*** Trailer tires - checked yours lately? *** - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

mgburg · #1 05-29-2008, 10:25 AM

Two weekends ago, Sunday afternoon, I was picking up a pallette of distilled water (28 cases, 6-1 gallon jugs/case) when my utility trailer blew a tire on the passenger side while going about 65mph...no problem...pulled over nice and easy, got over to the edge of the pavement and parked and "braked" the S-10...

Then the fun started...

#1.) No matter how far OFF THE ROAD you pull, it doesn't seem to be far enough for some people...blowing their horns like you just interrupted their drive by making them PAY ATTENTION TO THE ROAD! I'm doing "whip-lash" staredowns at these idiots 'cause I can't trust them enough to know whether they're just jacking me around or they really are out of control and ready to smash into me...

#2-a.) Even if you have a jack, a fully-loaded trailer will ALWAYS be about a fraction of a centimeter too low for the style of jack you're trying to insert under the trailer's frame in order to raise it...

#2-b.) Once you figure out how to gain that fraction of a centimeter clearance, then the problem becomes an issue of how high the jack will raise the fully-loaded trailer so that the flat tire and/or the new tire will be able to be taken off, or put on, the hub of said trailer...

#3.) Next point of contention...the spare tire. If you HAVEN'T CHECKED THE PRESSURE - DO SO BEFORE YOU EVER NEED THE DA*N THING! You might find some small problems before they become the big PIA you don't need on a Sunday afternoon...like, er...I don't know...like not enough pressure to keep the fully-loaded utility trailer's spare wheel rim off the pavement?

Let's review the situation so far...

Flat tire on a fully-loaded utility trailer. CHECK!
After some "creative jocking around" - the fully-loaded utility trailer is in the air. CHECK!
Spare tire FINALLY ON a fully-loaded utility trailer. CHECK!
Lower the fully-loaded utility trailer and find out that the tire won't hold any air. ONE MORE F****** CHECK!

Pull out 2-day old cellphone (still learning where all the transferred information from old cellphone is stored and how to retrieve it) that hasn't fallen out of pocket and been run over - yet...dial a friend, in the area, that isn't out and about on such a nice afternoon...

Finally find SOMEONE, and they graciously offer to bring a portable (relatively speaking) air-compressor in the back of their PU out to you on the highway...

And hour later (I'm NOT COMPLAINING!

) they are able to find you and pull along side of you...and that's when you find that the problem with the spare isn't the fact that's there's no air in the spare...the "no air" condition is related to the fact that the valve stem is leaking down in the area where it comes through the wheel...in a "no patch" zone. The valve stem is "cracked" - !?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

Well, enough air was put into the tire in order to get the trailer off the highway, up an off-ramp and into the parking lot of "Pump&Puke" about 2 blocks from the exit...then it's time for the rim to meet the road...

Did I mention that I still have this fully-loaded utility trailer? 2000#s didn't disappear...

I profusely thank my friend, I check with the P&P folks about leaving the trailer while I go to the "local" (up here, local means "somewhere about 40 miles away") FleetFarm store that carrys the tire you need, taking the original blowout with you.

$110.00 later (I bought a tire/rim combo to have as a spare, too) I head back to my trailer, 40 miles back east, the sun is now a nice red glow on the western horizon and mosquitoes are starting to sense that source of carbon-dioxide they so enjoy and the bag of blood that comes with it...

I manage to go through the convoluted process of removing/replacing the flat spare that got me off the highway, only the process goes a little faster due to all the practice I had down on said-highway.

Then finally, around 9PM, with the last remaining few ounces of blood left in me (by the earlier-mentioned swarm of mosquitoes), I hop behind the wheel of the S-10 and head down the road...the truck, the fully-load utility trailer, tires - used, flat and new and a lighter wallet...still knowing that I have about 45 minutes of unloading 28 cases of water (BTW, each case weighs 53.8 lbs.) and stacking/storing it in the back of the building...about 35 feet from the trailer...

God, I realize you don't create anything without a purpose, but I believe that mosquitoes come close.

I NOW check the pressure of the spare...thank you!

SIDEBAR TO ALL OF THIS:

The next morning? I come out to see the trailer "tilted" over like it has another flat...on the driver's side...turns out the tire's not flat, the leaf-spring broke right behind the bolt in front...I dragged the trailer all the way back home (over 110 miles) with the tire rubbing the inside of the fender and the thing was "dog-tracking" down the road. I got the trailer over to a frame/axle place...got a replacement set of leafs (Canadian, not Chinese) and two new bearings for an additional $209.88.

SwampYankee · #2 05-29-2008, 10:34 AM

You got me beat, mg!

Sorry to laugh, but I think I've done everything in your post at least once (except the new cellphone part).

Damn spare tires...

Hatterasguy · #3 05-29-2008, 10:43 AM

That really does suck!

The aluminum boat we tow to lakes all over CT has these little tinny tires. They are super cheap like $40 each with rims, so my dad just replaces them every few years when they start to crack. Since they are so small they spin at like a million RPM at 70!

Don't forget to check and repack the wheel bearings as well.

Kuan · #4 05-29-2008, 10:45 AM

What? Your trailer has wheels? I thought it was up on jacks!

LOL! Good thing you didn't lose your load!

WVOtoGO · #5 05-29-2008, 11:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hatterasguy

Since they are so small they spin at like a million RPM at 70!

Don't forget to check and repack the wheel bearings as well.

One thing I’ve noticed about those tiny little tires is just how hot they can get when run without proper inflation. Just a few pounds under, and they can develop enough heat to make the hub untouchable.
No margin for error on those little ones at all.

Hatterasguy · #6 05-29-2008, 12:25 PM

Yep, more so when you dunk them under water on a regular basis. My dad usualy checks the air pressure before we leave.

BobK · #7 05-29-2008, 12:59 PM

Yeah, I know what you all mean. Had blowout on left rear tire on 7000# travel trailer last year on way to races. Had a good, inflated spare. Had good jack that was able to get ubder things and lift to proper height (eventually). Even had two properly sized lug wrenches. Unfortunately, also had MORON using said lug wrench who did not notice little "L" stamped on lug bolt. Not until he had snapped off two of the four lug bolts. (I gotta lose some weight-when I was skinny, I would never have been able to apply so much torque). Figured out error, installed spare with remining two lug bolts - next to each other, of course. Limped to exit ramp, parked trailer in lot, unhitched and returned next day with needed bolts and extraction tools. Always an adventure, going to the races.
Oh, and when I got home, I replaced all four tires. ($100ea M&B).
Then I had a look at the date code on the good looking tires on my new (to me) '76 300D. They were wither 17 or 27 years old! Replaced them real quick too.

kip Foss · #8 05-29-2008, 10:52 PM

Another suggestion: See if you can remove the lug nuts/bolts with what ever wrench you carry. Chances are one; you don't have the proper size lug wrench, and, two; the lug nuts/bolts are frozen solid.

Get the right wrench, remove the bolts, put some anti-seize on them, and, reinstall. About 40 pounds torque is all you need.

If you have ever has any kind of tire store put new tires on your car check to see if you can get the lug nut off. Most store, esp. those that cater to trucks, crank their air compressors up about 135 psi. The chances are good that you will round over the nut before it breaks free.

mgburg · #9 05-30-2008, 01:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kip Foss

Another suggestion: See if you can remove the lug nuts/bolts with what ever wrench you carry. Chances are one; you don't have the proper size lug wrench, and, two; the lug nuts/bolts are frozen solid.

Get the right wrench, remove the bolts, put some anti-seize on them, and, reinstall. About 40 pounds torque is all you need.

If you have ever has any kind of tire store put new tires on your car check to see if you can get the lug nut off. Most store, esp. those that cater to trucks, crank their air compressors up about 135 psi. The chances are good that you will round over the nut before it breaks free.

Good points Kip...and I did have not one, but two of the 4-headed X-Lugnutz wrenches...When I had gotten the trailer back in '96...I did pull the lugs and anti-seized the threads and lugnutz...glad I did too!

iwrock · #10 05-30-2008, 01:43 AM

I checked the tires on the boats today.

The big boats are perfect, lost no air over winter, no dryrot.

Checked the little boat.... One tire is flat, and pretty much rotted....

70 bucks later, its got new tires.

TwitchKitty · #11 05-30-2008, 10:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BobK

Then I had a look at the date code on the good looking tires

The date code on trailer tires is something you really need to know. We have a heavy trailer with three axles. The shear on the tires in a tight turn is really hard on them, they drag sideways. In this application four year old tires are a risk.

When the tread comes off it can beat the hell out of the trailer and the other tires.

Another recent trailer tire experience, one tire shed its tread and the exposed little wires from the steel belts put lots of little holes in another tire.

Inflation was mentioned, read the numbers off of the tire, don't assume 32 psi works for everything.

Heat was mentioned, feel the tires with the back of your hand every time you stop. Feel the wheel hubs too. You can prevent accidents with this one measure.

firemediceric · #12 05-30-2008, 05:50 PM

How many of you wear safety glasses while adding air to a tire?

I was adding air to my trailer tires. 60 PSI. On one of the tires, when I removed the air chuck, the valve stem came shooting straight out with the 60 PSI propelling it. Flew right by my head. That was a first for me.

kip Foss · #13 05-31-2008, 06:40 PM

Another suggestion about trailer tires from someone who has built trailers for about 40 years.

Stay away from house trailer axles or trailers that have these axles. They are cheap to free to get and look like a good deal but you will regret it in the end.

The rims, as you may have noticed, are rim mounted and not center mounted like car rims. It means that only house trailer rims will fit the hub. Try to find one of those at 2 am.

The tires, and therefore the rims, are 14 1/2 in. No other tire will fit these rims.

Even though the tires are 10 ply they are crap on a good day. These tires are 99.9% made in Korea, you can't afford the ones made in USA even if you can find them, and are basically designed for a couple of one way trips from the factory of not more than 500 miles. Once the trailer is in place the axles are removed, returned to the factory and used again.

Ever notice the pile of tires on the back of a house trailer moving tractor? There is never less than about 12. They carry that many spares because the tires don't last. The sidewall is only 2 ply and the shear forces when turning a 5 axle 60 ft. long mobile home tears these tires to shreds.

For a good axle for a small trailer try the rear axle from a mini van. They will carry a reasonable load, are cheap, and you can get tires for them.

HighDesert Benz · #14 05-31-2008, 06:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kip Foss

For a good axle for a small trailer try the rear axle from a mini van. They will carry a reasonable load, are cheap, and you can get tires for them.

that's an excellent idea kip. Thanks.