Any suggestions on how to lengthen the life of trailer tires? On all my trailers they've dry rotted long before the tread's gone.
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Any suggestions on how to lengthen the life of trailer tires? On all my trailers they've dry rotted long before the tread's gone.
use the trailer more and wear the tires out going back n forth to the lake
Keep em out of the sun.
Keep air pressure at proper level at all times. Like Wilbur said keep out of the sun. If it has to be parked outside get some RV wheel covers. Don't use tire dressing.
X2 don't use tire dressing
Quote:
Originally Posted by cray
Best advice right there.
+1000Quote:
Originally Posted by wilbur
I have always heard to replace them every 4 years no matter what they look like. My understanding is they can look good but still be dry rotted. The problem with trailer tires is......they are not used everyday to build up heat to dry the moisture out of them that they absorb and thus they rot.
I bought 4 RV tire covers, and 2 covers for my trailer spares off Amazon for just under $100. They're nice covers.
That's me. Wear the tread out and replace every two years. In the vulcanization process in manufacturing rubber (tires) sulfur is added as a curitive. Over time, it dissipates and leaves the rubber brittle - or dry rots. Think about how a rubber band becomes brittle before long. Just my thoughts.Quote:
use the trailer more and wear the tires out going back n forth to the lake
Has anyone tried nitrogen instead of air in their tires?
I always use an 80% nitrogen mix in all of my tires. It's much cheaper and has all the benefits of the pure nitrogen.Quote:
Originally Posted by REDEYE50
The only time the pure nitrogen has an advantage is when you are racing and going through rapid temperature changes where the moisture in the tires affects pressure. Paying to have nitrogen put in tires is a waste of money.
Never tried it. Worked with Big Truck tires for over 30 years, went through all kinds of training on tires.
Pluses
Does not expand and contract like air so more stable pressure.
Does not leak out through pores in rubber over time like air, Larger molecules.
Does not entrap moisture,
Not flexing reduces tire temp.
Good in Bias ply tires that dont flex much.
Negatives
Not always avaliable
Does not compress like air so reduces sidewall flex in radial tire. Thus rougher ride. Also your tread pattern and tread rubber are designed around the fact that radial tires flex. No flex could manafest itself in iregular wear of the tread.
Also less flex increases probability of curbing sidewall failure in radial tire. Tire manufactures didnt like it even though most of their dealers offer it ( profit driven sales) Sveral large trucking companys went to it as it became more popular but never read in any of the trade journals where was ever of any great benifit.
Long story but hope it helps.
I don't understand, air is 78 % nitrogen and 21 % oxygen.Quote:
I always use an 80% nitrogen mix in all of my tires.
I think ole catfan just rounded it up. LolQuote:
Originally Posted by tracker123
I have never got more than 3 years out of a pair of trailer tires yet. Yes my trailer is garage kept. The boat gets used a lot. So I just plan on every third year replacing them.
Yep.Quote:
Originally Posted by REDEYE50
Have you ever seen a tire that deteriorated on the inside? No matter what you fill the tire with, the outside of the shell is going to be exposed to air, so the idea that the nitrogen protects the tire is mistaken.
The only real advantage of nitrogen is that it permeates the rubber more slowly, but the effect is so small that it will generally mean the difference between adding 3 PSI or 2PSI when you check the tires.
The rubber breaks down even sitting on the shelf. Want to learn more.
http://www.safercar.gov/Vehicle+Shop...ing/Tire+Aging
U.S. Department of Transportation - National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) - Towing A Trailer, Being Equipped for Safety - Title Page and Table of Contents - DOT HS 809 433 - April 2002
Just as an aside, here's a good explanation of the date code on tires. Always good to know you aren't starting out w/ old tires when you think ya bought new.
Tire Date Codes
That holds true on big truck tires also
Why is tire dressing bad?
Could be wrong, but I've heard it's those which contain Silicone that aren't good for tires. :donoQuote:
Originally Posted by skunked again
Don't know. I put silicone tire dressing on may spare tire every time i cleaned my boat and in about a 3 month span the spare blew still attached to the trailer! The spare was exposed to sunlight all the time so maybe silicone and sunlight don't mix anyway i don't use it anymore.Quote:
Originally Posted by skunked again
REPLACE EVERY 4 YRS . AIR/SUN WILL PLAY A PART . MFG SAY EVERY 5 YRS . BUT AFTER BEING ON THE ROADSIDE THIS PAST SUMMER I WILL REPLACE EVERY 4 .:twocents
Substance called carbon black that is mixed into the rubber compound is affected busy and ozone. Tire dressing accelerates the break down of these compounds and drys out the rubber. Look at your tires and if you don't wash and clean all the time you will see a brown tinge to the side walls. That is it breaking down and leaching out of the rubber. Had a pickupack in the 90's put on new set of Bridgestone duelers. Only had about 15000 on them but it sat out all the time for 5 years. Decided to drive to work one day, blew a tire. Took to tire shop the rubber was as brittle as a dry leaf. Completely rotted or what ever term you would like to use. Believe it or not they prorated all 4 tires. Got a set only 4 wheel drive I only use to pull boat and figured out today after thinking about this thread they are probably about 5 years old and may be time to replace them only have about 7/8 thousand on them.