Trailer Trouble

Justwondering

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What is it with me and trailers?

Today I decide to use the Silverado and my new tow rope to pull the chrysler out of its parking spot so I can get it to the trailer and take it to the mechanic.

I'm frustrated with my ignorance and inability to solve the fuel problem so I asked Michael if he would look at it and tell me what I'm doing wrong.

I so wish I lived close to someone who likes mucking with cars after work or on the weekends. Ah well.

So I get the ramps, the trailer hooked up to the truck and everything lined up.
I picked up the wrong battery at the estate and have a mismatch for the battery posts and the leads from the winch. So I use the jump cables to make do for short duration to get the car on the trailer.
Used the winch to get it up on the trailer... it was nearly 100 degrees.

And of course when I get the car on the trailer (only with the help of my brother), that's when I realize there is a flat tire on the trailer. Lead tire on the driver side (double axle).

Is is something about me?
Bad Kharma?
I swear this is now the 3rd tire (3 different tires) I've had go flat at the front left location of the trailer. Same trailer... the one with the dove tail that pulls so easy and usually easy to load.
Ugh.
Waiting for the sun to go over and will go air it back up around 7 pm. If it stays up tonight (which I'm not expecting), then I'll trailer everything down tomorrow. If it goes flat, then I'll take husband to get hearing aids and fix the flat when I get back so I can trailer it down in the afternoon.

Bah humbug.

JW
 

BudW

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Sorry to hear that.

Trailer tires suffer the same fate (if not more so) that car/truck tires do: Cracked rubber (which is not safe to drive with). Most trailers spend their time in direct sunlight. Many vehicles do at well, but not to the same extent.

In my opinion, I think it is exposure to sun that causes many tires to fail early – but have no proof or facts to back that opinion up. If you have a problem with one (that is not caused by a road hazard) then the other three might be in similar condition.

It also seems that tires exposed to heat, and inactivity tend to fail faster than tires in cooler climates and are used more often. My research indicates you need to build an air-conditioned metal building to keep your trailer in, for optimum tire life. The downside is you can replace the trailer tires quite often to offset the cost of building a metal air-conditioned building to store the trailer in.

According to what I read, average tire life is 6 years where the climate gets to 100’ F (38’ C) often, like in Arizona or Texas, or 10 years in areas it doesn’t see those high of temperatures.

If you get a chance, look for a tire date stamp on the tires. Matter of fact, it might not be a bad idea to inspect the date stamp on all your vehicles and make note of it in a log or something. The problem is with a fleet of vehicles you have, that is a lot of tires.
Tire Date 1.jpg

Tires made after 2000
Tire Date 2.jpg

Tires made before 2000

Tractor tires, I can’t comment on (not investigated).
BudW
 

volare 77

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my car trailer tires only last 5-6 years at the most and many are cracked before then. I guess I`m saying it`s not you, it`s the crappy tires that`s the problem.
 

Davesmopar

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BudW , you are correct that the sun causes damage to the tires... the ozone sucks the moisture out of the rubber, causing it to dry rot crack... we can't sell a tire that is 5 years old and can only replace one that is 10 years old. .. A spare that has never seen the light of day is still not safe. . heat kills a tire also, driving with a tire low on pressure causes a tire to run on the sidewall which causes more heat than the tire can handle...
 

volare 77

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I still say it has something to do with the rubber. I have 20 year old tires on my volare and they have zero cracks. I`m not going to use them once I get the car back on the road though just to be safe. Also I had some cheap China made tires on my daily and they were cracking in the treads in one year.
 

Justwondering

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I'm thinking my problem yesterday was pi$$-pour attitude due to excessive heat and lack of rain.

Once I became the Trustee for the estate (3 years ago), I spent the first two years taking every trailer in to have new tires put on. Seemed like everything was dry-rotted.

Since that time, the Great State of Texas has made three major decisions and begun working on them ...
1. Widening State Highway 121 from 2 lanes to 4 divided lanes
2. Widening Hwy 82 from 2 lanes to 4 divided lanes
3. Build a new reservoir (16,641) acres and pump station to move water through the 96" wide pipeline from our county to the neighboring counties.

More 18 wheelers hauling heavy loads (equipment, gravel, pipes, etc) and more damage on the road (washboarding of asphalt, peeled asphalt, eroded road base, etc).

I do all the driving and hauling for our family and the estate, so it stands to reason that all the tire problems happen to me. Just a bad combination of events.

I still don't get how I can drive my truck and wind up missing the bolts/clutter/crap with the truck tires but hit is with the trailer tires.

I do agree, I need a barn or metal shed or loafing shed or something for all these trailers/vehicles.

JW
 

BudW

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Not to get distracted from original point of the thread. My computer showed this, and I thought it was a bit humorous and I forgot to post it, earlier.
Annotation 2019-09-18 122058.jpg

The yellow ad with car hitting a pole.
Not sure what Southern California Edison is or how it applies to Oklahoma, though.
BudW
 

Aspen500

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I've got the 4 tires I put on my Aspen right after buying it way back in '87. Tire date code "476" and "486". They have about 80% of the tread yet and look brand new, not a crack in sight. First shakedown run with the car after "the 10 year build" before I had my new wheels and tires, one of them made almost a mile at 30 mph and,,,,,,,,,,,,wobble, wobble, wobble,,,,,,,,,,broken belt. Well, guess that took care of that!
 

BudW

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If restoring (rebuilding, or whatever), I do recommend purchasing your tires last. If for some reason you get delayed (health, divorce, or whatever) and it takes you 10+ years to finish the project, at least your tires won’t be the source of another “pain”.
 

Justwondering

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BudW --
you are a hoot!
I ran over a skunk the other day and was wishing it had been a squirrel like in your yellow ad.
JW
 

Oldiron440

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Yes buying tires last is usually the best way but on my Ford project the narrowed 8.8 rear Caltrack, monoleaf suspension, mini tub work is all come to a head so wheels and tires needed to be plugged into the equation for a final fit probably a year before it rolls on it's own. I only bought the rears the up side is they probably will not last long enough to worry about how long there on the car.
 
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