School Me on Towing

You will feel a bump and a sway. I can feel a belt breaking before it even goes flat. Or maybe your passenger will see the fender go flying in the air!
 
ckruzer said:
Question

How can you tell when a trailer tire blows?
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Youll know usually. Every one ive had went with a huge bang and jolt like I was rear-ended, followed by a vibration. Once I had the tread flap off the front right trailer tire and go under the right rear. It basically locked up both right trailer tires, it jerked the rear of the truck to the right and stopped pretty quick!

I get in the habit of looking at the trailer every few miles in the mirror, huge Ford tow mirrors are great for this. I can see the trailer wheels good innthe wide angle lower section of the mirror.

Before each trip I load the trailer the night before. I walk around and pretrip the next morning before leaving. Check everything, tires, safety chains, straps or chains on the load, THE HITCH COUPLER (dont trust some snot nosed neighbor kid didnt flip it open over night!) I stop on the way out of town for diesel fuel and cooler ice about 10 minutes from home. I walk around and check it all again. From that point on, everytime I stop for food, bathroom or diesel, I do a walk-around. Make sure straps are tight, feel the trailer hubs and tires for excessive heat or tread separation.

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LBarr2002 said:
Oh you'll know...
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It depends. I had one throw the tread and not pop. The trailer wiggled a little. I looked in the mirror and saw something go flying, but wasn't sure if I just picked up a piece of trash. When I pulled off at the next exit to check everything, the carcass still had 80psi in it.

I pulled the valve core before I touched the lug nuts.

If they break a cord or get a bubble, you'll usually notice the vibration first.
 
ckruzer said:
Question

How can you tell when a trailer tire blows?
Click to expand...

You get a weird wiggle that you don't ever get any other time. Then you hear the shredded tire hitting the fender.
Pull over, jack up on the frame near the axle, swap tire, keep on trucking. Or you can get one of those drive up wedges that lift the opposing axle's tire enough to swap it.
 
Tim C said:
everytime I stop for food, bathroom or diesel, I do a walk-around. Make sure straps are tight, feel the trailer hubs and tires for excessive heat or tread separation.
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Definitely this. People will look at you funny, but it only takes about 20-30 seconds to check everything once you're used to it.
 
Jody Treadway said:
You get a weird wiggle that you don't ever get any other time. Then you hear the shredded tire hitting the fender.
Pull over, jack up on the frame near the axle, swap tire, keep on trucking. Or you can get one of those drive up wedges that lift the opposing axle's tire enough to swap it.
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Mine usually sound like a shotgun going off.

But there are exceptions.
 
I have a 1/2" ratchet in the driver's door pocket because it's only eight little bitty lug nuts.
 
ckruzer said:
I’m old school. I can spin a four way pretty fast and I’m pretty ocd about torquing lugnuts. Lol
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Thats me. I have a 4 way in every vehicle.

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ckruzer said:
I’m old school. I can spin a four way pretty fast and I’m pretty ocd about torquing lugnuts. Lol
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Well if you had an impact you could torque them to at least two ugga duggas, make you feel like you’re in the pits at Talladega and never worry about that one tire that totally shreds so the wheel just wants to spin as you break the lug nuts loose.
 
shawn said:
Mine usually sound like a shotgun going off.

But there are exceptions.
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This is what I was going to say. When I've blown a tire, it sounded like a shotgun, then I felt a shaking...looked in the mirror and saw bits of tread flying everywhere. So I'd say generally, you'll know when a tire blows out.

StretchASU said:
Own a battery operated 1/2” drive impact. Makes swapping blown trailer tires a breeze.
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This. Makes it nice and fast.

shawn said:
I have a 1/2" ratchet in the driver's door pocket because it's only eight little bitty lug nuts.
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Or that. Less bulky, also much less expensive. I've known me to do this a time or 20 as well.

ckruzer said:
I’m old school. I can spin a four way pretty fast and I’m pretty ocd about torquing lugnuts. Lol
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I'd just be careful on this method. I did the same thing, somehow got overzealous, and ended up popping myself in the mouth with the end of the 4-way while on the side of the road. Didn't really realize I did any damage til I felt my chin get wet. Went and looked in the mirror and saw I split my lower lip in three places. :rolleyes:
 
I will add to make sure you use a ball and ball mount rated for the weight you're pulling. You would be suprised how many people use balls and mounts that aren't rated for the weight they're pulling.
 
YotaOnRocks said:
I will add to make sure you use a ball and ball mount rated for the weight you're pulling. You would be suprised how many people use balls and mounts that aren't rated for the weight they're pulling.
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Thats a good point right there. A lot of the walmart special ball mounts or the fancy adjustable height ones are only rated to 5000 lbs. I have a solid forged ball mount rated to 20000 lbs and the 2 5/16" ball is rated 25000. The hitch on the truck is actually my weak link.

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Scooter402 said:
I'd just be careful on this method. I did the same thing, somehow got overzealous, and ended up popping myself in the mouth with the end of the 4-way while on the side of the road. Didn't really realize I did any damage til I felt my chin get wet. Went and looked in the mirror and saw I split my lower lip in three places. :rolleyes:
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Did this once as a teen and created new “quick spin” habits that very day. Lol
 
I still carry an impact just for the speed then torque with a 4 way after for safe measure.
 
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