Trailer: Flat tire

Fix a flat will not help in this case. My dilemma is not enough weight to turn lugs off. I do not have an impact tool, only a four way. The sunfish is on the trailer. I have no help. Any tips. I may try having my wife set just above the axel and see if that works for enough torque. But my wife may not be with me next time. Tips desperately needed, as I want to go sailing today or next.
 
Spray some PB Blaster or liquid wrench on the lug and nuts repeatedly and let it do it's job awhile (minutes, hours, etc.) and they may come loose. I just went thru this on a boat/trailer I just bought although I didn't wait for a flat to test my luck. The trailer was used in saltwater and I couldn't get any of them loose until I sprayed w/liquid wrench and let them soak for hours. Eventually I got all but 2 off and wound up taking it to a nearby trailer dealer for them to use impact tool. I bought all new zinc lug nuts at the dealer and cleaned up all the threads. Trailer dealer recommended anti-seize on the lugs before installing the new nuts. Next is to buy a spare tire/galvanized wheel at Wal Mart for $44 to take along for peace of mind.
 
Add more weight to the trailer, like toolboxes, boxes of books, whatever you have handy. Or you can improvise a strap wrench to wrap around the tire. Or best of all, find a friend or neighbor with an impact wrench who can loosen them for you.
 
This can sometimes work: rather than turning the wrench, hit the wrench sharply with something heavy. Bear in mind that lug nuts are only so strong and will only take so much"abuse" before they break. Ask me how I know :(

This is a good thread. I have to remember all these good suggestions to prep for this inevitability. First thing: keep liquid wrench, anti-seize, & axle grease in the vehicle.
 
It's spinning in place? :oops: In addition to the wife on board (directly above the offending tire) you can fill the Sunfish tub with water. :rolleyes:

Best, is to spray, tap, then rest a hammer between the rubber and asphalt. (Not grass). Tow the offending lug to the 3 o'clock position.

One pipe could work, if you press down on the end of the wrench nearest the driveway [9 o'clock, opposite], so you're adding your weight to the effort.

If unsuccessful, use two pieces of pipe, and tense the muscles between the shoulders to turn it. If the metal rim spins within the rubber tire :confused: there's still some hope—but you'll need to thread chain through the metal rim and bolt it to the trailer frame. Or use a length of fire hose and a Vise-Grip.

I've broken two of my own 4-way wrenches using one pipe—at that point, you're really stuck! :mad:

The lug itself could break off, :eek: but you can still tow with three lugs holding the tire on.

'Course, the rim and tire can still be removed as though to re-lube the bearings.

If you can still add air to the tire, tow the whole works to the nearest tire shop. If it's an 8-inch tire that's gone flat, you're going to want to replace it anyway. While a nail is a possibility, look for small cracks within the rubber around the flattened area. (Cracks mean it's a tired tire). ;)
 
Use a long piece of pipe on your four-way wrench to get extra leverage.
It was not for want of leverage. The tire kept spining. I did get my wife to set on the Fish just above the axel that put enough weight on the tire, so it would not spin. But what does a feller do when he is alone?
 
If you have a long breaker bar, put the appropriate socket on it and put it on the opposing lug nut. Then rotate the tire until the breaker bar handle hits the ground. Then take the lug wrench and loosen the rest of the lug nuts.
 
It was not for want of leverage. The tire kept spining. I did get my wife to set on the Fish just above the axel that put enough weight on the tire, so it would not spin. But what does a feller do when he is alone?

Some kind of rope wrapped around the tire, cinched down, and then tied to a fixed object so it pinches the rope tighter when you try to turn it.
 
It's spinning in place? :oops: In addition to the wife on board (directly above the offending tire) you can fill the Sunfish tub with water. :rolleyes:

Best, is to spray, tap, then rest a hammer between the rubber and asphalt. (Not grass). Tow the offending lug to the 3 o'clock position.

One pipe could work, if you press down on the end of the wrench nearest the driveway [9 o'clock, opposite], so you're adding your weight to the effort.

If unsuccessful, use two pieces of pipe, and tense the muscles between the shoulders to turn it. If the metal rim spins within the rubber tire :confused: there's still some hope—but you'll need to thread chain through the metal rim and bolt it to the trailer frame. Or use a length of fire hose and a Vise-Grip.

I've broken two of my own 4-way wrenches using one pipe—at that point, you're really stuck! :mad:

The lug itself could break off, :eek: but you can still tow with three lugs holding the tire on.

'Course, the rim and tire can still be removed as though to re-lube the bearings.

If you can still add air to the tire, tow the whole works to the nearest tire shop. If it's an 8-inch tire that's gone flat, you're going to want to replace it anyway. While a nail is a possibility, look for small cracks within the rubber around the flattened area. (Cracks mean it's a tired tire). ;)
Yes I replaced tired tire. LOL
 
If you have a long breaker bar, put the appropriate socket on it and put it on the opposing lug nut. Then rotate the tire until the breaker bar handle hits the ground. Then take the lug wrench and loosen the rest of the lug nuts.
It took me three times reading this, but I finally SAW your point in my mind. Thanks.
You'll have to sit on the axle by yourself. :)
LOL LOL....I thought of that but this fat Old Man abandoned that idea.
 
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Any sturdy object can be placed in front of the wheel With the flat to keep it from rolling. Last time I had a flat, I removed the spare tire first, jammed it under the flat tire, and was able to remove the lugs.
I tried chocks. But like spare tire Idea...and why did I not think of that? I know I opened myself up to jokes with that comment.
 
Since we're talking tires...if tires are more than 6 years old, time to replace. Look for the WWYY (Week Year) code on the sidewall. They may look fine but there are little microcracks starting in between the lugs, and the protective rubber compounds have mostly leached out, leaving dry sidewalls. Trailer tires get worked hard, especially if running 8s down the highway.

You'd think the County Sheriff would know better, their Marine Patrol, but they didn't.

TireBlownweb-800x600.jpg


Photo taken 2019 after Sheriff's Marine Patrol trailer towed into my buddy Eddie's place, Summer 2019. When was the tire made?
You can see that the problem was with sidewall flexibility, there's brittle fracture of the rubber. The damage to the tread area was mostly from being drug down the highway on the tandem trailer. They blew 3 of 4 tires.

IMG_5112.jpg


Tips:
-If you take your trailer in to get new tires, or buy new tire/wheel at Walmart, make sure you get as good or better load rating with the new tires.
-If you bought a used trailer, make sure the tires are the right load rating. Sometimes folks throw on the cheap new tires with the wrong load rating to get the trailer gone.
-Bump up the load rating one letter, from B to C, or C to D to get better sidewalls, which equals less heat going down the road.
-Don't be afraid to run those higher pressures, but not above max, your gas tank will thank you.
-New tires roll easier, less friction. On our recent tire swap for our runabout trailer a saw a 1 1/2 mpg gain from when I towed the boat in to when she came out with new shoes. Plus my old tires were underinflated.

Willow new trailer.jpg
 
What type of hub? Some folks carry their spare tire/wheel on a spare hub. In a pit stop race they might beat you with a tire swap, as they only have to take out one cotter pin and one nut. Messy grease though.

Some of our favorite boat haulin rigs...

kayak sunfish canoe trailer guide.jpg


Double trailer loaded.jpg


IMG_0667.jpg


IMG_1338.jpg


IMG_2379.jpg


Eddie Smedley.JPG
 
The lugs came off easily once the wheel and tire stopped rotating.
"Professional" tire shops rely on air-powered wrenches to install tires. Few operators then go back to check the proper tension on the lugs.

I'd invest in an inexpensive torque wrench ($18 at Harbor Freight). If that's not in your budget, drill a ⅖-inch* hole in each rim. It won't affect the tire's balance, and then small ¼" bolt would fit. That bolt can then be used to temporarily attach a light chain or rope to the trailer frame.

Using my mirrors, I once backed my truck so that one wheel dropped into a culvert. :eek: The entire axle was hanging in the air, as the rearmost frame had bottomed on the asphalt! Hopeless! :( After several failed attempts with boulders, I finally thought that since my truck didn't have a limited-slip differential, I'll put an old polypropylene rope through the spokes, and tie it to the frame. I put the truck in gear, and that worked in seconds! :cool:

Where I got the most satisfaction, was the guy who had just walked by before I tried the rope idea. After successfully getting my truck out, I walked to my school's reunion brunch buffet, as intended. The guy who'd walked by was at the entrance and asked, "Did you get your truck out"?. I gave my one-word answer, "Yes". (With an enormous feeling of satisfaction). :)

Oh, and that ⅖-inch* hole is to further confound our European readers, who use an actual dictator's method of measure. ;)
 
Since we're talking tires...if tires are more than 6 years old, time to replace. Look for the WWYY (Week Year) code on the sidewall. They may look fine but there are little microcracks starting in between the lugs, and the protective rubber compounds have mostly leached out, leaving dry sidewalls. Trailer tires get worked hard, especially if running 8s down the highway.

You'd think the County Sheriff would know better, their Marine Patrol, but they didn't.

View attachment 41040

Photo taken 2019 after Sheriff's Marine Patrol trailer towed into my buddy Eddie's place, Summer 2019. When was the tire made?
You can see that the problem was with sidewall flexibility, there's brittle fracture of the rubber. The damage to the tread area was mostly from being drug down the highway on the tandem trailer. They blew 3 of 4 tires.

View attachment 41041

Tips:
-If you take your trailer in to get new tires, or buy new tire/wheel at Walmart, make sure you get as good or better load rating with the new tires.
-If you bought a used trailer, make sure the tires are the right load rating. Sometimes folks throw on the cheap new tires with the wrong load rating to get the trailer gone.
-Bump up the load rating one letter, from B to C, or C to D to get better sidewalls, which equals less heat going down the road.
-Don't be afraid to run those higher pressures, but not above max, your gas tank will thank you.
-New tires roll easier, less friction. On our recent tire swap for our runabout trailer a saw a 1 1/2 mpg gain from when I towed the boat in to when she came out with new shoes. Plus my old tires were underinflated.

View attachment 41042
Great advise!
 
Ratchet strap...hook one end to the trailer and run the other end of the strap around the circumference of the tire. Ratchet the strap down tight.

Or Spanish windlass variation.
 

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