Spare tire

tniggel

 So I got a blowout on my trailer on the way to storage this fall. I'm replacing all four trailer tires the question is I am replacing d load with e load, could I use the one old d load as a spare for emergencies.

Handymans342

Yes but it is probably dry rotted like the blow out one. 

mattie

How old was the tire? Date code on the side. Manufacturers say every 3-5 years for replacement. That's prob too frequent for reality though. Date code is 4 digits - week/year.

NRath

My opinion is that if you do much trailering, I'd go with the E load.  There is a slight bump in price, but my experience is that the stiffer sidewalls will help trailer tracking (sway).  Additionally, the couple extra ply's would help prevent that blowout.

I highly recommend the Maxxis M8008's.  Run from Goodyear's.  I've seen 3 different sets start splitting around the circumference of the tread.  I have no real complaint about your Carlisle's except that maybe mine seemed to dry rot a little premature. But, nothing near as bad as the GY.

Tough call on the spare.  Use the old one and chances are good you could replace 2 flats when that first one has an issue.  Again, to me this goes back to how much and how far you tow.  Once or twice a year for 20 miles, maybe risk it.  I just got back from a 1500 mile towing trip.  I bought a new spare when I got the tires.

Handymans342

Mattie, I believe its every 7 years

halifax212

Had an original '04 tire as a spare mounted on the trailer. Went out one morning and it looked identical to the photo above. A 5 year old tire blew enroute from Cincinnati to Maine. Based on this I am replacing after 5 years as I tow about 20 to 30 times a season.  

Handymans342

Was it uncovered all that time on the trailer?

rasbury

Also, make darn sure when you get your new tires they are inflated properly! I recently replaced my tires and did like one a month and I bought from a place that sells both trailer and car/truck tires- I think they had their gauges set to 35 PSI which is good for most passenger/lt truck tires but not these 60 PSI tires- the result was a new tire was underinflated and when I went across a bump, the tire squished so much it split it. Did not realize the culprit until I checked the air in the rest of the new tires and they were all that way- underinflated is a real issue. I never thought to check since they were new and I ASSUMED they knew what they were doing....

Cableguy Greg

The tire that split above was at the proper pressure. @tniggel and I set them on his trailer and mine a few days before he made his trek to storage. The tire didn't look dry rotted at all. If it would have looked bad, we would not have taken a chance with them.

NRath

Cableguy Greg said:

The tire didn't look dry rotted at all. If it would have looked bad, we would not have taken a chance with them.

I'd agree with you CG & tniggel, that tire looks pretty good from what we can see in the pic.  I'd have towed on it, too.  I've seen them looking much worse and still haul a load.  

It has to be assumed there was either a road hazard causing damage or just a defectively manufactured tire.  Coincidental that there was a story on the national news last night about tire recalls and lack of owner registration of tires.

It's a good point about checking pressure.  If you go E-rated, it could be load rated at either 60 or 80 psig, so check the tire for yourself.

rasbury

Sure can't go by looks when the tread separates..

Black_Diamond

Under inflated or overloaded the tire will overheat and separate like that. Something few people consider is alignment, yes you can align trailer axles. Off kilter and they scrub/overheat/fail too. Had this exact problem with a 2-horse trailer. 

JC290

 Very good point BD a lot of people never look at alignment makes a big difference. 

Handymans342

I went thru a pile of tow dollies checking alignment. I measured front at 3 oclock and rear at 9 oclock. All of them except 1 was off by at least a half inch to an inch. I bought the straight one because I returned the first one after it wore the tires down after 400 miles.