Changing a Trailer tire with the boat on the trailer

[CaptainT]

Has anyone had to change a trailer tire with the boat on the trailer? Where do you put the jack?
I checked the Float On trailer manual that came with the boat. All it says is to follow the manufacturers instructions.
They are the manufacturer but they don't give any instructions.

 

[scross]

Unfortunately I have needed to do this on both my R25 Classic and my old 242 Monterey Cruiser. I use something like this:
https://www.amazon.com/RhinoGear-11909A ... Tire+Ramps
They work pretty well as long as you have a tandem axle trailer. Not sure if they world work on a triple axle. You might need two.
So, two months ago while moving the boat to a canvas shop on a cold and rainy day, I hit a pothole that caused a pinch flat. Tire was ruined. The Rhino ramp got the back trailer tire up high enough that the front tire was just off the ground. It was only then that I realized I had no idea where I had packed the lug wrench for the boat trailer lug nuts. An hour later and now soaking wet I found it and quickly replaced the flat tire.

 

[Scuffy]

First thing we do is break the lugs loose before getting tire off the ground.
We carry a large block of wood 15" long, 5" high and 9" wide with the one side cut on a slope to form a ramp. (Chain saw works) Place the ramp / chock in position to either pull on to it or back up on to it depending what axle the failed tire might be located. Back the good tire up on the ramp to the flat portion. Then go about changing the tire. A good four way type lug wrench comes in handy. I carry a 1/2 " breaker bar with a six inch extension with the correct sized six point socket. That way you have something to deal with a problem lug nut. After the tire is changed I pull or back off the chock and use the socket and the breaker bar for the final tightening of the lug nuts. After the above happened a couple times I sprung for some Michelin XPS radials.

 

[Brian B]

I carry one of these https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/produ ... _vc=-10005
I have had to use it more than once and it pays for itself the first time you use it. It needs to be on a hard surface, if you are on a soft shoulder it will sink in. I also carry a bottle jack and block of wood just in case.
I like Scruffy's idea, that won't sink on a soft shoulder.

 

[knotflying]

I carry the ramp that BrianB carries. I also carry a 10 Ton bottle hydraulic jack. I have used both. In some circumstances the bottle jack works better; like when you come back to the campsite and find a flat. 😱 I put the jack about a foot in front or back of the tire, depending on if it is the front or the back tire. I place the contact point exactly on the center of the I beam so the flange is not the support point and bends. Be sure to chock the tires on the opposite side if the trailer is unhitched to prevent rolling and a disaster. As Scuffy said, loosen the lugs first before jacking up. Additionally, make sure you have the rig jacked up high enough to clear a fully inflated tire. I carry various thickness wide boards and get the jack up as high as I can before lifting so that I get the full lift out of it so I am sure to have the inflated tire clear the ground for mounting. As always safety is important. NEVER be in a position under the trailer that in the event of a jack failure you or a part of your body can get pinned.

 

[bluebayou]

True story: Driving back from a month on Lake Powell, at the end of September 2008,
on the way across Arizona to California, I noticed a certain squishy feeling to the
trailer behind my Ford F-350--the trailer with an almost-new 2008 Ranger R-25 tug on it.
Stopping at the next turnoff with a gas station, I looked at my trailer tires and,
sure enough, one was flat. The other one had carried the load on that side, for miles.
I reached behind the back seat of the F-350, got the standard jack to change
a tire on the pickup, and jacked up one side of the boat and trailer. Tire changed,
lowered it down, and went on my way the the Sacramento Delta, where we put in
at Rio Vista and relaxed for a while.
Charles, former captain of
Blue Bayou, R-25

 

[S@LTD]

Check out the aluminum floor jack at Harbor Freight. It is a 1 1/2 ton capacity and is a low profile for getting under the axel when the tire is flat. It is also lightweight, poles break down and easy to manage. Unfortunately I have had to use mine to change out flats a couple times (boat and trailer 11K on a triple axel). It works great and is much more stable than a bottle jack. They are frequently on sale for $59. Since owning mine I rarely use my old steel 2 ton and I never tow without it

 

[stwendl]

1 1/2 jack is a bit iffy for anything R25 and above

 

[jkurlanski]

This is something that falls into the "keep me up at night" category. We only have a single axle trailer for the R21EC. I've gone ahead and gotten a spare tire for it, and had the trailer fully serviced last year. I wash it down after every "dip" in the ocean and keep the tires covered when not in use.

Still, bad things happen. How do you change the tire on a single axle trailer (assuming you survive a blow out :shock: ) when loaded? Call AAA?

 

[knotflying]

This is something that falls into the "keep me up at night" category. We only have a single axle trailer for the R21EC. I've gone ahead and gotten a spare tire for it, and had the trailer fully serviced last year. I wash it down after every "dip" in the ocean and keep the tires covered when not in use.

Still, bad things happen. How do you change the tire on a single axle trailer (assuming you survive a blow out :shock: ) when loaded? Call AAA?

Use a jack. Having been a Boy Scout I tend to follow the motto "Be Prepared". I tend to do long distance towing and I carry 2 spare tires. I hate the feeling that if I use my spare, now I have none. And believe it or not I got two leaking tires at the same time. And both had a different issue. It happened on an Easter Sunday. Try finding a tire place open on Easter Sunday. So glad I had two spares. But then I had that nagging feeling, no more spares. :lol:

 

[LADY JANE]

Single-Axle (R-21) flats are a whole different story than dealing with a flat tire under a 2 or 3 axle boat trailer.
Has anyone ever gotten a blowout with the boat on one of those & lived to tell about it?

 

[ALICE J]

On my spare I have the rotor and hub mounted to the wheel in case the bearings and tire give out together. The issue I have thought about is lifting the bad tire and hub on to the spare tire holder. IT'S HEAVY !!! So I went to Harbor Freight and bought a small crane for the pick up bed so I can load the tire either into the truck bed (if there is room :shock: ) or back the truck near the spare tire mount and use the crane to lift and hold the wheel while I fasten it.

 

[Scuffy]

Blowing a tire on a single axle trailer is usually pretty uneventful other than maybe some fender damage and the loud noise. I would just recommend slowing down gradually and smoothly get off on the shoulder and go about getting the replacement installed. Git er done.

 

[REO6205]

Single-Axle (R-21) flats are a whole different story than dealing with a flat tire under a 2 or 3 axle boat trailer.
Has anyone ever gotten a blowout with the boat on one of those & lived to tell about it?

I had a blowout...with the R21EC on... about a month ago on my single axle King. The inside sidewall disintegrated. I was running about 60mph.
It was really a non event. Very little swerving, good control all the way to a stop, no damage to the trailer except for a few scuff marks from tire pieces.
I eased onto the shoulder, changed the tire, and was on my way in about half an hour.

 

[jkurlanski]

I had a blowout...with the R21EC on... about a month ago on my single axle King. The inside sidewall disintegrated. I was running about 60mph.
It was really a non event. Very little swerving, good control all the way to a stop, no damage to the trailer except for a few scuff marks from tire pieces.
I eased onto the shoulder, changed the tire, and was on my way in about half an hour.

That is reassuring. Obviously not a happy thing, but a blow out shouldn't be a calamity.

I saw a single axle loaded with a boat yesterday on the interstate which had blown a tire. They were pulling the trailer and boat onto a flatbed! It pays to have a spare!

 

[Todd]

Just another reason to have tire pressure monitoring on the trailer.