Lifespan of Trailer Tires

[3v0]

A while back I was talking with guys at the local breakfast click including one that runs the local wreckers and one or two that had worked in tire shops. The subject turned to trailer tires. They said trailer tires are only good for something like 6 or 8 years. After that they blow out out on the road regardless how little you have used them.

This is a little upsetting in that I have about $400 in 8 year old trailer tires that have only seen about 1000 miles total.

 

[Bird]

They could very well be right. I supposed it depends to some extent on whether they're exposed to the sun when not in use, maybe temperature, etc., but I think tires that are seldom used have a shorter lifespan than tires that get used enough to flex that rubber now and then. If I'm not mistaken, no matter how good a warranty a tire has, the limit for most manufacturers is 10 years from the date code on the tire.

 

[Jimbrown]

Most RVers go by that. Motor home tires are generally considered time bombs after 6 or 7 years and most large 5th wheelers consider 5 or 6 max if you can get that out of them.

Most of the new large 5th wheels come with brand name TOWMAX tires also called China Bombs by most RVers.

I run LT tires on all my trailers to get away from the ST trailer tires. I still don't like to run them more than about 6 years. But rarily ever get one to last that long anyway.

But you got to consider that RV's are almost always run at or very near their max weight.

If you are trailering things that are not anywhere close to max for the tires then you can probably run them a lot longer.

Also it depends a lot on what kind of damage would occur from a blow out. A blowout on some utility trailer probably would not hurt anything. Blow out a tire on a 40ft 5th wheel and you will probably do thousands of dollars in damage.

 

[Diamondpilot]

A while back I was talking with guys at the local breakfast click including one that runs the local wreckers and one or two that had worked in tire shops. The subject turned to trailer tires. They said trailer tires are only good for something like 6 or 8 years. After that they blow out out on the road regardless how little you have used them.

This is a little upsetting in that I have about $400 in 8 year old trailer tires that have only seen about 1000 miles total.

It's true. I work with trailers and I flat refuse to tow any with tires older than 6 years old.

No tire place in town will touch any tire older than 6 years old other than to replace them.

Chris

 

[woody]

does it help to armor all them or put something on them every now and then?

 

[Diamondpilot]

does it help to armor all them or put something on them every now and then?

No, makes it worse.

Best thing I can recommend on low use items is to place them on jack stands.

All tires have a date code. Learn hiw to read them and when buying new tires confirm all new tires are no more than 6 months old.

Chris

 

[CurlyDave]

I have personally experienced a blowout on my toy hauler tires, which were 7 years old at the time and seemed to have perfect tread.

Very fortunately, it has tandem axles and the weight transferred to the other axle. I didn't know I had the blowout until I stopped at the campground a few miles further down the road.

Looking at a flat tire with a piece of sidewall the size of my palm hanging on by a thread was a scary experience. If I had run it any further I have no doubt the other tire on that side would have blown out from being overloaded. I drove the pickup back into town and got a new tire mounted on the old rim. Then I stopped at the tire store on the way home and got 3 more matching tires for that rig.

My life is worth a lot more than the cost of 4 tires. And so is yours.

 

[aczlan]

My life is worth a lot more than the cost of 4 tires. And so is yours.

Hear, hear, hear.

Aaron Z

 

[JIGBUILDER]

Carlisle tire and rubber ST tire tips

High speed towing in hot conditions degrades tires significantly.

Best practice. Do not exceed 60 mph while towing a trailer.

Most ST trailer tires have a maximum speed rating of 65 mph.

Load carrying capacity decreases as heat and stress generated by higher speed increases.

Time and the elements weaken a trailer tire.

3 to 5 years is the average life expectancy of a trailer tire,regardless of mileage.

It is estimated that in approximately three years, roughly one-third of a tire's strength is gone.

After three years, depending upon storage and conditions of usage, consider replacing trailer tires even if they have tread depth remaining.

After five years, trailer tires should be replaced in all cases.

IMO much depends. Our car hauler or a utility trailer we use on occasion to move our tractors that sits around most of the time may get by with 6-8 year old ST tires. However a RV with a ST that gets pulled several thousand miles a year ain't gonna' last that long. Now put the trailer with ST in commercial service running interstate speeds 24/7 and you got problems. I keep LT's on all my heavy trailers and P on single and liteweight tandam axle trailers. Speed limits around here are 75 mph on the interstates and 70 mph on some non interstate roads.

LT tire manufacturers say replace every 5-7 years.

 

[texasjohn]

My shop is filled with free tire takeoffs from friends trailers. They change out every 4 years or when they have a blowout...seems to be an even race They have horror stories about how a blown tire will remove electrical and plumbing and fenders from a travel trailer. Me, I use them on the ranch, slow speeds, I have lots of spare tires/rims ready to mount when a tire finally refuses to hold air. I have about 70 tires on the ground and round. Highway tires are new bought...pasture tires are friend's takeoffs.

Net... change the freaking tires every 4 years if you are driving highway speeds and loaded...BEFORE you are stranded and facing huge trailer repair bills, not just new tires.

 

[3v0]

It looks like this trailer is going to be confined to low speed stuff. It would be nice if it were there to retrieve a stranded car or haul the little BX to the dealer if/when needed but I can not justify buying new tires to have them rot. For now it can live with what it has. I can always get news ones if/when to take it on the road.

Thanks guys.

 

[yelbike]

I wonder how my spare is doing. It's under a tire cover.

 

[crazyal]

Dry rot always gets my trailer tires. I've never came close to wearing the tread off of a tire. Once I start to see cracks forming they get replaced the next time I need the trailer. For around the house I'll use tubes. I wonder what would happen if you pulled the wheels and put them in a shed or garage until needed, maybe even at a reduced pressure for those of us that rarely use the trailer.

 

[ultrarunner]

I'm going to go against the grain and it could just well be that I have been very fortunate in 35 years of towing or restoring cars to never have a tire fall apart...

The tires I just replaced on my utility box trailer that is used every week were bought at Wards in 1980... over 30 years of weekly use and no issues other than it was time for new because the tread had worn out.

My car hauler is the same... In 1983 I bought 12 ply tube tires and it gets used about every other month...

I bought the tires on my Model A Roadster in 1974... they are nylon Garfields and have equally old Firestones on my 30 Pickup.

My opinions are...

Multi-ply tube type tires are near indestructible...

Single Axle Trailers inherently stress tires less than multi-axle trailers... I've actually witnessed tires rolled right off the rim when a loaded two axle flat-bed trailer was making a U-turn...

Nylon and similar tires that were once common wear like iron...

I own one modern two axle hauler with ST tires that are now 5 years old and the tires are the only tires I have ever had that are starting to check and crack and set for replacement.

I never drive over 55 when towing and the antiques it is more like 45 mph.

The Semperit rear tires on one of my Grandfathers tractors are more than 50 years old... just had to throw that in.

 

[texasjohn]

I hate extra work, with 60+ tires on the ground, my solution is to invest in

tire plugs
valve stems
Schroeder valves
long handle 4way lug wrenches
extra rims with mounted tires of each size needed
extra free takeoff tires from friends
standardize as much as possible on rim sizes
multiple heavy duty hydraulic long throw jacks, bottle jacks with wood blocks, tractor jack
12v air pump(last resort)
air compressor, large capacity, with high torque impact wrench and sockets
multiple tire gauges
visually inspect tires every time I use a vehicle/trailer.
HFT tire changer but most often take tires to be mounted to excellent local tire place
patience is greatly facilitated by knowing all the above are available for resolving a low air problem.
being retired helps with perspective on the problem.

Dry rot always gets my trailer tires. I've never came close to wearing the tread off of a tire. Once I start to see cracks forming they get replaced the next time I need the trailer. For around the house I'll use tubes. I wonder what would happen if you pulled the wheels and put them in a shed or garage until needed, maybe even at a reduced pressure for those of us that rarely use the trailer.

 

[bindian]

Get them off the ground like Chris mentioned. Also keep them covered from sunshine.
hugs, Brandi

 

[Diamondpilot]

I wonder how my spare is doing. It's under a tire cover.

I have had two spares fail that never touched the ground. First one was mounted on my old 10,400# trailer. Happened on a Saturday morning. Sounded like a shot gun went off. It was a Carslile.

The second was on my 7,000# trailer. It was in the pole barn. It blew up 15 minutes after my 4 year old daughter went in to get her bike. It actually did siding damage to the barn. It was a Goodyear Marathon.

Chris

 

[Diamondpilot]

Dry rot always gets my trailer tires. I've never came close to wearing the tread off of a tire. Once I start to see cracks forming they get replaced the next time I need the trailer. For around the house I'll use tubes. I wonder what would happen if you pulled the wheels and put them in a shed or garage until needed, maybe even at a reduced pressure for those of us that rarely use the trailer.

Actually it would make no difference.

Chris

 

[bindian]

Dry rot always gets my trailer tires. I've never came close to wearing the tread off of a tire. Once I start to see cracks forming they get replaced the next time I need the trailer. For around the house I'll use tubes. I wonder what would happen if you pulled the wheels and put them in a shed or garage until needed, maybe even at a reduced pressure for those of us that rarely use the trailer.

The rubber detoriates over time, no matter what you do. Covering them from sunlight helps a little. RVs have custom covers available. I just use plywood.
hugs, Brandi

 

[texasjohn]

Of all the brands out there, at the bottom of my respect list are Goodyear and Carsile. Never, ever would buy one. Now for my road tires I use Michilen...Pricy, but weird wear, tread separations, unbalance conditions, have stopped since I started the using them. Those conditions are evident in my friends takeoffs...they also now avoid Goodyear and Carsile. Me, I use the takeoffs on ranch equipment till they go/blow(yes sometimes just sitting still), then just mount the next spare/rim and keep rolling...at low speeds, on ranch.