Trailer Tyre Change Question

N

NeilM

Well-Known Member
Joined
15 January 2008
Messages
2,706
Location
Nth Somerset
Visit site
I have a 2004 HB505, which, as far as I know, has never had the tyres changed.

When not in use it lives on hard standing in our field, and I don't take the wheels off in winter, as some caravaners do.

The tyres look OK, but are starting to show some signs of cracking on the side walls and I am considering changing all four in the spring, before I start using it again.

Does anyone else change their tyres every few years? Or do you wait for them to wear out (or blow out) before bothering?
 
I change mine when the tread starts to wear away or when those crack appear - not good to be towing with poor tyres.

I'd never leave it until they actually blew before replacing them.

I've had my trailer 3 years and in that time all of the tyres have been replaced at least once.
 
Having had a tyre go on a trailer, I would get them checked out and changed if there is any question about their safety. There was no major disaster, but having a horse on board whilst changing a tyre on the side of a major port road was not a joyous experience!
 
My thoughts exactly.

I have a lot of experience with cars (both road and racing) and motorbikes, but they tend to wear tyres out long before they get any real age to them. So I thought I would rely on my engineering experience / instincts, which tells me that it is time for a change.

Glad to hear that others think the same.
 
Vetwrap said:
Having had a tyre go on a trailer, I would get them checked out and changed if there is any question about their safety. There was no major disaster, but having a horse on board whilst changing a tyre on the side of a major port road was not a joyous experience!
Click to expand...

Ditto this ^^
I had a tyre go on a trailer while bringing my girl home, ours was more the fact we'd been travelling for 5 hours but luckily there was no disaster either (horse looked bewildered as to why we had stopped when i checked her!)
Changing it on the drivers side on the motorway was not fun!
 
Be careful you get proper tyres for the job, not those sold at Quick##it, who don't know their gasket from their grommet.
You need heavy duty tyres or you will invalidate insurance as well as risking a blow-out, agree that cracking indicates weakness and old age.
 
Miss L Toe said:
Be careful you get proper tyres for the job, not those sold at Quick##it, who don't know their gasket from their grommet.
You need heavy duty tyres or you will invalidate insurance as well as risking a blow-out, agree that cracking indicates weakness and old age.
Click to expand...

My research tells me: 165/80R13 8 Ply
 
I take my trailer to be serviced and tyres will need replacing around every 5 years due to perishing rather than wear

Now if you were been frugal, you could get wheel covers to keep the sun of them which would potentially prelong their life to 10 years +. However not exactly convenient if you use the trailer regularly

Also if you can keep it undercover due to shadows this should also prelong tyre life

Trailer tyres are at really high PSI - from memory around 60 PSI in a ifor. So they really should be replaced when they start to perish
 
NeilM said:
I have a 2004 HB505, which, as far as I know, has never had the tyres changed.

When not in use it lives on hard standing in our field, and I don't take the wheels off in winter, as some caravaners do.

The tyres look OK, but are starting to show some signs of cracking on the side walls and I am considering changing all four in the spring, before I start using it again.

Does anyone else change their tyres every few years? Or do you wait for them to wear out (or blow out) before bothering?
Click to expand...
Yes if they are cracking on the sidewalls!!means the rubber is getting brittle, add flexing from going down the road and and its a recipe for a blow out... it might be worth getting a price for trading in your trailer not that the tyres will be expensive but brakes and the hitch may also be getting worn and dealers like to do deals so you may find its not a huge amount to swap....
 
Yes change tyres, you need special trailer tyres, I think they have reinforced walls or something like that.

I had my original continental tyres replaced with something cheaper, as used and approved by the SSEB for their heavy plant trailers. Mainly because they were in stock rather than having to be ordered in. They've been on for 4 years now, are well used and no signs of cracking on the walls yet, so they turned out to be a true bargain. I've only had to replace one and that was due to a screw going in too close to the wall for them to repair it.
 
You are quite correct to replace these cracked tyres
You will need tyres that are specifically designed for trailers as they need to carry a lot more weight than conventional car tyres. Their pressure is also higher at 60 - 80 p.s.i.
It is the infra-red light spectrum that degrades tyres over time so in the case of a trailer they will start cracking well before the tread has wornn
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top