I purchased the one with the bunks and I've had it for about 3 years now. first thing I did was get some Taskmaster TTT668 4.80XR12, Load Range C, 6 PLY Radial Trailer Tire that are rated for 81MPH to replace the factory tires. I believe you are wearing your tires and popping them due to driving to fast with the factory tires. Driving faster than what the tire is rated for will cause the tire to heat up and pop.
I agree! I put an addendum at the bottom of the description where I mentioned buying radial tires and having a much better experience with them. I still have them on 5 months and several trips later. I need to do a calculation on the total mileage, but the radial tires have lasted AT LEAST twice the mileage that I was getting with the bias ply tires (as they should). That seems to have solved the tire issue. I just wish they didn’t put such cheap tires on the trailer in the first place!
Check out the right on - ruff sport trailer. That is the trailer my local yak shop sells, with bunks it was around $1k otd. It still has 12" tires but I have had no issues and have put over 2k miles on mine this summer alone.
I’ve gotten radial trailer tires since I did this review and I think that’s largely fixed the problems that I was having. I just wish someone had told me about them sooner!
Where did you get the radial trailer tires from? Have you looked into other trailers that will carry those yaks? I have an Old town Big Water and another yak. @@kayak_chris
@@artwarrenlaw I bought the tires at trailer.com (specifics in the description section). They’ve worked much better than the bias ply, although it’s almost time to replace those, too. I’ve traveled a lot the last two years, averaging 30-35K / year, so I wear down tires fast!
Any chance you have photos of the highlander towing this rig from a bit of a distance? ...I have the same car and am shopping for kayak trailers right now.
Two questions. What pressure are you running in your tires? Also what brand of tires are you using? I'm no expert but I have been told that you need to run the max. pressure on the side wall. Also quality tires are the only way to go. I have heard nothing but great things about Maxxis brand tires.
The first set was whatever cheap brand Malone included, then I had two sets of K9 tires, then the last set was Carlise Sport. I've had different people tell me to inflate them to the max amount, under inflate them slightly, etc. I've also read that tires that size should only travel at a max speed of 65 mph or else they'll wear out faster (most of the highways around me are 70 mph). Regardless of brand, speed, or tire pressure, they're just wearing out a lot faster than they should. Had I known this would be such an issue, I would have put the $2,000 I spent on this trailer towards a different brand with larger tires that are more road worthy.
I don't have a video, but I can tell you what I used. I bought a 48" section of Rubbermaid FastTrack Storage Rail and used the 10" Rubbermaid FastTrack Multipurpose Hook (both available at Lowes). My storage facility doesn't mind if you screw into the drywall in the units, so I used some drywall anchors to secure the rail and have been please with it. Normally, it holds two trolling motors (29 lbs each), 1-2 pairs of hip waders, a pair of chest waders, my pier net, and a trash bag, lol...
The trouble with the tires is weight. Too little weight between an aluminum trailer frame and 2 light weight boats. I would bet your tires are in the air almost as much as contacting the pavement. It would take a real nice balance of weight and suspension to straighten it out.
The trouble with the tires is the original tires themselves. Bias ply tires are simply not constructed for a lot of highway mileage. Since I swapped them out for radial tires, they’ve held up much better.
I'm thinking about buying that trailer in the low bed model. I don't travel long distances to fish. I was wondering how would my kayak ride on that trailer if I don't put the bunks on there like you have. Will the kayak ride okay sitting on top of medal cross bars? What are you thoughts because I think you trailered you kayaks like that before you put on the bunks if I'm not mistaken.
This model originally came with a pair of Malone MegaWings, which are the molded plastic wing shaped kayak carriers. They weren’t wide or sturdy enough to support my Autopilot kayaks, which are very large (13’6”) and heavy (probably about 130 lbs without the motor or accessories). If you just have a single kayak, it may be fine sitting on the crossbars. A lot of people prefer to have some sort of bunk or rail because it makes it easier to load / unload the kayak and keeps it from sliding around on the cross bars. It’s a bit of trial and error whenever you are using a new transport system and I’d advise you to experiment until you find a method that you like.
I was looking at this for a set of PDL 120s as well (should be similar width to two 136 AutoPilot). With that said, I calculated about 6" space between the two on the 78" crossbars. Does that seem about right to you? Second, I was looking to add the 2nd Tier Kit down the road--does it seem like it would fit within that 6" gap? Thanks Chris!
I have a little under 5" between the two kayaks. It may be possible to eek out a little more, but ensuring they're balanced on the trailer took priority for me. As for the 2nd Tier Kit, I assume it should fit. Could you save yourself the $400+ on the kit and just strap the items to your roof rack or do you just not have the space? I have a Toyota Highlander and I basically put all of my fishing gear plus weekend bags for two inside of the vehicle.
@@kayak_chris Thanks! Good suggestion. Still debating on it but just wanted to see if the option was there for "future proofing" vs having to going up to the MegaSport model.
So I haven't actually tried that yet. A lot of times, I fish solo, so I'll leave one kayak on the bunks. When I do launch both, it's easy enough just to pull them off the trailer. It can be more challenging to get them back on, especially if the launch is steep and/or slippery, as I usually lift the nose of the kayak onto the bunks, then push it on from behind (it definitely takes a bit of strength to do that). Submerging the trailer would make loading a lot easier, but I think it would also cause a lot more wear / rust to the components, which is why I load it the way that I do. Having some sort of winch on the trailer would also be a nice feature that is not standard with this trailer.
I purchased some radial tires (I've been buying bias ply tires)... they're better suited to highway driving. I'm going to test them out the next few months and see if that makes a difference.
@@Danxiong So far, so good. Unfortunately, I've been slammed with work the last few weeks and haven't been able to fish much, but I do have some fishing road trips planned over the next 1-2 months, so I'll post an update afterwards if the tires hold up better!
@@kayak_chris awesome. I’ll be curious to hear how the tires hold up. Thanks for being active in the comments; it makes educational/informative videos much more relevant and helpful.
First, it's hard to take someone serious who wears a hat with that much curve. Setting that aside, which is really hard to do, but nonetheless, you are either trolling this company on behalf of a competitor or you have a serious alignment issue. You replace tires every couple months? As they say in the south, sumpin aint right. I'm thinking your assembly job is the issue. I have a friend who has had their Microsport for years and he has never changed tires once. I recommend you take it to your nearest tire shop and have them check your alignment. That should fix everything for you but that goofy hat.
Well, I appreciate your feedback Eric D, where the "D" clearly stands for dickhead, as the hat commentary was unwarranted. Anyhow, I have asked on multiple forums kayak, contacted the manufacturer, E-trailer.com, and my local tire shop about this problem. Everyone has had something different to say, so I did my own research. This trailer comes with cheap bias ply tires. They cost about $50 apiece to replace and are more for slower utility hauling on rough roads that road hauling. I drive a lot of highway miles (30K+ per year) and I think the OEM tires are just not meant for that. After purchasing my 5th set of tires at my local dealer yesterday, I went online to see if I could purchase bigger tires (as others had recommended) and realized I could just get better quality tires that were more suited for the driving I most often do (which no one had recommended, including the tire shop). Hopefully, that will solve the problem. Will do an update after I've used them for bit.
@@ajpend I took my first longer trip with the tires yesterday... 200 miles round trip. So far, so good. It will realistically take at least 1-2 more months of traveling before I can better assess their durability. I'm scheduled to travel round trip from NC to TN and then also NC to MD next month for fishing trips (striped bass and snakeheads... woohoo!) I figure that by the beginning of June, I should have a good idea of whether or not the radial tires are worth the extra cost. I am hoping they last a minimum of 2x longer than the bias ply tires (they cost twice as much), but am keeping my fingers crossed they are 3x-5x more durable... will report back soon!
easyfoshzy u have no idea what u talking about.... There is no such thing as checking and aligning a trailer axle..lol..u can't do an alignment on a trailer axle..lol. If u flip the axle upside down what they call over under that might effect tire wear...Tires that are bias aren't made to go highway speed for long period's of time.. Smaller radial tires still wear out fast if u consistently go long high way speeds with them.... u basically need a bigger tire to make it last longer for highway driving..those tires arent meant for long highway speeds only meant to go around town....The best thing u can do if u cant put bigger radial tires on is swap them to radial instead of bias tire
I purchased the one with the bunks and I've had it for about 3 years now. first thing I did was get some Taskmaster TTT668 4.80XR12, Load Range C, 6 PLY Radial Trailer Tire that are rated for 81MPH to replace the factory tires. I believe you are wearing your tires and popping them due to driving to fast with the factory tires. Driving faster than what the tire is rated for will cause the tire to heat up and pop.
I agree! I put an addendum at the bottom of the description where I mentioned buying radial tires and having a much better experience with them. I still have them on 5 months and several trips later. I need to do a calculation on the total mileage, but the radial tires have lasted AT LEAST twice the mileage that I was getting with the bias ply tires (as they should). That seems to have solved the tire issue. I just wish they didn’t put such cheap tires on the trailer in the first place!
Nice. I agree. They should have put radials on them from factory
Check out the right on - ruff sport trailer. That is the trailer my local yak shop sells, with bunks it was around $1k otd. It still has 12" tires but I have had no issues and have put over 2k miles on mine this summer alone.
I’ve gotten radial trailer tires since I did this review and I think that’s largely fixed the problems that I was having. I just wish someone had told me about them sooner!
Where did you get the radial trailer tires from? Have you looked into other trailers that will carry those yaks? I have an Old town Big Water and another yak. @@kayak_chris
@@artwarrenlaw I bought the tires at trailer.com (specifics in the description section). They’ve worked much better than the bias ply, although it’s almost time to replace those, too. I’ve traveled a lot the last two years, averaging 30-35K / year, so I wear down tires fast!
Any chance you have photos of the highlander towing this rig from a bit of a distance? ...I have the same car and am shopping for kayak trailers right now.
Two questions. What pressure are you running in your tires? Also what brand of tires are you using? I'm no expert but I have been told that you need to run the max. pressure on the side wall. Also quality tires are the only way to go. I have heard nothing but great things about Maxxis brand tires.
The first set was whatever cheap brand Malone included, then I had two sets of K9 tires, then the last set was Carlise Sport. I've had different people tell me to inflate them to the max amount, under inflate them slightly, etc. I've also read that tires that size should only travel at a max speed of 65 mph or else they'll wear out faster (most of the highways around me are 70 mph). Regardless of brand, speed, or tire pressure, they're just wearing out a lot faster than they should. Had I known this would be such an issue, I would have put the $2,000 I spent on this trailer towards a different brand with larger tires that are more road worthy.
Did you have a video on that trolling motor wall mount?
I don't have a video, but I can tell you what I used. I bought a 48" section of Rubbermaid FastTrack Storage Rail and used the 10" Rubbermaid FastTrack Multipurpose Hook (both available at Lowes). My storage facility doesn't mind if you screw into the drywall in the units, so I used some drywall anchors to secure the rail and have been please with it. Normally, it holds two trolling motors (29 lbs each), 1-2 pairs of hip waders, a pair of chest waders, my pier net, and a trash bag, lol...
The trouble with the tires is weight. Too little weight between an aluminum trailer frame and 2 light weight boats. I would bet your tires are in the air almost as much as contacting the pavement. It would take a real nice balance of weight and suspension to straighten it out.
The trouble with the tires is the original tires themselves. Bias ply tires are simply not constructed for a lot of highway mileage. Since I swapped them out for radial tires, they’ve held up much better.
Are you sure your axle is square to the frame. To be wearing tires at that rate, you have to have a misaligned axle
I'm thinking about buying that trailer in the low bed model. I don't travel long distances to fish. I was wondering how would my kayak ride on that trailer if I don't put the bunks on there like you have. Will the kayak ride okay sitting on top of medal cross bars? What are you thoughts because I think you trailered you kayaks like that before you put on the bunks if I'm not mistaken.
This model originally came with a pair of Malone MegaWings, which are the molded plastic wing shaped kayak carriers. They weren’t wide or sturdy enough to support my Autopilot kayaks, which are very large (13’6”) and heavy (probably about 130 lbs without the motor or accessories). If you just have a single kayak, it may be fine sitting on the crossbars. A lot of people prefer to have some sort of bunk or rail because it makes it easier to load / unload the kayak and keeps it from sliding around on the cross bars. It’s a bit of trial and error whenever you are using a new transport system and I’d advise you to experiment until you find a method that you like.
I saw where someone had zip tied pool noodles on to the bars.
I was looking at this for a set of PDL 120s as well (should be similar width to two 136 AutoPilot). With that said, I calculated about 6" space between the two on the 78" crossbars. Does that seem about right to you?
Second, I was looking to add the 2nd Tier Kit down the road--does it seem like it would fit within that 6" gap? Thanks Chris!
I have a little under 5" between the two kayaks. It may be possible to eek out a little more, but ensuring they're balanced on the trailer took priority for me. As for the 2nd Tier Kit, I assume it should fit. Could you save yourself the $400+ on the kit and just strap the items to your roof rack or do you just not have the space? I have a Toyota Highlander and I basically put all of my fishing gear plus weekend bags for two inside of the vehicle.
@@kayak_chris Thanks! Good suggestion. Still debating on it but just wanted to see if the option was there for "future proofing" vs having to going up to the MegaSport model.
Why can’t you put bigger tires on it
I ended spending more on radial tires (same size), which last 2-3x longer
can you wet launch with the high cross bars?
So I haven't actually tried that yet. A lot of times, I fish solo, so I'll leave one kayak on the bunks. When I do launch both, it's easy enough just to pull them off the trailer. It can be more challenging to get them back on, especially if the launch is steep and/or slippery, as I usually lift the nose of the kayak onto the bunks, then push it on from behind (it definitely takes a bit of strength to do that). Submerging the trailer would make loading a lot easier, but I think it would also cause a lot more wear / rust to the components, which is why I load it the way that I do. Having some sort of winch on the trailer would also be a nice feature that is not standard with this trailer.
Are your mega wings for sale?
Thanks
Rich
Hey Rich... sorry, but I sold them off a while ago.
Dang
why not just put bigger wheels?
I purchased some radial tires (I've been buying bias ply tires)... they're better suited to highway driving. I'm going to test them out the next few months and see if that makes a difference.
@@kayak_chrisheard radial tires are better. How is it so far?
@@Danxiong So far, so good. Unfortunately, I've been slammed with work the last few weeks and haven't been able to fish much, but I do have some fishing road trips planned over the next 1-2 months, so I'll post an update afterwards if the tires hold up better!
@@kayak_chris awesome. I’ll be curious to hear how the tires hold up. Thanks for being active in the comments; it makes educational/informative videos much more relevant and helpful.
bro just put full rubber wheels
I ended up putting radials on it and they worked much better
First, it's hard to take someone serious who wears a hat with that much curve. Setting that aside, which is really hard to do, but nonetheless, you are either trolling this company on behalf of a competitor or you have a serious alignment issue. You replace tires every couple months? As they say in the south, sumpin aint right. I'm thinking your assembly job is the issue. I have a friend who has had their Microsport for years and he has never changed tires once. I recommend you take it to your nearest tire shop and have them check your alignment. That should fix everything for you but that goofy hat.
Well, I appreciate your feedback Eric D, where the "D" clearly stands for dickhead, as the hat commentary was unwarranted. Anyhow, I have asked on multiple forums kayak, contacted the manufacturer, E-trailer.com, and my local tire shop about this problem. Everyone has had something different to say, so I did my own research. This trailer comes with cheap bias ply tires. They cost about $50 apiece to replace and are more for slower utility hauling on rough roads that road hauling. I drive a lot of highway miles (30K+ per year) and I think the OEM tires are just not meant for that. After purchasing my 5th set of tires at my local dealer yesterday, I went online to see if I could purchase bigger tires (as others had recommended) and realized I could just get better quality tires that were more suited for the driving I most often do (which no one had recommended, including the tire shop). Hopefully, that will solve the problem. Will do an update after I've used them for bit.
@@kayak_chris I look forward to hearing about the new tires!
@@ajpend I took my first longer trip with the tires yesterday... 200 miles round trip. So far, so good. It will realistically take at least 1-2 more months of traveling before I can better assess their durability. I'm scheduled to travel round trip from NC to TN and then also NC to MD next month for fishing trips (striped bass and snakeheads... woohoo!) I figure that by the beginning of June, I should have a good idea of whether or not the radial tires are worth the extra cost. I am hoping they last a minimum of 2x longer than the bias ply tires (they cost twice as much), but am keeping my fingers crossed they are 3x-5x more durable... will report back soon!
Any update on new tires and if they are up to snuff what brand of tire was it if they were, and if not, did you get a new trailer, ty
easyfoshzy u have no idea what u talking about.... There is no such thing as checking and aligning a trailer axle..lol..u can't do an alignment on a trailer axle..lol. If u flip the axle upside down what they call over under that might effect tire wear...Tires that are bias aren't made to go highway speed for long period's of time.. Smaller radial tires still wear out fast if u consistently go long high way speeds with them.... u basically need a bigger tire to make it last longer for highway driving..those tires arent meant for long highway speeds only meant to go around town....The best thing u can do if u cant put bigger radial tires on is swap them to radial instead of bias tire