After traveling to races for some 27 years and having more "tire adventures"
than I ever wanted and hearing of a few motorhome episodes others had where
tires failed and tore up the coach itself, I took the advice of a good
friend Mack McCormick and installed a tire monitoring system. It was pretty
inexpensive; wireless and simple to install and program. The peace of mind
is great and I no longer am wondering if a tire is going bad when a weird
road surface causes strange noises. The system monitors temperatures and
pressures and will also alarm if there's a rapid air loss, giving the driver
an advance notice. I have no financial connection with these folks. There
are other systems also out there. It is not expensive.
http://www.tsttruck.com/Home_Page.html
Russ Moore
Spitfire #49
-----Original Message-----
From: fot-bounces@autox.team.net [mailto:fot-bounces@autox.team.net] On
Behalf Of BillDentin@aol.com
Sent: Wednesday, May 22, 2013 9:50 AM
To: Janzen@REcatalyst.com
Cc: fot@autox.team.net
Subject: Re: [Fot] [VRG NewsGroup] Trailer tire info
In a message dated 05/22/2013 7:59:27 AM Central Daylight Time,
Janzen@REcatalyst.com writes:
> I've been told that on a dual axle trailer, once a tire fails on one
> side, the
> second is likely to go- either due to the sudden added load at speed, or
> pieces of the adjacent tire beating on it as it disintegrates.
> I've had the same experience with tires lasting 4-5 years and then all
> failing within a narrow time span - if they don't pick up a nail first.
> Trailer tires seem to be magnets for punctures.
> I now carry two spares at all times, and a plug kit.
>
> I like the idea of going up a load range or two to keep them underloaded!
>
All good points based on my experience. One time I lost a trailer wheel
towing through Plymouth, Wisconsin on the way to Road America. I must have
traveled a good mile and one half with only one wheel on the outside. Some
'good soul' saw me loose it, chased it, and then chased me to return it.
You
can't buy that kind of roadside help. It either comes for nothing, or you
don't get it. I replaced both tires on that side of the trailer, and since
the stud holes were hogged out, I had to replace the wheel too. Then last
year, my wife and I had a blowout in the mountains coming back from the
Mitty.
We're getting a little long in the tooth for changing tires on a loaded
trailer, especially in the mountains with little or no pull off area.
Fortunately it was on the inside, I was able to ease it to an area that had
minimal
adjacent room to pull off. The rig was off the road, somewhat level, but
we were working from a pretty steep incline. The biggest problem was my
aluminum jack had difficulty lifting the loaded trailer high enough to get
the
tire off the road. It took a jack stand, and taking several new bites, but
we finally got it changed. We then got off at the next exit where we were
able to replace both tires on that side. Trailer tires is not a good place
to
try to 'save money'. Buy good ones, over rated for the job.
Bob Wismer uses a single axle trailer, has had some blowout adventures, and
now buys new trailer tires every 4 years regardless of tread depth or
appearance.
Bill Dentinger
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