Are You Road Ready? [Archive]

WaterDog

05-25-2007, 09:02 PM

There is a lot of talk about being prepared on the water. What about on the road?

Today, after a fishing trip to the coast, I found myself on the side of the road with a blown trailer tire. Of course it would happen in the worse possible place. Nothing like seeing smoke bellowing from the trailer and having nowhere to pull off. Ended up having to limp down the road and find a driveway to pull into. You just gotta love changing a tire on the driver’s side with 2 feet of space to the fogline on Hwy 101 on a Friday before a holiday weekend. While I was prepared, I found out that I’m definitely not as prepared as I should have been. Today was a good test of my emergency gear.

Always take your tools!
Over the years, I’ve assembled one tool chest that is pretty much geared to boats and trailers. It’s the only one I have and although it is fairly compact, it weighs in excess of 50lbs. On long trips, it always goes. Short day trip, rarely. Last night I thought I didn’t need it. At the last minute at 0300 this morning, I decide to throw it in the boat. Glad I did. I think I’m going to leave it in the boat or truck and just get another set for the house.

Other things I’m going to add:
Lot’s more flares (30 minute min) and some warning triangles.
More wood blocks. One less and I’d still be on the road. A few more and the job would have been much easier. We had to jack the trailer twice to get up high enough to mount the spare.
Some of those cheap orange safety vests. You can never be too visible.
And I think I’m going to add a second spare tire.

Just some food for thought as the summer approaches. :cheers:

IDWITHELD

05-26-2007, 03:50 PM

Thanks for the reminder WaterDog. Glad you came home in one piece. It is so dangerous working on the side of the road.

I recently had all the tire stems on my trailer replaced. I only used the tools in my "carry-on" bag to get the tires off in my driveway. I needed to take off 5 tires. I quickly discovered I wasn't as prepared as I thought I was. I could only get the spare off! The hydraulic jack was 1/4" short to allow the tires to slip of the axels. I now have a selection of plywood "shims" in the bag to compliment the bottle jack.
Do you think 6 flares is enough? They are the long ones. Not sure what the burn time is on those...

WaterDog

05-26-2007, 05:27 PM

I think the long ones are 30 mins. I think 6 is a good start. I put the 2 I had out a couple hundred feet behind us and it seemed like an ok distance. I bought a 3 pack of safety triangles for $20 this morning. These have a heavy base so I thought the price was right.

This morning I spent an hour at Les Schwab. My blow out was directly related to the valve stems. Mine were like yours. Apparently, about a year ago, there was a bad batch of stems. He cut the stem off and checked the number and there was a recall on them. They would rot and begin to leak. The low air pressure is what cause the blow out. My guy said that any of the rubber stems will rot if in salt water but these particular stems would separate where I guess the others would not. :shrug: I too got the metal stems and they replaced the tire for free. :smile:

I ended up having to buy another wheel do to a wheel theft attempt awhile back. The wheel would be good for a spare but not a replacement so I had a new tire mounted on it so now I have two spare tires. Just some extra security for those long trips to the Canyon.

Until you have to be in a situation it's tough to have it all figured out. I'm going to add some plywood to my gear and some 2x6 pieces. You can build a ramp with it and pull the trailer up on it so at least you can get the jack under the axle. Just another option.

Now I'm looking for nice crossbox for the bed. With extra stuff, I need more space to carry it all. :hoboy:

nikkidog

05-26-2007, 09:06 PM

pugetplunker

05-27-2007, 06:47 AM

River Bum

05-27-2007, 06:58 AM

The tire change ramps are golden, work great. I have had one stem replace because it was leaking, I am going to go and have them all replaced. I have been running with no spare on the boat trailer, every time I leave the house I think to myself " boy this is foolish". Thanks for sharing, I will have a spare before my next trip.

RB

WaterDog

05-27-2007, 07:28 AM

Guys , just a thought.....I carry a high-lift jack in my truck all the time. ....hunting or fishing. You can use it to lift the trailer or your truck. Pretty cheap multi-purpose tool to have along. I've used mine for multiple tasks. I wont leave home without it.....:cheers::cheers:

What is the capacity of a hi-lift? Also how would you get it under the frame? Not sure it would work on boat.

wifey has a ramp that came with the horse trailer, you just drive the side with the flat(full tire on ramp)onto the ramp and it lifts the flat off the ground so you can change quickly. i never thought to take it untill now.thanks for the post waterdog. oh and im gonna get the stems changed out,thanks for the heads up

Got a pic or a link to one of these?

pugetplunker

05-27-2007, 08:34 AM

DAB

05-28-2007, 06:12 AM

I carry a scisor jack that will lift from about 3" on the low side to about 15" high. Yes I know they aren't as easy to use as a botle jack, but you don't have to carry a bunch of shims and blocks.
DAB

WaterDog

05-28-2007, 06:38 AM

http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-TRAILER-AID-Jack-Stand-Flat-Tire-Ramp_W0QQitemZ290121640885QQcmdZViewItem also http://www.southwestwheel.com/store/c-76-trailer-aid.aspx . this is the model we have for the horse trailer . im going to have to look at the load specs cause those pwelds are built kinda stout :smile:

Let me know what you find out. I didn't see any info load rating. :shrug:

I carry a scisor jack that will lift from about 3" on the low side to about 15" high. Yes I know they aren't as easy to use as a botle jack, but you don't have to carry a bunch of shims and blocks.
DAB

Not sure what the load rating on a scissor jack is. It's probably fine for smaller and lighter boats. A 4 or 6 ton floor jack would my other alternative.

Danno

05-28-2007, 09:22 AM

For us single axle guys, do those jacks that attach to the axle and then rotate it up when you move the car forward work? I'm one of those unprepared people.

http://a1672.g.akamai.net/7/1672/116/20070501/www.ritzcamera.com/graphics/products/3-72/367430972.jpg

nikkidog

05-28-2007, 10:14 AM

Here's the link to a high lift jack on E-Bay. it will give you an idea. Rated at 3.5 tons. Understand some of these are good quality and some are so so.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/NEW-48-Hi-Farm-Jack-Lift-Tractors-Trucks-MORE_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQcategoryZ63697QQihZ020QQite mZ300113772885QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

pugetplunker

05-28-2007, 10:18 AM

looks like it would as long as nothing moves after it goes up .neat idea for a single axle For us single axle guys, do those jacks that attach to the axle and then rotate it up when you move the car forward work? I'm one of those unprepared people.

http://a1672.g.akamai.net/7/1672/116/20070501/www.ritzcamera.com/graphics/products/3-72/367430972.jpg

Jedcraft

05-28-2007, 05:28 PM

No hijack intended here just wanted to praise the good guys at Les Schwab and the boat dealer at Wickiup Jct. My buddy was heading from Bend to Crescent Wed. evening to get our camp sites for Mem day. He fried a wheel bearing at Wickiup Jct. Caught the guy at the boat dealer just leaving about 6pm. He knew the Les Schwab guy who came from home and opened the store to get the right wheel bearings(made two trips as he got the wrong size the first time). Had him up & running at 9pm and they would not take any tip! My luck I'd have scored the spindle - run the tire run off the rim - and still be sitting there. Thanks Les.

Crabber1

05-29-2007, 09:45 PM

All good stuff, and I carry a trailer emergency kit as well but . . . what has reallly saved my bacon several times over the past years is to carry at all times a truck size "spare tire kit in a can (foam)". Assuming no blow out, you can inflate the tire enough to get to a safer spot to switch to your spare or find the closest Schwab store. I also carry a 12v pump. Again, the above has worked for me, and for others I've helped who have returned to the launch parking lot from a day of boating only to find a flat tire on their rig or trailer.:)

Road Rage

05-31-2007, 08:34 AM

wifey has a ramp that came with the horse trailer, you just drive the side with the flat(full tire on ramp)onto the ramp and it lifts the flat off the ground so you can change quickly. i never thought to take it untill now.thanks for the post waterdog. oh and im gonna get the stems changed out,thanks for the heads up

I think these ramps will work only on trailers with torsion suspension axles. If you have leaf-spring suspension I don't think it'll work, as the unsupported axle will drop too far to get the "good" tire on the hub. (At least this is my experience anyway...)

I have two totes of gear that I carry in my truck. One with general roadside emergency items in it, including a 1st Aid kit, flares, warm/dry clothes, hiking booths, and YELLOW rain gear. (Yellow for roadside work.)

I also have a tote with trailer related gear. An old brake drum with a set of packed bearings, lug wrench, grease, tail light, nitrile gloves, paper towells and tools.

Lastly, since the jacks supplied as OEM equipment in today's vehicles are a joke, I carry a 2-ton floor jack all the time.

pugetplunker

05-31-2007, 05:45 PM

I think these ramps will work only on trailers with torsion suspension axles. If you have leaf-spring suspension I don't think it'll work, as the unsupported axle will drop too far to get the "good" tire on the hub. (At least this is my experience anyway...)

I have two totes of gear that I carry in my truck. One with general roadside emergency items in it, including a 1st Aid kit, flares, warm/dry clothes, hiking booths, and YELLOW rain gear. (Yellow for roadside work.)

I also have a tote with trailer related gear. An old brake drum with a set of packed bearings, lug wrench, grease, tail light, nitrile gloves, paper towells and tools.

Lastly, since the jacks supplied as OEM equipment in today's vehicles are a joke, I carry a 2-ton floor jack all the time.did you try the ramp with leafs?

Road Rage

05-31-2007, 09:22 PM

did you try the ramp with leafs?

It won't work on my boat trailer, but it works with our tandem-ax cargo trailer.

Fish Mode

06-01-2007, 03:05 PM

Yeah...don't know if a lot of people know this, but...

those ramps only work with tandem trailers...whats the use of riding the blown tire if you want it elevated!:pp

pugetplunker

06-01-2007, 04:52 PM

Yeah...don't know if a lot of people know this, but...

those ramps only work with tandem trailers...whats the use of riding the blown tire if you want it elevated!:pp
waterdog has tandems as his tub is built kinda stout.i should have made it clear the ramp was for tandems only. ill be more detailed next time :redface:

WaterDog

06-03-2007, 08:23 AM

No worries Plunker. ;) I know one thing, having a tandem trailer sure is nice. If I ever downsize, I'm still going tandem. Of course, I'm not sure going to a 27' Twin diesel is downsizing. :laugh: (Note to self: Remind wife to buy lotto tickets :) )

Truck box is on order. Got a case of 30 min flares. :rolleyes: Lot's more wood blocks.

In case anyone is interested, the safety triangles I got were at Wilco Farm stores.

Happy trails....

timinthegorge

06-13-2007, 01:36 PM

Thanks Guys! Great thread. :bowdown:

I'm woefully ill-prepared as far as flares and safety equipment goes and I'm going to make amends. Thanks for all the ideas...

I do have a spare, and I do have good tires (upgraded last year), and I do have my bearings re-packed and the whole tamale inspected every year at the LS down the street..... but ya' never know.

"Better safe than stupid" is what my grampa used to say.....