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Showing results for tags '4x4 trailer'.
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Replace Those Aging Trailer Tires!
Moses Ludel posted a topic in Travel Trailer and Toy Hauler Forum
Purchasing a pre-owned trailer? Has your trailer parked for a long time? Check the DOT build date on each tire, the tires may be a safety hazard! We bought our 2000 Holiday Rambler 29FKS travel trailer at Oregon last month and inspected the tire tread before heading home. Tread depth is not enough, though, you need to inspect tires for age as well. The 8-ply Load Range D tires, fortunately, got our 10000# GVWR (8,000# over-the-road this trip) trailer home in one piece. A post-trip inspection, however, found two tires with belt separation. One was on the verge of throwing the center tread. Trailer tires often get the worst treatment imaginable. Our rare find trailer was garaged when not in use but still endured summer UV when in service. These tires likely were not jacked off the ground during long idle periods, and this tears at the belts, leading to separation. Between UV, rubber aging and parking "flat spots", these four tires were a recipe for belt separation or a blowout. Buy a new set of quality tires whenever your trailer tires have five years of clock time. In our case, the tires were '06 built with plenty of tread. One 650 mile trip home was enough, though; we were lucky a tire didn't blow apart and rip a fender skirt off our trailer... Here are some tire defect issues found in this set of tires: This is belt separation. The flat tread surface now looks like a "Space Saver" spare! This tire is ripe for a blowout, and the tread would likely rip the plastic skirt from the trailer—or worse! Space Saver spare? Hardly! This is a belt separating. Next few miles would have the tread unraveling from the tire carcass. Feathering like this is an indication of tread separation or camber issues. By design, the trailer's beam axles flex with loads. This changes the camber angle. Inspect tires regularly for wear or abnormalities. Rotate them as you would your tow vehicles' tires, from rear axle straight forward, moving the front axle's tires in cross to the rear axle. Can you spot the tire with the belt separation? Actually, there are two with belt separation, ready to blow off the tread! Choppiness at left edge is from tire imbalance. Imbalance produces a scalloping effect. Belt separation can lead to other issues, including this imbalance condition that quickly scarfed the tire edge. The DOT numbers include a date of production. These Brand-X tires were built in 2006. The Goodyear Marathon tire in this set is actually the spare and dates to 1999, an original tire for this 2000 model year trailer. Forget the tread depth, all five of these tires are scrap. I purchased a new set of five (5) 10-ply load range E replacement tires. OE called for load range D (8-ply)...If your tires are over five years old, replace them. Our trailer when loaded will weigh 8,300-8,500 pounds. That's a lot of weight for 225/75R15 tires, even if 10-ply rated! Moses -
As the publisher of 4WD Mechanix Magazine, I often find myself covering events and subjects at remote areas or outside the Starbucks or motel/hotel's Wi-Fi internet access. The magazine and forums require ongoing access. Sometimes HD video news warrants immediate uploading to the 4WD Mechanix HD Video Network at the magazine website... Does anyone have experience with reliable, or for that matter unreliable, mobile or RV internet access equipment and services? The aim is to be anywhere within reason and still remain connected. I understand the satellite needs: a clear line of sight South and no dense cloud cover. We used Wild Blue (Hughes) coverage years ago. Upload and download speed is very important, cost is always a consideration, and reliable internet service is a must. Any insights here? Appreciate all comments, many of us need more than "Dish TV" and HBO in the wilderness. A trip to Alaska along the Alaska Highway through the Yukon cannot mean the end of internet access—or magazine connectedness. Moses
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Hi! I have narrowed my choice to one of two trailer models for hauling our Jeep TJ Rubicon: 1) Aluminum - ATC open deck 7,000lb (2 - 3,500lb easy lube torsion axles) - Can get what I think is a good deal but not sure if I should get a 16 foot or an 18 foot? My big concern is the payload issue: The 16 ft offers more payload: 988# Empty, 6012# Payload but a shorter deck. The 18 ft offers less payload: 1234# Empty, 5766# Payload but more deck! Price wise I have not seen a new aluminum trailer of this quality, at these prices, although we are still talking $5300 / $5500, respectively! 2) Steel - Kaufman open flat (not dovetail) deck 10,000lb (2 - 5,200lb spring axles) - Can have it custom made to my specs as follows: 17 foot Deluxe Flat Deck with added spare tire and rim and driver side removable fender. This steel trailer should be approximately $3600.00. What is the better trailer application for the Jeep? Also I like this weight distributing hitch: Strait-Line Weight Distribution w Sway Control - Trunnion Bar - 12,000 lbs GTW, 1,200 lbs TW http://www.etrailer.com/Weight-Distribution/Reese/RP66084.html Opinions and advice are most welcome. Say it like it is!! Thanks, Joe Mac
