trailer tire wear

[MESSMAKER]

I haul about 4500lbs on a landscape trailer with two 3500lb axles. I seem like I am always replacing a tire due to wear. They all seem to wear about the same, I doubt I get 2500 miles out of one before it is time to replace. Is my wear about normal?

 

[Sterff]

I haul about 4500lbs on a landscape trailer with two 3500lb axles. I seem like I am always replacing a tire due to wear. They all seem to wear about the same, I doubt I get 2500 miles out of one before it is time to replace. Is my wear about normal?

What is the weight rating for each tire? I still have the original tires on my 08 trailer with 2 3500 lb. axles.

 

[Artisan]

Dualy trailers eat tires. IMO it is the action of "tighter" turning radius'
where the tires actually get dragged kinda sideways across the ground.
I am sure you notice marks on the ground from time to time when you
are manuvering on pavement yes? Those marks are you leaving your tires
behind. If not take notice, I would suggest. It matters not
how expensive of a tire nor tread design, of corse you should make SURE
your ratings are up to snuff. 4500 pounds means you only have 2500 pounds
left for the trailer itself. You are probably too heavy for Mr HighWay Patrol
w/ the portable scales plus that weight 24/7 will help the wearing of tires
tremendously. I bet you don't get 20K miles on a set of trailer tires.
Normal IMO.

Every seen a semi trailer that has a mechanism to lift an axle?

It is what it is, IMO.

 

[jeffsw6]

I don't think his empty 7000# landscape trailer weighs 2500#. He did not say how big it is, etc. but most are around 1500#.

Messmaker, what kind of tires have you been using? If you are getting "bias ply" tires, it is not surprising that they don't last long. They are cheap tires meant for trailer owners who don't use their trailer much, like a guy who hauls his boat to the lake a few times a year. If you use yours often, buy radial tires. They will last much longer. I put new radials on my 6x12 3550# last year, have towed it a few thousand miles since then, always loaded to capacity, and the tires still look new.

Are your tires wearing out evenly across the width of the tread, or are you wearing the center out first, or the sides out first? If the center wears out early, your tire pressure is high and this causes the center wear. If you wear the sides first, probably the opposite problem. If your tire pressure is way too low, the tire will deform a lot under load and this makes it flex more as it rolls, creating extra heat, and causing the whole thing to wear out very fast.

 

[3930dave]

Load range - try moving to a higher load range (ie. higher max pressure) tire, if you have room.

Tire pressure always matters - it sounds like you are mostly running heavy, so I'd be going with the Max Pressure listed on the tires you have.

I asked for guidance on brands for the dual axle trailer I picked up this year:

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/trailers-transportation/229438-decent-non-china-trailer-tires.html

I wanted radials, but even amongst the "big names" out there, there is a lot of junk.

Did a run last weekend with new Greenball's on my trailer - about 2 hours each way. So far, so good.

Many (non-Ag) tires will deteriorate fast if parked on dirt (long term). Asphalt, concrete, deep gravel or even wood is a better choice.

Unless you are really sure of the weight, it might be worth checking on a scale that won't get you in trouble (local dump, friendly business.....). You may be hauling heavier than you think you are.

Brakes are working/adjusted normally ?

Rgds, D.

 

[not2old]

My 5th with dual 3500lbs. axles wore tires very badly when I first got it used. We bent (actually straightened) one axel to align the wheels. I assisted at the trailer shop, it was easy to do and only cost $150.00. I've put on near 10,000 KM since, with no visible wear. I expect little use of it so bought 1/2 ton truck tires which will be easy to sell when they are 5 or 6 years old and have plenty of tread. This will help purchase new ones so I should always have good tires on.

 

[namesray]

i had 4 flats on my tandem axel trailer in the first 18 months i had it. bad luck i guess. anyway, is your trailer level from the hitch when you are towing? if not you might be over loading an axel and the tires wearing. also bearings might be out. and the axels might need aligned. mine now wears the inside of the one axel on the drivers side since i had that one blow out when fully loaded. i think it misaligned the axel a bit. i still get more miles then what you are getting though. by the way, my 18ft landscape trailer weighs about 1995 lbs empty.

 

[MESSMAKER]

My trailer weighs 1600lbs.. I weighed it and came in under six thousand, if I remember. I might have had a lighter implement on. That puts me at about 85% of max. That is heavy, but not not overloaded.

 

[3930dave]

MM - what is the exact tire size you are running, and what is the load range (C, D, ...) or maximum pressure ?

 

[clemsonfor]

Im thinking yoru axles are not aligned right, if your only getting 1500 miles on a new tire!!