Why do trailer tires fail?
 

Face it, they fail early and often.

What gives?


KT

Snow tires.

Sunnavah...


KT

my guess would be some combination of heat, load, and design

Cheap and crappy materials. Those with real car wheels are much-much better.

A couple of weeks ago I took out a new to me 5th wheel trailer and was concerned about the heat on the tires. made it there but had three blow outs on the way home. the same thing happened to me on my 944 that used to sit a lot, I autocrossed it one day, four flat tires that evening. Old tires+heat cycling= junk tires.

We run trailer rated tires and religiously check pressures. We have cut blowouts down dramatically and we run at least several hundred miles a week pulling a trailer of some flavor.

Cheap tires,low air pressure,too much weight.

Go get some larger, higher rated tires, if they will fit. I did this for my utility trailer and never had a blow out since.

Tires need to be used on a regular basis. The act of rolling under load protects the tires from ozone damage, etc. Tires that sit for extended periods aren't going to fare nearly as well as tires used constantly.

Heat which is generated by running low tire pressures is the usual culprit. Most folks do not think to check their seldom used trailer tire presures.... I do EVERY time I use a trailer.

I run 80 psi in my homebuilt double JetSki trailer tires which are loaded within 50 lbs of the max weight rating. When I first used this setup at highway speeds on a 90 degree summer day, I stopped often to check tire temps with a digital thermometer... temps never climbed above about 100 degrees.

This particular set of tires were left overs I brought from work 15 years ago when we built a custom tire mounting machine for a customer. They had been been in my attic for over 10 years before I put them into service several years ago on my JetSki trailer. They will not get replaced until they show signs of dry rot cracking on the sidewalls.

Tire pressure. Tire Pressure. Tire Pressure.

On the subject of tires....
I checked the mileage on my Peterbilt drive tires on the way back from Ga. the other day.
320K + and i think i'll make it thru another winter on them. I check pressure regularly,
have rotated them 3 times. I run Michelin's on truck and trailer (have for 25+ years)
They're pricey (over $400 a piece) but worth it in the long run.

Most trailers sitting on the side of the road because of a failure have those tiny 12" or 13" wheels. They have to spin so much faster than the tow vehicle's wheels that the bearings also get overheated. Between hot bearings and underinflated tires, trouble is to be expected.

+1 on Tire pressure. Also curb rash is higher on trailers, as are the side loads when turning a trailer backing up. In my experience, if 1 tire blows on a multi-axle trailer(loaded), the remaining tire is overloaded, and I have found its life greatly reduced.

Tire pressure + infrequent use = bad combo

Yup. And bearings that get dipped in salt water down a boat ramp and are never cared for. I am amazed at the big heavy things that get hauled on little trailers..:eek:

- Tire pressue
- Dry rot (for those who don't use their trailer more than 2-3 times a year)
- UV damage due to extended exposure to sun. (Get those 20 dollar wheel covers you see on RV wheels)
- Extra weight due to load.

They will all affect tire life.

-Z-man.

Tires need to be used on a regular basis. The act of rolling under load releases flex compounds into the rubber, w/o these released compounds dry rot and UV damage are accelerated.

add poor air pressure control to the list and they will fail prematurely.

tire treatments like 303 do help some but it's only a surface treatment, the internals still need regular exercise to keep them flexible

Thanks for the thoughtful posts.

I use this trailer quite a bit and am good about checking the tire pressures.
Two to three trips a month.

The one up to this is America's Tire Company offers a six year replacement certificate on trailer tires as long as there is a certain tread depth left or the tire is less than six years old.

So, it's just a matter of rotating the new tires onto the trailer.


KT

Trailer tires are made to withstand UV effects better than car/truck tires.

With the exception of Michelin all trailer tires that I know of are made in China. I own 4 trailers ranging from 20' enclosed to 53' semi car transporter. The smaller tires( 15, 16, 17.5) that are made in China fail at a much higher rate so you have to watch them like a hawk. On a side note if you go to Goodyear's website they are adamant about not trailering over 70 However with my Duramax it's really hard to go that slow

Lots of trailers run close to or exceed their weight rating. Fail.
Trailers are left outside and tire walls deteriorate. Fail.
Trailers hit curbs and other obstacles that the tow vehicle misses. Fail.
Trailers get low maintenance, bearings heat up, run low pressure. Fail.
Trailers get the tail end boogie, low pressure tires, wall failure. Fail.

I'll snap a picture of the tire that was caught just in time...


KT

My tire guy says its a combination of all those things, especially sitting in one place for months at a time. I take the load off of my camping trailer tires by extending the scissor feet levelers to take the load off the tires.

Also, on a multi axle trailer the tires are "scrubbed" on turns instead of actually turning (not rolling).

http://i944.photobucket.com/albums/a...p/P1100006.jpg

http://i944.photobucket.com/albums/a...p/P1100007.jpg

So close!


KT

WAG but looks to me like shifted cord from pothole or other road debris?

More wear on edges from under-inflation? Center tread looks deeper in pics.

underinflation

Might want to do like the racers do and check tires temps next time on the road. Hand held pyrometer will give edge and middle of the tire temps.

Good idea.

I have the pyrometer.

I've been good about tire pressure with these tires.
That wear looks like it took some time, right?

How long would it take to wear the shoulders if I drove on the tires under inflated?


KT

Depends on how heavy a load and how twisty the road......

BTW, there are pressure gauges that send an alarm remotely to a receiver in the tow vehicle.

I just got some new LT rated truck tires.....my pressure is 65psi. I flat out forgot they ran that high. Doubt the ex EVER checked them.....

what's the psi in that tire 17? way underinflated

Nope, 49.
Sidewall requires 50.


KT

Man, something isnt right! the load isn't being carried by most of the tire!

Belt shifted. POS tire. What brand and where and when( both on the sidewall) was it built?

OK..

I went out and looked again.
This is a Carlisle brand trailer tire.

11th week of '08 build date. ( 1108 )

Upon further inspection the psi is recommended at 65.
The other three are 50.

Could this happen over 120 miles?
The distance I towed on Friday.


KT

It doesn't take long....

PV=nRT