Carlisle tires flat spots

[Blue76]

I put a set of Carlisle tires on my boat last spring. I took it to the lake Friday and had a vibration. Took the wheels off and had them road forced balanced but the tire store showed me they had flat spots in them.

This trip to the lake was about 25 miles each way. You would have thought if they were going to smooth out that would have been long enough for them to smooth out.

Just wondering how many people put their boat on jack stands over the winter? I typically use my boat all winter but this year it sat since thanksgiving.

Going to pull it another time or two but if they don't smooth out I will replace them before I take any long trips.

Bummer that they would do that so easily.

Greg

[Rick H]

Normally I put mine on blocks during the off season. Once they salt the roads mine stays in the garage. If you don't it will take a little time to get them round again if they were before.

[CatFan]

Tires just don’t do that anymore from sitting. I’d be concerned you have brake issues.

[Blue76]

Tires just don’t do that anymore from sitting. I’d be concerned you have brake issues.

when you spin the tires you can see the flat spots on them. When the tire guy put them on the road force machine you could also see the flat areas.

The tires otherwise look great. Date on them was 2014 even though I put them on last spring.

[CatFan]

when you spin the tires you can see the flat spots on them. When the tire guy put them on the road force machine you could also see the flat areas.

The tires otherwise look great. Date on them was 2014 even though I put them on last spring.

Brakes grabbing are far more likely to cause flat spots than parking. Flat spots from parking are very rare in highway tires that aren’t handling extreme loads or have extremely small sidewalls. Flat spot is a bit of a misnomer as the problem isn’t with the tread of the tire, but the sidewall being squashed which reduces the radius of the tire in that area so the spot isn’t flat, just bumpy.

[Blue76]

So my surge brakes may have created a single flat spot on both tires?

Not disagreeing just not sure I understand... there are no abnormal treadwear marks or anything that points to a skid by the tire.

However... I did replace the master cylinder last season as it stopped working... the boat was pushing my truck. I also replaced the pads as well.

Btw... it is a single axle trailer.

[Tromanoski]

My two cents with the tires are where they are made. I have had on two separate occasions tread separation (or whatever the term is) with Carlisles that also ruined my boat fender. I got rid of them and put Goodyear Endurance tires on my trailer. Did this even though Carlilse replaced the tires and paid for the trailer damage. Wont run Chinese tires on my boat trailer if I can help it.

[billnorman1]

Flat spots generally refer to areas where the tire has set on the ground and the belt has temporarily deformed. In NASCAR flat spots are flat areas where the tire has skidded on the pavement.
You may be referring to cupping which is caused by an out-of-balance condition. If the issue is out-of-round, that is a manufacturing defect or result of damage or belt delamination.

[Bassman Ia.]

I had new tires and with 1000 miles on them I was getting a real bad vibration. The vibration was so bad the mirrors on the truck would shake. I installed new bearings, races, seals when I mounted those tires. I was sure I had a bearing problem. Took a tire off, and that's when I saw the tire, the center of the tire was puffed out------ only on a 1/3 of the tire. Belts separated. Check the other three tires, found another one with broken belts. 6 months later-- another bad one. So, I have one tire that the belts didn't break hanging around my shop since Khumo won't replace them until the belts break.

[ifishinxs]

Flat spots generally refer to areas where the tire has set on the ground and the belt has temporarily deformed. In NASCAR flat spots are flat areas where the tire has skidded on the pavement.
You may be referring to cupping which is caused by an out-of-balance condition. If the issue is out-of-round, that is a manufacturing defect or result of damage or belt delamination.

Winner, winner ! Chicken dinner.
Radial tires do not flat spot period! Okay 10yrs in one spot maybe. Or you have older bias ply tires. A tire running unbalanced will develop cupping or flat spots, usually in one area of the tire. A tire seperating will develop a bulge or high spot in the tread area. Carlisle’s are well known for this. Goodyear endurance is a 6 ply and is a great tire. 2 nylon caps make that tire a winner. The standard 4 ply radial trailer tire is hit and miss. Made in China is something to stay away from unless you do alot of research. I Have Found the Vanguard trailer tire made for Big O tires to be a very good option. Its a 5 ply with a single nylon cap. Trailer tire problems are a pain in the rear

[SOUTHERNYANKEE]

Don't mean to hijack this thread but I just ordered Goodyear endurance tires fore my trailer. Hope I made a good choice

[fishing addiction]

i would guess the flat spots are actually cupped tires , i had this on that brand time after time so i switched brand and problem solved

[ifishinxs]

Don't mean to hijack this thread but I just ordered Goodyear endurance tires fore my trailer. Hope I made a good choice

You made a great choice! You probably just replace those tires due to age at some point.

[fishnfireman]

So my surge brakes may have created a single flat spot on both tires?

Not disagreeing just not sure I understand... there are no abnormal treadwear marks or anything that points to a skid by the tire.

However... I did replace the master cylinder last season as it stopped working... the boat was pushing my truck. I also replaced the pads as well.

Btw... it is a single axle trailer.

-- I would say your first assumption is correct..
"grabbing brakes" or "tire cupping" does not flat spot both tires in a single spot.
If you pulled the trailer far enough with the brakes locked up it could wear a flat spot on the tread but surely you would have noticed doing that..

[Fish Whisperer]

It was a couple of years ago. But I had a set of tires get a flat spot on them. And I very much believe it was from sitting all winter. The tread was fine it wasn't flat from a brake grabbing. It was a little flat from sitting for 4-5 months. They didn't lose a lot of air and go completely flat. Just that little bit of air, and just a little out of round. Not even enough to notice until you hook up in the spring for that first time loading up and you pull out and see it. Dual axle trailer so weight was distributed across 4 tires.
Since then I have been putting the trailer up on blocks. just enough to get the weight off the tires, and get them to spin. I have been good to go every year since then.

[Rick H]

^^^^ This^^^^

[CatFan]

Tires just don’t get flat spots from sitting that don’t go away in just a few miles. I have6 trailers and a couple sit in the same spot for years at a time and never had an issue. Even in the days when tires did get flat spots, they weren’t flat spots, they were out of round. Far more likely the brakes locked, the tires cupped from hopping or the casing failed

[Rick H]

Sorry you disagree John. Unfortunately I no longer have the video because of the photo bucket crap of mine that got flat spotted from sitting in the garage over the winter because I was ill and never was able to finish me winterizing process. My lake is about 37 miles away and took about three trips to get them round again.

But all is not lost be patient and I'll be able to post you a video before and after the three trips because unfortunately I got a pretty severe sinus infection that I couldn't get rid of from the middle of November past Christmas took two rounds of antibiotics and with near 0 temperatures I wasn't about to go out the a cool garage just to finish the winterizing.

So be patient and I'll be able to post you a video before and after the three trips of the flat spotted tires from sitting with the correct air pressure. It will be it a month or two with my current schedule before I can get out. Then you can tell me how full of crap I am! Be patient!

BTW: No brake issues. Brakes are only on one axle and all four flat spot from sitting over winter.

[fishnfireman]

I'll agree it's not as prevalent as in my younger days of bias ply tires.
But it can and does still happen even if some "experts" have not experienced it.

[96MrBass]

Well I didn't want to hear this just installed these same Carlisle tire's about a month ago. After running Marathons for years I figured I'd give them a try.