Trailer Tire Covers

[BigTerp]

Any particular brand of tire covers you guys recommend for your boat trailer tires? I have 4.80-12 size tires, and that equals about 21" when mounted and inflated. Have a new set of tires to go on and want to keep these from dry rotting as quickly. My current set isn't terrible, but are showing some dry rot after only 3 years. I don't mess around with trailer maintenance, so they are getting replaced. I don't use my trailer nearly as much as I used to, and I'm sure that's contributing to the dry rot. But anything else I can do to help prevent it in the future? My boat and trailer live parked on my asphalt driveway, FWIW.

 

[1960 yellowboat]

are you handy?
why not just make some narrow boxes out of a sheet of 1/4 inch plywood and a couple pieces of 1x2?

 

[BigTerp]

are you handy?
why not just make some narrow boxes out of a sheet of 1/4 inch plywood and a couple pieces of 1x2?

That would be simple enough to do.

So what is the major contributor to dry rot? UV exposure? Lack of use? Constant contact with hot asphalt? Moisture?........

 

[1960 yellowboat]

Harsh sunlight. Happens all the time down here in Florida.

 

[lckstckn2smknbrls]

I'd make something out of plywood that stands in front of the tires.

 

[BigTerp]

I have plenty of scrap wood to do what you all are suggesting. Should I also get my tires up off my asphalt driveway when the trailer is going to sit for extended periods? Either by parking them on a piece of plywood or jacking them up?

 

[lckstckn2smknbrls]

I park my trailer on the grass/dirt in the back yard for the winter, I put it on plywood. I'm not sure about on asphalt.

 

[DaleH]

Dry Rot - The simple wood shield works!

Trailer Jacking - Lower tongue all the way you can, prop blocks under the rearmost support or frame, then jack up the front, to lift the tires off the ground or at least take the load of them and the bearings.