Age
Checking the age of your tires before daily driving or an extended trip with your trailer is a vital step in both safety and the longevity of your tires. Tires can dry rot long before the tread wears out, and dry rot can lead to a blowout. Most tire makers say to replace a trailer tire once it is 6 years old, no matter how much tread is left. For the safety of yourself and those on the road around you, make sure to check the age and the overall condition of your trailer tire before hauling anything. You can find the age of your tire on the sidewall of the tire. It will show the date of which the tire was originally manufactured.
The date is the last four digits of the DOT code on the sidewall: the first two digits are the week and the last two are the year. A tire stamped 5018, for example, was made in the 50th week of 2018.
Wear
Your tires tell a lot about how your trailer is riding. If the tire isn't wearing smoothly, that is an indication of broken suspension parts, bent axle, bad wheel bearings or wheel hub, or the trailer is overloaded. Your suspension, leaf springs, bushings, u bolts, spring bolts, etc should be torqued to the correct specifications and your bearings and races should be checked to make sure they roll smoothly. The wear of your tires will be greatly impacted.
Blowout
If you have a blowout while hauling with your trailer, finding a place to change a trailer tire can be challenging because of the various sizes and ply differences. It is very important to have a spare tire(s) with you (we carry trailer tires and wheels in our parts department) before heading out on a trip or hauling a load with your trailer. If you don't have a spare tire, you risk having to leave your valuable trailer and cargo on the side of the road in order to find and travel to a tire shop in the area.
Tire Sizes
The following are common trailer tire sizes:
205/75R15 - Common for single axle trailers with 3,000 lbs GVWR and tandem axle trailers with 4,500 lbs to 7,000 lbs GVWR.
225/75R15 - Common for tandem axle trailers with 8,000 lbs to 10,000 lbs GVWR.
ST235/80R16 (Load Range E) - Common for tandem axle trailers with 12,000 lbs to 14,000 lbs GVWR.
Whatever the size, check the load range on the sidewall. It sets the tire's maximum load and air pressure. Our trailer tire pressure and lug nut torque guide walks through it.
Why all this matters:
Knowing your trailer tire age, being mindful of your tire wear and being prepared for blowouts go a long way to avoiding trailer tire hazards. If your tires are aged or have uneven wear, the best thing to do is to be prepared for blowouts. Remember that you aren't the only one on the road. If your tires have significant dry rot or uneven wear, be safe and replace your tires.
We offer the best trailer tire service in the Carolinas!
Need tires, wheels, or a full tire and wheel set?
Call us, stop by either lot, or fill out the financing request just below and we will get right back to you.
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