Trailer Tires

[Margo]

Looking to buy 4 new tires for my 20’ gooseneck flatbed trailer. Mostly used for hauling hay and occasional tractor to repair shop if needed. Do most of you guys balance your tires or not? Thanks.

 

[rmcky]

Mine are balanced, one is 10,000 pounds gvw and one is 22,000 pounds gvw. I think they run smoother when empty, and maybe half the miles are empty.

 

[Scott 730]

I have never understood why someone would not balance trailer tires. I have never heard what I would consider a valid reason.

 

[farmersamm]

I generally don't feel it's worth it to balance trailer tires, when they mostly tend to delaminate, and explode, when parked. This is a pic of maybe the 3rd tire to do so in about 15ish yrs (probably had about 200-300mi on it). Low miles, never overloaded, just your typically crumby trailer tires. All times, this has occurred in the yard when parked. Luckily.

None of the above tires were in excess of 3yrs old.

I have switched, were possible to TRUCK tires on my trailers. They have a bona fide carcass life of 10yrs. Better built, better materials. I will balance these.

If you're forced to buy trailer tires, Provider's are the best out there. I have some that have been on a flatbed trailer since 2014, and don't show any signs of delamination. Matter of fact, they're getting near tread bare.

This is the curse of radial tires. They will delaminate. Bias tires will last a lifetime without delaminating..........only succumbing to dry rot after a few decades.

I'm sure this will ignite a debate. It always does........except for those who've suffered the same thing.

It's also possible that this isn't a problem with the "better" brands...........dunno. I'm not spending 2K on gooseneck tires.

If your budget, or load range, calls for ST tires............................I swear by these. Lower priced than, let's say.......Hankooks.

https://www.prioritytire.com/by-brand/taskmaster-tires/provider-premium-trailer?var-taskmaster=57738&msclkid=76761fca53221a64c42b782d061805b7&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=PMax%20-%20DS&utm_term=2336530929473945&utm_content=DS%20Non%20MAP

 

[farmersamm]

How to determine whether you have a quality tire on your trailer.

I'm able to take pics of the tires fairly easy on my bale trailer........no bed to mess with.

The tire on the left is an ST tire. Look how it's bulged across the tread. Low mile tire, properly inflated to 85psi.

The tire on the right is an LT tire. Also properly inflated. You can tell it's built better. The tread is flat across its width. This tire has been on the trailer since 2012.

..........................................................................................................................................................................................................

The Provider tires are as well built.

14" Provider properly inflated.

If your tread bows/bulges, you have a poorly made tire.

 

[caterpillar guy]

And the old bias tire will be going when those are all in the junk pile. I have some old 9.00-20's on a wagon that are still there working and were on the truck when I stripped it to make the wagon. One has a section about half way across the tread missing and still is holding air and the load with no problem.No Radial will do that if they get a missing section on the tread it goes boom or just runs flat. I need to change those 2 tires on that wagon out for different tires. Got some 22.5's to put on since 20's are hard to get used anymore. So then will probably have to change tires on it about every few years as they deteriorate setting in the shed. Got some tires still holding air on a trailer my grandpa built with cotton or ray on tires that size 6x32 so you know those are old tires. Probably from the 20'or 30's Rayon could be from the 40's or a bit newer.

 

[BradCNY]

I put new tires on my fifth wheel camper a few years ago. I put in a bag of wheel balancing shot in each tire. Supposedly sell balances.

 

[Margo]

Thanks for all the replies.

 

[showcrop]

I had a 22,400 for around twelve years. I used it regularly loaded right to max. When the first set of super heavy load trailer tires gave out I switched to truck tires of a rating that I needed. They lasted much better. I never got them balanced. I rarely pulled it empty, but I was aware that now and then when it was empty that it would get to bouncing a little. I assume that it was because through turns and whatever that the uneven weighting that I had would get together for awhile instead of canceling out.

 

[Fixingfarmer]

I have a balancer that has sat unused for 12 years or so next to the manual tire changer from harbor freight I should scrap both. I’ve done over 100 tires in the timeframe it has sat unused. Especially pickup trucks and little trailers I wouldn’t bother. The wife’s car the first time I bought tires would be when I balanced the last set. The last 3 sets of tires on her cars nope.

The roads here aren’t good enough to bother with that. Lord help you if you hit a railroad crossing over 25 here.

 

[Mobuck]

I've never heard of or seen trailer tires balanced.

 

[Scott 730]

I've never heard of or seen trailer tires balanced.

..... and I have yet to see any valid reason not to balance trailer tires. Key word, valid. Meaning maybe something published by a tire manufacturer that says not to bother balancing trailer tires. If not balancing trailer tires, then why bother spending the money to balance the towing vehicle tires?

 

[504]

I put new tires on my 20 foot trailer last spring. I took it back and made them balance them 8 oz was the smallest weight on the wheels when they were done. Radial tires separate because they crack and let water into the steel belts, they rust and break. . The other reason I an improper repair. The tire repair schools say most tires separate 180deg from a substandard repair .

 

[jwal10]

Best trailer tires I ever run were Mobile home 7x14.5. Next 7.00x15 pickup tires. 7.00x15 pickup tires were best for farm equipment, too. They could set out in the sun for years, 15" implement tires never lasted for very long, especially heavy pieces like a rollerharrow....James

 

[RobCons]

I agree with some of the other folks. Why would you not balence them?

 

[Mobuck]

Because a trailer is designed to carry a load vs provide a comfortable ride.

 

[BarnyardEngineering]

..... and I have yet to see any valid reason not to balance trailer tires. Key word, valid. Meaning maybe something published by a tire manufacturer that says not to bother balancing trailer tires. If not balancing trailer tires, then why bother spending the money to balance the towing vehicle tires?

...because an out of balance tire on the towing vehicle is uncomfortable and distracting to the occupants of the vehicle. It can also cause handling and control issues in the towing vehicle.

There is nobody riding in the trailer to complain about the shaking. You will not feel it in the towing vehicle unless it is extremely bad.

 

[Scott 730]

...because an out of balance tire on the towing vehicle is uncomfortable and distracting to the occupants of the vehicle. It can also cause handling and control issues in the towing vehicle.

There is nobody riding in the trailer to complain about the shaking. You will not feel it in the towing vehicle unless it is extremely bad.

All fine and dandy, but still just commonly accepted opinion. I guess there aren't many who see the benefit of NOT having the trailer tires bouncing down the road. Surely there must be a benefit to balancing trailer tires to help with their longevity. How can it hurt? With the cost of tires nowdays, why not balance them to potentially prolong their life, and a side benefit would be a smoother ride? I can see I'm in the minority on this one, fighting the old "we never done it before, we ain't doing it now" line of thought. I get it. I will continue to balance my $200 gooseneck tires, and my travel trailer tires, That's how I roll. YMMV.

 

[Mobuck]

I've NEVER put a NEW tire on a trailer. The only trailers with new tires were also new trailers. Used 1/2 tread pickup tires (often mismatched) are what's on my trailers.

 

[Ray,IN]

Balance or not, this is important to a tire running true with the rim, reducing balancing amount necessary, and better tire wear. Remember years ago, truing a tire was often necessary; some still think that way.

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