Installing Trailer Tires

My motorcycle trailer needed tires. The motorcycle trailer had "old" ST 4.80-12s and the new Sea Doo boat trailer had Loadstar ST 5.30-12s. Decided to steal the boat trailer tires & install on the motorcycle trailer. The 5.30-12 is wider & larger diameter than the 4.80-12, so had to adjust the motorcycle trailer fenders for clearance.

Installed Loadstar ST 145/R-12s radial tires on the Sea Doo trailer. The Loadstar 5.30-12s that were replaced, are close to the same size, diameter/width, as the Loadstar ST 145/R-12s, so no fender adjustment needed.

Interesting note, do not have a wheel adapter to static balance automotive style wheels with a No-Mar motorcycle tire/wheel static balancer, but found both trailer's wheels turn free enough to static balance tires with motorcycle stick-on weights when installed on the trailer. No brakes on either trailer. Have not balanced them yet, but will take care of that job later this week. In both cases the trailer tires installed yesterday have higher load capacities than the trailer tires they replaced.

Breaking the bead on a 5.30-12 tire:





Installing Radial tire with No-Mar spoon:


New ST 145/R-12 installed on Sea Doo trailer:


Cycle Hill Tire Stand:

 

Since we are talking about trailer tire/wheels. I have set of galvanized 12" wheels/tires that I want to replace with a 13" set which are white. Should I paint the wheels another color to match my galvanized trailer? This will be my jet ski trailer and I want to make it nice for my future new jet ski.

If so, what color would be a good match?

 

You have to use a primer made for painting over galvenized surfaces. If you don't, it will chip off.

I would go with black enamel with hardener. It hides dirt well.

 

The white rims are steal. So regular primer should work. The galvanized 12" is the set I want to get rid of.

So still go with the color you suggested on a galvanized trailer?

http://www.trailerandtruckparts.com...-Trailer-Rim-5-on-45_p_1106.html#.UNP6q3f-2ZE

 

Dammit. I read too fast:/

No primer needed if it's already painted. Just scuff with sandpaper, clean, and recoat. Use index cards to keep the paint off the tires.

 

Trailer wheels and tires are awfully cheap at TSC and Northern Tool...and I use my HF brand tire machine on both motorcycle tires and automotive/light truck tires on a regular basis.

Trailer tires don't really need to be balanced, but HF sells an inexpensive static machine that works well. I used it to balance my taco snows on 17 rims recently.

Howard

 

Anything running over 25mph needs balanced. Otherwise, they will wear uneven and cause nasty vibrations.

 

This is the No-Mar static balancer I use for motorcycle wheels. It lets the tire rotate with the heavy part of the wheel stopping at the lowest point, so you can stick weights on the top of the wheel until the wheel will stay in any position without rotating. Thinking about getting a trailer hub to adapt to the motorcycle balancer, so I can balance trailer wheels. Saw the bubble balancer at HF for the first time last week and would buy one of those if I didn't already have a static balancer for motorcycle wheels.

 

The HF static balancer is cheaper than getting the right adapters for the no-mar type balancer. I have one of each

Howard

 

I drive by HF every week. Will take a close look at their balancer next week!