Looking For New Tires For Olde Shorlander Trailer

Updated 04/15/2026 | Published 04/10/2026

Question:

We are buying an older Shoreland trailer for a 14 foot aluminum fishing boat with 15 hp engine. We need new tires for summer road trip from CO to MI. What do you recommend? And how do we know if the current wheel and bearings are good?

asked by: Jennifer P

Expert Reply:

Hello Jennifer, thanks for reaching out. We will undoubtedly have a tire option for you, but there is no way to look up a trailer by model to know exactly what tire size it has. Next time you are at the trailer, check the tire size on the sidewall and send that over to me. I'm happy to look into it and recommend some options.

As far as the bearings, there’s no set mileage where trailer bearings just need to be replaced, it really comes down to maintenance and what they look like. Most guys will pull them apart once a year or around every 10–12k miles to clean, inspect, and repack them. If everything looks smooth and spins clean, you run them. If you see pitting, discoloration, rust, or they feel rough, that’s when it’s time to replace them.

Before you even get that far, there are some warning signs to watch for like noise while towing, a hot hub, grease leaking out, or play in the wheel. If you jack it up and it doesn’t spin smooth or has side-to-side movement, that’s a red sign they need to be replaced.

If you end up needing replacements, we should have those as well. I'd need to know the bearing numbers/size. Knowing the axle weight capacity can help narrow that down too. If you can see the casting number on the hub, I may be able to use that to pull up your bearing info. I'm happy to help you track those down if you need.

Shoot me that tire size and/or bearing/hub info when you get a chance and we can take it from there.

What Michigan lakes do you plan to fish?

expert reply by: Jesse M