New Flat Tire Story

Just a note about safety that happened to work out for me this time...

We we're making preps to leave the night before departure from our campsight and my father noticed my left tire looked low. I checked it, and sure enough it had lost about 13 psi over the course of 4 days.

I used my brother's bicycle pump to put it back up to a few psi below max and set out the next morning. We made a gas stop a couple hours into the trip to grab some lunch. I checked the air in the tire again and had lost 10 psi. We refilled the tire to 5 psi over max, grabbed some lunch, and headed out looking for the first rest stop.

We found a great rest stop with a "car with trailers" section with big old spots right next trees and picnic tables. My wife entertained the twin rug rats, fed them and herself, and generally took a nice long break and let them crawl around.

This gave me time to quickly throw on the spare and get peace of mind for the remaining 5 hour drive. It was easy and the safe thing to do.

I guess I just want to say that basic safety checks before departing both home AND the campsite can pay off by avoiding that highway tire change. I have to thank my father whose experience is far greater and noticed the problem first.

mac

[Bill]

Mac -

Good story, and I'm glad it worked out. The ending could have been sadder.

Your father has a good eye. Many people (including me) can't really spot a tire with low pressure. They all seem pretty splayed out to me.

When you got home, did you measure the pressure in the (now) spare again? It sounds to me like you have a slow leak, which will leave you with a flat spare. Probably best to pull that tire off the rack and use some soapy water to find the leak. It may need service from a tire shop, especially if it is punctured or if the valve is leaking. But if it appears to be a pinhole leak without an obvious puncture or other damage, I will admit to having used a can of sealer goop on one of my cars (not my TM) with good results.

Bill

Originally Posted by Bill

I will admit to having used a can of sealer goop on one of my cars (not my TM) with good results.

Bill

Aaaahhhhhhh, I'm melting, I'm melting.

Please say it ain't so, Bill.

Seriously though, even though that is an easy route to take (and sometimes may be the only one you have, depending on where you are when you have a flat), don't be surprised if you do more damage than good by using sealers or flix-a-flat products.

Another consideration that everyone needs to remember (not just for trailers) is that every vehicle under 10,000 gvw manufactured, now has some form of tire pressure monitoring system incorporated. A vast majority of these systems have sensors on the wheel/valve stem that transmit electronically, via a radio signal, information to your vehicle computer. Electronics and fix-a-flat/water/gook products don't play well together.

You're not going to be in a good mood if you have to buy a new sensor because you ruined it. You're really not going to like it when you have to pay a dealer to hook your vehicle up to an OBD tool to register the electronic ID of your new sensor to work with your vehicle. You are absolutely going to hate it, when I say "I told you so".

Originally Posted by wmtire

Another consideration that everyone needs to remember (not just for trailers) is that every vehicle under 10,000 gvw manufactured, now has some form of tire pressure monitoring system incorporated.

And, if the sensor goes off and all four tires are properly inflated, don't forget to check the spare. That fools a lot of people.

[Bill]

Ho ho, Bobby, I thought you might take exception to that! That's why I phrased it kind of timidly.

Actually, I used it on my wife's 1993 Saab. Each year, that car is parked in the garage in Arizona for 6 months of the summer, unused. When we get back for the winter, we drive it a bit as a second car, but only about 1000 miles a year. Over a period of years, starting in about 2001, a couple of the tires starting gradually losing air. I would put it away in May, and when I got it out again in November, the tires would be flat. I had to put wood blocks under the frame in May to keep the steel wheel from settling on the tread and cutting it.

I took them to a tire shop, and asked them to put them in the dunk tank and give me a diagnosis. The answer was that they were leaking through tiny holes the sidewall, and were not repairable. I should buy new tires all around. Having nothing to lose - and not wanting to buy four new tires for a car that gets used only 1000 miles a year - I shot in a can of sealant. Guess what? They are now airtight! For the last five years, no air loss over 6 months of sitting!

You're right, I wouldn't do it on a new car, specifically because of the TPMS. And I can imagine that the problem will truly come when I really have to replace the tires. The inside of the steel wheel will be gunked up and the bead on the new tires may not seat until it has been cleaned. And if the lumps of gunk are big enough, the new tire/wheel may not want to balance. But for my purpose, it was a fine fix! By the way, new trailers don't come with TPMS's, do they? Or have I missed it entirely?

Bill

The tires are dated 2003 and the spare was actually from 2001.

I'm going to replace the pinhole leak tire and the spare. Then I'm going to use the other 2003 tire as the spare for a couple years if it inspects good.

Thanks for the advice!