Check your trailer tires

I use to work for Discount Tire / Americas Tire for about 7yrs. I knew I was past due to replace my tires. I replaced one in 09 due to a screw in the side wall. The dot # shows they were made in 05 wich is the same year as our boat. This past weekend after cleaning the boat and putting it in the garage. I noticed one of the tires looked twisted. Thought it might have been the way I backed it in.

Took a floor jack and jacked it up. Spun the tire and it was seperated. I check the other two tires from 05 and they were seperated to. So I had three tires that were seperated. I was LUCKY no one was hurt and nothing was damaged. The tires have 7-8/32 of tread on them and looked to be in good/great shape. I know better then to run them that long. Tire manufactures recomend NO MORE THEN 5yrs of use on a tire regardless of tread. I hope this will save some one from harm,damage and expense.

Ha, that's funny, I worked for DTC in AZ for two years.

It's also super important to pay attention to the air pressure, most people won't notice when they're look or ignore them, twenty minutes later the tire gets hot and comes apart.

Yep small world!

Regarding the tire pressure. I was told, and have always keep the tire pressure all the up to what ever it said on the side wall. Is this correct?

How can you tell the age of the tires? DOT number...where is that located and is it easy to find/figure out?

I learned this lesson the hard way last year on a 6 hour road trip. I also had all original tires from my 2004 trailer. They all had plenty of tread on them since most of my towing over the last 5 years has been distances no longer than 4 miles round trip. On our 6 hour road trip last year I had two blowouts. Trying to find a tire store in the middle of Oklahoma was not fun.

On a side note, check your bearing hubs as well. Mine are the oil bath type and I had never serviced them in the 5 years I've had my boat. I finally got around to doing it the other day. One hub was completely dry; there wasn't even a drop of oil left in the hub. Another had water in it mixed with the oil and the last two were fine.

Originally Posted by ssmith

How can you tell the age of the tires? DOT number...where is that located and is it easy to find/figure out?

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tirete....jsp?techid=11

Originally Posted by monk

Regarding the tire pressure. I was told, and have always keep the tire pressure all the up to what ever it said on the side wall. Is this correct?

Yes, keep inflated to max stamped on sidewall (cold)