TrailManor Owner's Forum - View Single Post

04-18-2007, 07:12 PM

I threw the tread on a Marathon last fall on my 04 3326 (dual axles). The tire was about new at TM manufacture, Sept '03. So it was 3 years old at the time of failure. It ripped out my grey and black plumbing in the deal. When I got home, I noted the other tire on the same side wasn't round. It was in the process of throwing tread also.

One problem with trailer tire failures is that unlike in a car, you don't get any "feeling" when the tire is going bad. The first indication is the blowout. For this reason, I suggest another check for tires whenever you do a pressure check: run your hands around the tire feeling for bumps or lumps. It turns out that your hands are quite good at detecting these. It could give you a warning several hundred miles before the blowout.

I also have another check for tires, looking for early indications of failure. I bought an infrared thermometer at Radio Shack and try to remember to take it along with me in the TV. Then, I walk around the rig at a rest stop or filling station and quickly check the temperature of the tires and axles of the TM and the TV. I am looking for an unusually hot tire which would indicate it has lost pressure. I am also looking for a locked brake or hot bearing on the TM. In spite of this, I had the two tire failures last fall. I am sure they were not due to low pressure. In fact, I caught the second tread separation on a tire that was properly inflated. By the way, the only high temperature I have seen was right after getting my wheels packed when I saw 179 degrees F on one axle. They normally run 130 F or less here in the Az summer. The bearing must have been set too tight. Next time I checked, it was normal and just like the other 3 axles.

I put Carlisle tires on and don't have enough miles on them to give much of a report at this time. The 3326 with two axles has a huge weight margin on the tires. My TM weighed 3900# loaded last summer with a tire rating of 4X1870=7480#.

04-18-2007, 07:12 PM	#18
BobRederick Guest Posts: n/a	Tire check I threw the tread on a Marathon last fall on my 04 3326 (dual axles). The tire was about new at TM manufacture, Sept '03. So it was 3 years old at the time of failure. It ripped out my grey and black plumbing in the deal. When I got home, I noted the other tire on the same side wasn't round. It was in the process of throwing tread also. One problem with trailer tire failures is that unlike in a car, you don't get any "feeling" when the tire is going bad. The first indication is the blowout. For this reason, I suggest another check for tires whenever you do a pressure check: run your hands around the tire feeling for bumps or lumps. It turns out that your hands are quite good at detecting these. It could give you a warning several hundred miles before the blowout. I also have another check for tires, looking for early indications of failure. I bought an infrared thermometer at Radio Shack and try to remember to take it along with me in the TV. Then, I walk around the rig at a rest stop or filling station and quickly check the temperature of the tires and axles of the TM and the TV. I am looking for an unusually hot tire which would indicate it has lost pressure. I am also looking for a locked brake or hot bearing on the TM. In spite of this, I had the two tire failures last fall. I am sure they were not due to low pressure. In fact, I caught the second tread separation on a tire that was properly inflated. By the way, the only high temperature I have seen was right after getting my wheels packed when I saw 179 degrees F on one axle. They normally run 130 F or less here in the Az summer. The bearing must have been set too tight. Next time I checked, it was normal and just like the other 3 axles. I put Carlisle tires on and don't have enough miles on them to give much of a report at this time. The 3326 with two axles has a huge weight margin on the tires. My TM weighed 3900# loaded last summer with a tire rating of 4X1870=7480#.