When Should Trailer Tires be Changed on a 2004 Rockwood Roo Travel Trailer

Question:

I am going to buy new tires anyway, but how often should I replace the tires on my 2004 Rockwood Roo travel trailer bought used this year? The tread is not worn, but I had a blowout this past summer. The date code on the tires is 1103 2003. Also, if I buy tires from you, can you guarantee they will not be more than a year old?

asked by: Mark

Expert Reply:

How often you need to change trailer tires depends on several factors. A trailer that has good tread depth and is not towed often with tires that are in good shape you will only need to change out the tires once the tread depth gets to 2/32 of an inch.

If the trailer sits for long periods of time and is exposed to the elements, the tires can experience dry rot. These tires should be changed before towing, even if they have a good tread depth.

Also, to help prevent blowouts always inflate a trailer tire to the maximum psi indicated on the tire. For the Karrier ST175/80R13 Radial Trailer Tire, # AM31985, that rating is 65 psi. Trailer tires are made with a thicker side wall to handle more vertical load. This thicker side wall can produce excess heat if it is not properly inflated which will lead to a blowout.

Since we ship out and receive so many tires regularly, the tires we have in stock are never very old. But to be certain, I went out to the warehouse and checked the date codes on the AM31985 tire/wheels that we have in stock. They had a 1311 date code which is the 13th week of 2011 (April 2011). I have added a link to our series of FAQ articles on trailer tires and wheels for you.

expert reply by: Michael H