PSA...Check your trailer tires...

[Wheelin98TJ]

Why would there be?

You could get the green valve stem caps if you want to spend more.

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[Janster]

Why would there be?

Well, god forbid…. there’s some weird Hub-centric, lug centric, or trailer lug balancing machine that’s needed over what everyone else uses.
Like anything else on the internet, there’s always 20 different ways of doing the same thing and folks are hell bent on trying to convince their method is GOD.

Just sayin….

 

[ShadowsPapa]

You could get the green valve stem caps if you want to spend more.

The caps are green, but only because I wanted green caps that were aluminum with plastic liners to prevent them freezing onto the stems.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Well, god forbid…. there’s some weird Hub-centric, lug centric, or trailer lug balancing machine that’s needed over what everyone else uses.
Like anything else on the internet, there’s always 20 different ways of doing the same thing and folks are hell bent on trying to convince their method is GOD.

Just sayin….

Every machine I ever used centered the wheel on the spindle with a cone or adapters. None ever used lugs.
They might exist, I just never saw or used one.
It's like turning rotors and drums - you center on the middle hole.
(I lost track of all of the different balancers, brake lathes and alignment machines I used over the years - Bear comes to mind as one)

 

[Labswine]

That's interesting that someone mentioned balancing. The tire shop that did mine didn't balance it and actually, the thought that they should be somehow didn't even cross my mind. I guess I was still reeling from the experience from the day before and, was just happy to get a decent replacement.

I WILL make sure that they are balanced (if applicable) when I get the replacements and I will DOUBLE INSIST that when they remount the wheels that they are ONLY torqued to 100 ft. lbs.

On a side note, I did stop one day on my vacation and purchased a 3 foot, 1/2" socket breaker bar that now sits in the tool box in my front pass through space. Those lug nuts were really on there. The guy in New York who helped me had a 3 1/2' breaker bar, and he wasn't a small dude, and he really had to put quite a bit of heft into loosening those lug nuts

 

[DylanM]

I WILL make sure that they are balanced (if applicable) when I get the replacements and I will DOUBLE INSIST that when they remount the wheels that they are ONLY torqued to 100 ft. lbs.

Check the owner's manual or any placards on your specific trailer to see what the lug nuts are supposed to be torqued to. There's a very good chance the correct spec is higher than 100ftlb. As an example, the ones on my 16RD are spec'd at 120ftlb.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Check the owner's manual or any placards on your specific trailer to see what the lug nuts are supposed to be torqued to. There's a very good chance the correct spec is higher than 100ftlb. As an example, the ones on my 16RD are spec'd at 120ftlb.

Depends on the size of the bolt. Don't go too high on a smaller bolt.
For my Aluma trailer, here's the spec - (I opted for the aluminum wheels)

For Aluma trailers with aluminum wheels, the lug nut torque specification is typically 90-100 foot-pounds when using 1/2" wheel studs.

 

[Labswine]

Depends on the size of the bolt. Don't go too high on a smaller bolt.
For my Aluma trailer, here's the spec - (I opted for the aluminum wheels)

For Aluma trailers with aluminum wheels, the lug nut torque specification is typically 90-100 foot-pounds when using 1/2" wheel studs.

My trailer is a 5 bolt wheel and the lug nuts are handled by a 3/4" (or 19mm) socket so...how's that fit into your equations?

 

[ShadowsPapa]

My trailer is a 5 bolt wheel and the lug nuts are handled by a 3/4" (or 19mm) socket so...how's that fit into your equations?

Go by the stud size, ignore the socket size as that can vary even with the same stud size.

 

[mtudb24]

You left tires on that were 12 years old?
7 years is the MAX most tire dealers will even work on them.
Sorry, but it's not "cheap trailer tires, fact is - 12 years is crazy.

On the other hand, can't say that they "dry rot" as I've had older tires on cars in my shop, but then I won't highway them because of the safety factor of old tires anyway.

Trailer tires are rated for much lower mph than vehicle tires in most cases.

This is a HUGE topic among the car guys I hang out with, and even in the antique engine and tractor hobby. Funny, we talked trailer tires at our Good Guys coffee just this last Tuesday. One guy bragged he got new tires rated at 87 mph and we all laughed - he did, too, as he said "they are crazy if they think I'm going to haul that fast".

Here's the general rule on tires, and yes, Firestone locations will typically look at the DOT date code and send you packing if it's 7 years or older - for good reason -
most vehicle and tire manufacturers recommend replacing tires, regardless of tread depth, after six years from the date of manufacture. Many also recommend annual inspections after five years. Tire dealers may refuse to service tires older than 6-10 years due to safety concerns.

Ozone - electric currents, being near welding or welders, sunlight/UV and even some artificial light can impact the rubber compounds

The tires on my 2011 Silverado were cracking at 8 years, I got rid of them (and the truck).
8 years and that truck spent a lot of time in the garage, and cracked like crazy between the treads (sidewalls looked great)

Yup, I had old tires. The first 2 years of owning the boat we traveled all over. Probably 400 of the 500 miles on the tires. The last 10 years was spent going from home port marina to storage 10 miles each each year at 45mph down country roads from our cottage to the farm's barn where we stored it inside for winter. It is what it is.

I did change all 4 tires and rims out when i sold the boat to the new owner in 2024.

You don't even want to know how many years we are running on our tires for our waterfowl hunting decoy trailer then

 

[Maximus Gladius]

If dry rot is a thing, why not spray them down with Areospace 303 conditioner?

 

[ShadowsPapa]

If dry rot is a thing, why not spray them down with Areospace 303 conditioner?

That's a surface treatment and isn't going to fix the core problem - RUBBER AGES OUT.
Note all of the info "surface" and "UV" protection. It doesn't solve the real issue, just fools you into thinking they are ok because they look good.

 

[Labswine]

As far as sun damage, the left side of the trailer (facing forward) gets zero sun during the day and the right side gets maybe 3 hours in the summer and 2 hours in the winter so, maybe not so much sun damage but, it was the rear axle tire on the right side that had the sidewall blow out so, maybe even that little amount of sun each day was enough

 

[ShadowsPapa]

As far as sun damage, the left side of the trailer (facing forward) gets zero sun during the day and the right side gets maybe 3 hours in the summer and 2 hours in the winter so, maybe not so much sun damage but, it was the rear axle tire on the right side that had the sidewall blow out so, maybe even that little amount of sun each day was enough

They rot, sun only speeds up uv damage. They still go bad. Tires aren't forever things. Ask the collector car people where cars seldom see sunlight.

 

[keithcroshaw]

I found out the hard way as well.

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