it for, or where it currently lives... :D
 
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Likes: woodster
Sep 15, 2009
6,243
S2 9.2a Fairhope Al
That's good to know. Filed for future reference! I know I have a drift pin set somewhere. I forget what I bought it for, or where it currently lives... :D
ah ha..... the perils of ownership