When to replace tires

[larrysun]

Hi everyone. My tires on my trailer is about 5 years old. They have only 5,000 miles on them and look like they are in great shape. I know they are getting old but I don't know if they should be replaced due to the age of the tire?

Any suggestions? Thanks.

[DryFly]

Most if not all manufacturers of trailer tires (marked "ST") will tell you to replace after 5-7 years, the exact time depends on the manufacturer. Mileage is irrelevant. Look on the tire to determine the date of manufacture and replace accordingly.

[mbubbaca]

Replace them. 5 Years is max, it's age not miles that matter.

[dkottum]

I replaced my original Good Year Marathons after two years because we were doing extensive traveling, and they have a reputation for sudden failure beyond that time. I installed Michelin tires and they are on a ten year plan, keeping them protected from the sun by covers whenever not rolling. Four years of extensive travel and protection they look like new, Minnesota summers and Arizona winters have been kind to them.

To place a time limit on tires used on a trailer solely based on years is a waste of money. And good for tire mfg's and sellers.

[uncle_bob]

Hi

Go on the web and see how to read the date codes on your tires. My AS is brand new, just delivered. The tires on it are just about 10 months old. (It sat on the lot for a while ...). I would start the clock on the tires from today. The real clock has been running for almost a year now.

Bob

[switz]

Five years is the suggested maximum for "ST" tires. I have had "ST" tires delaminate in three years in Arizona with no mileage on them.

[cwf]

Yesterday or today should be ok.

[tjdonahoe]

Originally Posted by dkottum

I replaced my original Good Year Marathons after two years because we were doing extensive traveling, and they have a reputation for sudden failure beyond that time. I installed Michelin tires and they are on a ten year plan, keeping them protected from the sun by covers whenever not rolling. Four years of extensive travel and protection they look like new, Minnesota summers and Arizona winters have been kind to them.

To place a time limit on tires used on a trailer solely based on years is a waste of money. And good for tire mfg's and sellers.

The michelins on our Buick weather checked at 5 years, 60,000 miles, my ram's BF Goodrich started to crack at 5 years , 72,000 miles ,also both vehicles are kept in a garage when not using, after about 2004 the rubber compounds were changed, keep your eye on them...

[PKI]

I am convinced that GYMs were of significantly poor quality at one point in time. When that improved is the question. A 2013/14 manufacture date seems to be about that point in time, but it may have been slightly later. I really don't know. My choice was to replace the GYMs when they were two years old and had about 20K miles. Your tires are old enough, that I would replace them immediately.

Generally, I do not feel that preventive replacement of tires is a waste of my money. Blowouts result in lost time, loss of use, and the cost for replacement and repairs. Only you can determine how much the prevention of these losses is worth to you.

Folks have suggested tires can be used for ten years. Others have expressed anecdotal experience of blowouts in the first year. Do your research and figure out what is best for you and your towing lifestyle.

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f438/

Travel safe. Pat

[uncle_bob]

Hi

There are an enormous number of variables when it comes to tires. Temperature (both use and storage) matters. Sunlight exposure matters. The mix of rubber they used that week matters. What I get on this set may well not be what you get on a similar set.

One thing to do on any "new" set of tires you buy - check the date codes *before* they go on your car or truck. Some of this odd sized stuff sits in inventory for a *long* time. Your "five years" may have four years run out before the tires ever go on your trailer .... Indeed, if you are stuck with no spare and a blown tire - you have no choice. If you are out shopping for replacement tires, you very much do have a choice.

Bob

[pappy19]

As soon as possible, and might I suggest you replace them with Michelin LT E rated truck tires Defenders.

[Streamracer]

A few years back I was due new tires. We had one more short trip planned for the year and I thought I could make it and replace them the following spring. We'll as fate would have it I blew out a front tire and the second tire lost all the tread, but never went flat. It tore out the bottom of both closets and several items were lost or destroyed down I 75. Was not fun and repairs were costly. If you know they need changed, I'd change them. Cheaper in the long run.

[Betty Farmer]

Of all the good comments above, plz listen to Stream racer. We have used an individual tire person for many years with our heavy equipment. He checked the Airstreams tires, that were less than 2 years old - and approved them. One blew, causing over $3000. in damage. They were actually trailer tires.

You do know that you need to use tires specific to trailers, I hope. Good luck.

[Lumatic]

Originally Posted by dkottum

I I installed Michelin tires and they are on a ten year plan, keeping them protected from the sun by covers whenever not rolling.

To place a time limit on tires used on a trailer solely based on years is a waste of money. And good for tire mfg's and sellers.

What is this ten year plan based on?

[uncle_bob]

Hi

For each "my one year old tires blew" story you run into, there is another story about "my tires are 20 .. 40 ... 80 years old and doing fine". Trying to work this out based on that sort of data will be quite difficult.

The people who make the tires warranty them for a specific number of years. They also warranty them for a specific number of miles. On a car they do pretty much the same thing. Do you get the rated "tread life miles" on your car tires? Sometimes I do, more often they come up short. Go down to the dealer and ... surprise ... warranty replacement is pro-rated and applies to the full list price of a new tire. I can buy them any day of the week for 20 to 30% off that price. Makes me wonder about that mileage warranty. So can you *trust* the tire manufacturer? They *would* like to sell you new tires every so often. How much damage can a blown tire do? Wow, that much (and more)? How much fun is a blown tire on the road?

The trailer is expensive to repair. I'm even more expensive to repair. Relatively speaking, tires are cheap ....

Bob

[dkottum]

Bob, that sort of reasoning would keep most of us in the poor house if applied to everything that may somehow injure us, or our equipment.

Perhaps more reasonable with a passenger vehicle, but with a travel trailer using high quality tires such as Michelin, and protected and cared for, not so much.

Ten years for Michelin tires on a trailer for the average Airstreamer mileage is not too much to expect. I just took a set of Continentals off our 2006 VW Jetta TDI at 70K, plenty of tread left. The casings were perfect inside and out, no weather checking. I changed them because of age (and felt a little foolish doing it), they are 11 years old, always garaged, regular rotation, Minnesota climate.

In the highly unlikely event our Michelin Airstream tires ever have a sudden failure, and damage our trailer we carry insurance. Risk? Most people who experience a blowout on a tandem axle Airstream don't know it until they stop for fuel or arrive in camp.

My logic has always been to buy good equipment, take good care of it, and get maximum use out of it. Another logic I have seen is scare the hell out of people so they constantly buy stuff they don't really need.

[Lumatic]

Originally Posted by dkottum

Ten years for Michelin tires on a trailer for the average Airstreamer mileage is not too much to expect.

I also am tempted to go longer than 5 years, but, respectfully, is your 10 year limit based on anything besides personal opinion?

[Wingeezer]

Originally Posted by dkottum

Most people who experience a blowout on a tandem axle Airstream don't know it until they stop for fuel or arrive in camp.

.

Doug - do you use TPMS?

No guarantee of course that it will avoid any trailer damage in the event of a blowout, but at least you should know it the moment it happens, and so be able to pull over immediately - I think that at least with TPMS you are doing everything you can to mitigate potential loss.

[uncle_bob]

Originally Posted by Wingeezer

Doug - do you use TPMS?

No guarantee of course that it will avoid any trailer damage in the event of a blowout, but at least you should know it the moment it happens, and so be able to pull over immediately - I think that at least with TPMS you are doing everything you can to mitigate potential loss.

Hi

.... ummm.... errr ... "at the moment" ... errr.

A number of TPMS systems are *not* instantaneous. To conserve power (how much energy is there in a valve stem gizmo...) they only send data every few minutes (yes minutes, not seconds).

Knowing that my tire blew a minute ago is way better than knowing a half hour later. It's still not fast enough to get me to slow down / pull over while it's dying. If I'm running pressures that are either high or low for the tires, then yes, it will let me know about that in time to correct the issue. That may *prevent* the blowout.

Bob