Looking after your boat trailer wheels

Boat trailers are regularly immersed in saltwater, and don’t take very long to start corroding or breaking down. Fortunately, with regular maintenance and inspections to look for trouble spots, you can ensure your trailer will be ready to go when you need it.

Wheels rarely give too many problems, but they should still be checked for excessive corrosion. TyreAware also recommends periodic checking for tightness of the nuts, bolts, and hardware.

Be Trailer Tyre Aware

Tyre failure can be a headache for boat owners. Incorrect tyre pressure is a common cause of tyre failure, especially with smaller 9.0- and 10.0-inch tyres. Some of these smaller diameter tyres are designed to be inflated to up to 60psi — around double the pressure you would normally run in a car’s tyres. 

Older tyres are also prone to failure. Signs of age include splitting and cracking of the outer rubber surface, as well as flat spots (caused by the trailer sitting idle and under-inflated for long periods), and excessive tread wear.

Wheel grin and bear it

To check for faulty or worn wheel bearings, jack up one side of the trailer, grasp a wheel in two hands, and twist it from side to side. Any movement or free-play could indicate the bearings need replacing. The wheel should spin very quietly. 

Hot wheels?

You may be looking forward to getting on the water as soon as you reach the shore. However, you should give your bearings some time to cool off before you dip the wheels and trailer into the water. If you dip the wheels into the water almost immediately, the bearings will contract suddenly and lead to the absorption of salt water and dirt.  

Most importantly

Thoroughly rinse your trailer wheels with fresh water after use to avoid corrosion. YouTube has some handy videos on the subject, find them here. 

Feel free to bring your boat trailer wheels to TyreAware in Ballinderreen for a free tyre health check. Trailer wheels, lawnmowers, go-carts and more…we’ve fixed them all.

To arrange fitting of quality new tyres, call us on 087 3522920, or book online here.