Hi, I'm Ted Sensenbrenner, one of the BoatUS Trailering guys. Today, we'll be talking about trailer tires.
I know, not a very exciting topic, but trailer tires can tell an awful lot
about its intended use and capacity. Trailer tires can also give you some
warning signs and hints that something could be a mess, and could cause you
trouble down the road. So, let's take a closer look at trailer
sidewalls, where we'll learn an awful lot of information. Everything that you would
want to know about your tire can be found on the sidewall. The first thing
you should check for is to make sure that your trailer tire has an ST rating.
"ST" stands for "special trailer" and can be found here. If it doesn't say "ST,"
it might say, "for trailer service only." Some tires will say both. If it doesn't
say that, it's probably not meant for trailering. Now remember, trailer tires
are for trailering, and auto tires are for automobiles. If a shop tells you that
they don't have a trailer tire and tries to sell you an auto tire, find another
shop. Trailer tires are different. They've got thicker sidewalls, and they
dissipate heat much better than an automobile tire. Another thing - if you
were to have an accident with your boat trailer and you don't have ST trailer
tires, your insurance company may use that to dispute your claim. A trailer
sidewall will also tell you the recommended PSI, or pounds per square
inch, for inflation purposes. This tire is recommending 50 pounds per square inch.
While you're here, you might want to check the tire inflation. It's as easy as using
a tire pressure gauge. And this one's good. Another thing that your trailer
sidewall will tell you is the load range. Load ranges go from load A, the lightest,
to load E, the heaviest. This tire is a load range C - right in the middle. The
load range tells you how many pounds that one tire can carry safely. This tire
can safely carry 1,760 pounds. When you
have two tires, that brings the overall carrying capacity of this trailer to
3,520 pounds. But, we like to recommend that
your load is at least 10% lighter. One more thing to check
while you're here is the valve stem. The valve stem is often overlooked.
Give the valve stem a push to the left and to the right. If you don't hear any
air escaping, then this tire is ready to roll.
The sidewall also tells you the date of manufacturer. The first two numbers is
the week of manufacturer, and the second two numbers is the year.In this case,
this tire was made in the 22nd week of 2011. And while we're here,
now's a good time to remember to always have a spare, keep it properly inflated,
and make sure it's ready to go in case you were to need it. Remember when I was saying that
trailer tires can often give you tips or hints that something may be troubling on
down the road? Let's take a closer look and find out what some of those trouble
spots are. Dry rot or sun rot is a result of prolonged sun exposure. This tire has
a good example of sun rot and could blow out if we go down the road. This is the
general tread test. If you take a Lincoln penny, head down, and place it in the
tread, you shouldn't be able to see the top of Lincoln's head. If you can, that
means it's time for a trailer tire replacement. When you place this penny in
the tread, that trailer tread depth is good. Here, here, and here. If your trailer
will be sitting for a prolonged period of time, there are three things you'll want
to do with your trailer tires to prevent an early demise. One: keep your trailer
tires covered. You can purchase a tire cover at most auto parts stores. Or, if you'd
rather not spend the money, you can use a piece of plywood to cover up your tires
to prevent the sun's damaging rays from further deteriorating your tire. Two: park
your trailer on concrete or some sort of pavement. If your only option is grass,
you might want to use your plywood and place it under the tire. Three: your best
option, perhaps, would be to remove your tires and put them in your garage. That
way, it'll be harder for a thief to come and take your trailer tires.
I'm Ted Sensenbrenner, one of the BoatUS Trailering guys, and I will see you in
the pages of BoatUS Magazine and on BoatUS.com.