Is It Okay for Tires to Crack at Sidewall and Tread

Question

Question:

my tandem trailer tires have great tread but they show a cracking of the tread around the entire side wall. The trailer is rated for 12,000 pounds. Is this a safety concern?

asked by: John L

1

Helpful Expert Reply:

Usually when we see cracking around the sidewall of a trailer tire it means it is starting to dry rot and needs to be replaced with a new tire, like the Westlake 235/80R16 # WE76FR.

Tires have a lifespan of 3-6 years or 10,000-12,000 miles, whichever comes first. If you have excellent driving habits and take good care of your tires especially when they are in storage then they are prone to lasting longer. If you're prone to bumping into/running over curbs and you don't store your tires correctly then that can shorten the lifespan.

Attached is a helpful article about tires for you to check out.

expert reply by: Jon G

1

Answer 1

Since both a ST145/R12 size tire, like the Kenda Karrier S-Trail #AM10130, and a 5.30-12 size tire, like the Kenda K353 #AM10068, fit a 12 inch wheel, a ST145/R12 size tire can replace a 5.30-12 size tire. Keep in mind that these tires do have…

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Answer 2

Hello Alan, thanks for reaching out. We likely will have a brake drum that will fit your trailer, but I do not have a way to accurately recommend a drum based on the info from the backing plate you provided. The numbers you provided indicate a Dexter…

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Answer 3

Cap nuts, like the part #CE10801, are best removed with a pair of pliers to pry it off. Since these are intended to be used only once you need to make sure you have some replacements handy for when you need to put them back on. This part is for a…

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Answer 4

To determine the correct replacement bearings, races and seals for the oil bath cool hubs on your Ranger Boat Trailer you will want to remove one of the hub assemblies so that you can take note of the part numbers on the existing components. If you…

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Answer 5

In order to determine the torque rating for the lug nuts on your trailer you will need to know check out the chart I attached that shows all of the torque specs for all the trailer lugs available based on stud size, wheel material and wheel size.

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Answer 6

Hey Bryan, that's a good question. The pricing can definitely be misleading, but I wouldn't use it to judge the quality of the tire. A lot of that comes down to promotions, inventory, and whether you're looking at a tire by itself or…

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Answer 7

The difference between the Class II and Class III hitches has to do with their Gross Trailer Weight (GTW), their Tongue Weight (TW), and their Hitch Receiver Size. Class II trailer hitch receivers have a 1-1/4 inch receiver and can be rated up to…

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Answer 8

The 5.30-12 tires, being wider, are going to make more contact with the road. This means that the noise, and heat build up will be higher than a 4.80-12 tire but the rolling resistance will actually be less because the tire is larger diameter. The…

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Answer 9

A 4-Way trailer connector has the basic lighting functions only; running lights, left turn signal and brake lights, right turn signal and brake lights, and ground. A 7-Way has these functions and a 12 volt circuit, a circuit for electric trailer…

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Answer 10

The difference between an load range C and load range D tire in the same size is the capacity and psi rating. The two tires will still have the same dimensions and fit on the same wheel. The D rated tire has a higher capacity. For a ST175/80D13 like…

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Answer 11

The two sizes you mentioned are pretty similar and fit many of the same 15 inch wheels. The 205/75-15 fits rim widths of 5 inch to 6 inch whereas the 225/75-15 fits widths that are 5 inch to 6-1/2 inch. The 205 is 27.1 inches tall and the 225 is 28.4…

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Answer 12

It sounds like you are speaking of the wires for the brake magnets. If this is correct, you will need to connect one of the wires to the brake controller output wire on your trailer connector and the other wire will need to be grounded to a clean…

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Is It Okay for Tires to Crack at Sidewall and Tread

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