Horse Trailer Tire Tips
Tires are a critical part of your trailer and one that is sometimes neglected! Tire pressure can change even when your trailer is parked, so set aside a couple of minutes to make sure your tires are road worthy.
Start a few days before you hit the highway
Before you move your trailer, or it’s been towed less than one mile, check the pressure in each tire. Inflate the tire to the maximum pressure stated on the tire.
Starting a few days before your trip, check the pressure again each day (when the tires are cold). Good tires and valve seals do not lose air over a day or two. If yours are, there’s a problem that could cause a blowout and the tire should be repaired or replaced. Start a few days before you leave you’ll have plenty of time to take care of that leaky or worn tire!
Don’t forget to check the pressure of the spare tire, too! You never know when you might need it! Never leave home without a spare tire in good working order.
Inspect all tires and the spare for any apparent damage. If you notice a lump or manufacturing defect on a new tire that’s under warranty, take pictures of the tire and contact the tire dealer or manufacturer. If there’s any question, change the tire before the trip and hash it out with the dealer when you get back home. Manufacturers will only honor the warranty if a tire is returned in defective condition. A blown out tire is too damaged to determine the cause and will not be covered.
Confirm that all tools needed to change tires are loaded and accessible, including the spare.
Note the phone number of a roadside assistance provider or service company that can help you with a flat along the way.
During your trip
On long trips, inspect all tires at each gas/water/feed stop. If it’s too hot to touch, it’s too hot to travel! Pull into the shade and wait until they cool off.
If you run over something, find a safe place to stop and check your tires as soon as you can. Using caution, inspect them for obvious damage, listen for air escaping, and look for low inflation. Check pressures with a tire gauge if you suspect air loss.
We don’t recommend stopping along the side of the road. If you have to drive on a flat tire to get to a safe place, carefully do so. Reduce speed, put on your emergency flashers, and look for a safe spot like a parking lot or level area well away from the road. Most modern trailers have torque-flex axles which equalize the load so the rim will not be damaged. But if not, your life is worth much more than a rim or a fender!
If you have a front tire blowout, cautiously check the rear tire on that side for damage or leaks. It is likely you ran over something. In fact, you might as well check ’em all while you’re at it!
If you don’t feel confident changing a tire, call a towing or roadside assistance company to do it for you.
The bottom line
Take care of your tires and they’ll take care of you!
If you have questions about how to maintain your trailer tires give us a call. We want to EARN your business!
