OT-tire question

Nancy Howell · Sep 10, 2014

I recently had a blow out on one of the tires on my horse trailer. Tire was properly inflated (85psi, max is 90) and had very, very slight weather cracks around the bead. Tire had maybe 15,000 miles usage so had plenty of tread.

All the tread down the center of the tire peeled off, leaving a strip about 1 in wide on both sides. Both sidewalls had a large split, but the split did not go all the way to the bead. This was the front tire on the driver side. I was on an interstate hwy and didn't hit anything.

When I took the tire to our tire place in Mt. Pleasant, I asked one of the guys to look at it to see if he had an idea about why it failed.

He said it was too old. He said the tires were 9 yrs old, which is correct. He said car/vehicle tires should be replaced after 4yrs and trailer tires after 9 yrs regardless of how good the tire condition/tread was. He advised replacing the other tires.

I'm not sure I agree with what he said, so wanted to see what y'all had to say.

I don't want to start a hoorah, just want some other opinions. Please, no fights!

Wemedeeres · Sep 10, 2014

Sadly he is correct, I had the same thing happen to my tandem axle car trailer, one tire the tread peeled off and one of the others had a big goose egg on the side wall. My tire guy told me that trailer tires are not as high quality as car and truck tires, as well as they tend to go bad from sitting parked in one spot for too long especially if they have a load on them. It kind of makes sense now when I see boat trailers up on blocks with no tires on them and camper trailers sitting at resorts with those wheel covers over the tires.

He also told me the goose egg was a broken chord caused by hitting a curb or from turning too tight with a load on.

Michael Soldan · Sep 10, 2014

I agree with your tire guy. Also,tires are dated and you should check "new" tires to make sure they haven't sat in a warehouse for six years

Mike (WA) · Sep 10, 2014

Yep, 9 year old tires are getting a little "long in the tooth", and should be replaced. Lots easier to have the tire guy do it at the shop than you trying to do it on a rainy night beside the road. And its always the traffic side one that goes, which adds to the excitement of changing it.

BTW, I have added a tool that is the single most important thing in making tire changing easier. It's AAA's road service phone number.

Nancy Howell · Sep 10, 2014

I have roadside assistance, but I can generally change it myself before they get there.

Years ago, I bought a "tool" called "Trailer Aid". No jacking the trailer up. Once you loosen the lug nuts, put it under the good tire (must have tandem axle trailer) and drive it up on the Trailer Aid. Aid works as both jack and blocks.

Change the tire, then drive off the Aid. They're not expensive, around $35.00 for one that's rated to 15,000 lbs. They are well worth the money!!!

Nancy Howell · Sep 10, 2014

I limped down the shoulder until I could get off the 4 lane.

I would be VERY apprehensive about changing a tire while on a 4 lane major hwy regardless of which side the flat was on.

Too easy to be a one-way ticket up.

Stephen Newell · Sep 10, 2014

It's radial tire syndrome. If you would get bias tires they would last a lot longer. I have bias tires that are 15 years old that are in really good condition.

showcrop · Sep 10, 2014

I have to agree with the age problem. Last year I had to replace three tires on my trailer, one had come apart the same as yours. a week and a half ago another one came apart, and another one was de-laminated, and two day later two more were separated. Now I have eight new ones. The store manger said that it was primarily age, along with pretty much always carrying their maximum load.

Sean Feeney · Sep 10, 2014

" Too easy to be a one-way ticket up "

Very Confident Mrs Howell

redforlife · Sep 10, 2014

How many ply tires do you have on your trailor? I have a gooseneck livestock trailor with 16" rims and I won't run anything less than 10 ply tires on it. In fact, I have new 14 ply on the rear axle. I agree with the other posters about keeping fairly newer tires on, but I am alot more focused on keeping heavier tires on it. I often run tires till they are bald with very few blow outs and flats. Especially if it stays on black top and off of gravel eating rock roads.

RayP(MI) · Sep 10, 2014

Have had a couple tires on implements explode while just sitting in the yard, unused.. Was told by a tire guy that they had developed some leaks through the tread, and allowed moisture inside the tread, and that water super heated blowing the tire tread out destroying the tire. They were retired radials off motor vehicles.

SPMN · Sep 10, 2014

I ran radials for years on trailers and had lots of problems---Blowouts & tread separation tearing off fenders, lights, wires & what ever else got in the way---Even got the windshield on an on coming car--6 or 8 years ago I went to bias tires & eliminated the problems with radials---I have had a flat or two, but never a blowout or separation---I live just south or you & am exposed to the same heat conditions as you are---HTH
Kent

Doug in Illinois · Sep 10, 2014

Yes I have heard that also. One of the tire dealers was interviewed on TV. He said age is a BIG problem, they might even blow out where they sit.

You know what is funny, I have several old cars with radials on them back home in Nebraska. All the tires on them are way too old, but they still hold air.

Then the bias ply tires were brought up. I have a 49 Willys Jeep pickup and a 51 Chevy pickup here. The tires on them are over 50 years old, and still look like new. Outside storage on both.

Back to the current tires, I was a mail carrier. All my route cars don't get driven enough now, and the tires are rotting away. My "good" car is a Corolla, age is killing those tires also. I just took the brand new spare out of the trunk, about 12 years old. It had always been properly inflated in the trunk. It is pure junk now, has a big split spot in it.

Where are the good tires we used to buy? DOUG

notjustair · Sep 10, 2014

I've got about three radial tires around here with broken cords and goose eggs on them. I KNOW I never hit a thing. I went to bias ply trailer tires. The neighbor made fun of me but I haven't had to touch a bias tire in years. Never had one of them laminate either. My tire guy told me it didn't matter what brand I wanted it would be from China. I hated that part but not the lack of maintenance necessary.

Alan K · Sep 10, 2014

My spare tire around my waist is age related lol. It seems a lot of the newer tires rot out before they wear out anymore.

Nebraska Cowman · Sep 10, 2014

I don't know how heavy you were loaded but I would not call 5# under the max rated "proper" Especially at high speed. I like lots of air. If I am loaded heavy or the weather is hot I always go 10% over. I know there are guys that will fight with me but I seldom ever have tire trouble on the road.

W_B · Sep 10, 2014

He's right. My stock trailer tires were about 10 yrs. old and we had a blow out on the way to Iowa (from Central Ohio), with a load of show llamas. I had a spare but was afraid for it because it had been plugged. The other tires were separating the tread from the side walls. Never noticed this at home (!). Truck stops don't carry that small size (15") they all suggested I call WalMart, found one in the Des Moines area that had four of what I needed and bought 4 new ones and used the one good tire (and rim) I bought a couple of years ago to replace the spare stolen off the trailer when we stopped for food in Indy.

tg in VA · Sep 10, 2014

I bought a new 42' Dream Coach horse trailer in 2008 with load range "E" 17.5" tires. No problems until 2012 when I had two blowouts (at separate times)on the interstate while loaded with horses. I went on and bought 4 new tires and come 2016 I'll probably replace them again (maybe, by then they'll be made in the USA again!).

That trailer aide mentoned below is a worth while purchase (I used to build a "ramp" by stacking 2x6's), I also invested in a battery powered 1/2" impact wrench to minimize the amount of time on the side of the road.
Safety triangles and a safety vest are also helpful.

D Slater · Sep 10, 2014

Probably correct, my 2002 gooseneck that is kept under roof and always check the air pressure when hooking on never had a flat. Until last fall the tread separated on one. This year the others failed the same. Tires had a 2001 date on them.

David G · Sep 10, 2014

I had a 9 YO and a 10 yo blow this year, all are replaced and will be every 5 or 6 years from now on. The old ones will be used on hay racks and other farm equipment.

They do not wear out, they get rotten. JD Seller brought up a good point that he has this issue with trailers that sit a lot and not with ones he uses every day.

David G · Sep 10, 2014

Tires also have a speed rating, make sure and follow this, some have exemptions if over inflated.

Indiana Ken · Sep 10, 2014

(quoted from post at 15:22:17 09/10/14) Have had a couple tires on implements explode while just sitting in the yard, unused.. Was told by a tire guy that they had developed some leaks through the tread, and allowed moisture inside the tread, and that water super heated blowing the tire tread out destroying the tire. They were retired radials off motor vehicles.

Interesting; the next time you see the "tire guy" I suggest you ask him what kind of hole allows water in yet prevents steam from escaping?

VicS · Sep 10, 2014

Had the same experience myself. In 5 years tires on my gooseneck started blowing, like time bombs. So I put the tires from my pickup 10 ply, on the trailer and got new tires for the pickup. Worked for 2 yrs. But this summer when to a tractor pull on the way home, Boom! Spare was on top of gooseneck. Made a big mistake, shoved tire forward . It went almost halfway down then hung. We made a fatal mistake. Pulled on it wedged it tighter. Luckily we (Another old guy with just one foot) had pulled off at a church parking lot and was time to have Sunday night services. A couple of younger guys came and got the spare pushed back up and got it down. We did have a 19.2 impact wrench and boards and blocks to run it up on. Next day bought some 14 ply trailer tires. I would say they will be junk in 5 yrs. The posters are right about bias tires. I have some nylon bias tires on my horse trailer 7:00 X 15 They are 15 yrs old and have had no trouble. But I don't pull it 80 down the interstate. Just 55 60 and just go 60 miles with a lot of small towns every 10 miles. Makes a difference. Vic

RodinNS · Sep 10, 2014

Trailer tires these days are junk.... You can either replace them now or replace them on the interstate... Your call.
Me... I'd probably gamble on them as long as I could for local hauling but if I was one the highway a lot I'd change them.

Rod

Steve@Advance · Sep 10, 2014

I quit putting radial tires on trailers years ago. Went to heavy wall, heavy duty bias ply truck tires, I've had a set on the 16' flat bed for at least 15 years, no problems. It sits empty mostly, outside. But when it gets used it's usually loaded pretty heavily.

IowaJohn · Sep 10, 2014

Had a WW stock trailer with heavy bias tires bought it used in '99 used never replaced a tire fixed a few nail holes. Sold it a year ago with the same tires still on it. They were cracked and wore but never blew out.

CenTex Farmall · Sep 11, 2014

Something has changed on tire chemistry in the last 10 years. I have some really old tires holding stuff up and on implements that just go and go. Some are radial and some are bias ply. And I've had some newer ones that I've found blown apart while just sitting. Just an observation.

Nancy Howell · Sep 11, 2014

My horse trailer is an Elite Mustang, all aluminum, 3 horse slant with small living quarters.

I never pull it, or any trailer, more than 65 mph.

I told the guy at the tire place that I wanted the best, not necessarily the most expensive, but the best tire they had to replace the blown tire.

I'll look at it and see if its a bias or radial.

Nancy Howell · Sep 11, 2014

Yup. I know exactly where I am going when my number is called.

showcrop · Sep 11, 2014

(quoted from post at 06:55:16 09/11/14) Yup. I know exactly where I am going when my number is called.

Yes! Assurance!

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