Glider trailer tires

How old can trailer tires get before they should be replaced?

Its not so much a matter of "age" or mileage but.. exposure to the weather..
or UV

Getting "weather checking" on the sidewalls.. can you look between the tread
and see "White cord".. replace..

Most tires even on auto's don't last much beyond 4 yrs for the weather or UV
effects.. although they may have plenty of miles left in them.

If the tires are removed and stored inside, or shielded from the effects of
the sun.. you may get an extra season out of them.

BT

"Greg Arnold" wrote in message
news:xGTpd.175805$hj.6434@fed1read07...
How old can trailer tires get before they should be replaced?

Blowout date - 1 day
;-)

"Greg Arnold" wrote in message
news:xGTpd.175805$hj.6434@fed1read07...
How old can trailer tires get before they should be replaced?

You mean, like, just before the air starts showing through?

"For Example John Smith" wrote in message
...
Blowout date - 1 day
;-)

"Greg Arnold" wrote in message
news:xGTpd.175805$hj.6434@fed1read07...
How old can trailer tires get before they should be replaced?

'xactly. I'd rather give a precise, definitive, useless answer than some
more realistic, accurate but possibly useful consultant babble like "it
depends".
In case Greg's interested--
It depends on how often you tow the trailer. Wheels that are put in motion
out on the road regularly will last a bit longer than the ones that just sit
on the field. You might get several years out of the tires if you trailer
your glider someplace a few times a year. Tires that experience a lot of
weather (lots of sun, temperature extremes, moisture, low inflation) but no
road use might be crap in a year.
It depends on if you bought good quality tires to begin with or wanted to go
the cheap route because you don't plan on trailering much anyway.
It depends on how averse you are to the extreme sport of "high speed glider
trailer blowout handling" and fixing flats by moonlight.

Q - Are you a consultant?
A - It depends

Brent
"Bill Daniels" wrote in message
news:z43sd.505385$D%.286134@attbi_s51...

You mean, like, just before the air starts showing through?

"For Example John Smith" wrote in message
...
Blowout date - 1 day
;-)

"Greg Arnold" wrote in message
news:xGTpd.175805$hj.6434@fed1read07...
How old can trailer tires get before they should be replaced?

For Example John Smith wrote:
'xactly. I'd rather give a precise, definitive, useless answer than some
more realistic, accurate but possibly useful consultant babble like "it
depends".
In case Greg's interested--
It depends on how often you tow the trailer. Wheels that are put in motion
out on the road regularly will last a bit longer than the ones that just sit
on the field. You might get several years out of the tires if you trailer
your glider someplace a few times a year. Tires that experience a lot of
weather (lots of sun, temperature extremes, moisture, low inflation) but no
road use might be crap in a year.
It depends on if you bought good quality tires to begin with or wanted to go
the cheap route because you don't plan on trailering much anyway.
It depends on how averse you are to the extreme sport of "high speed glider
trailer blowout handling" and fixing flats by moonlight.

Q - Are you a consultant?
A - It depends

Brent
"Bill Daniels" wrote in message
news:z43sd.505385$D%.286134@attbi_s51...

You mean, like, just before the air starts showing through?

"For Example John Smith" wrote in message
...

Blowout date - 1 day
;-)

"Greg Arnold" wrote in message
news:xGTpd.175805$hj.6434@fed1read07...

How old can trailer tires get before they should be replaced?




Lets just say it is amazing to see the heaps of scrap that various otherwise
sensible and careful pilots load their expensive toys into and then blast off
into the unknown. Have had the experience of arriving back at the airfield after
an hours rather nervous return from a retrieve. When we stopped the driver was
honestly surprised to find the bits of melted recap tyre hanging forlornly from
the casings. Fortunately the original casings had been good, and were still
partially inflated and nominally intact.

It had not occured to him that the "cheapest deal available" on tyres because he
virtually never used the trailer would not have the same capability as the
225x50 V rated rubber on his executive express, which has the power and weight
to ignore anything happening to a single seater in trailer dragging behind.

Dumb luck appears to be frequent, but I would advise against counting on it. Buy
decent tyres, tow at their rated speed and replace them once they start
weathering. It is a lot cheaper than the alternative.

I think the technical term is "Sudden loss of Rounderidity"

Steve


On Fri, 3 Dec 2004 13:09:45 -0600, "For Example John Smith"
wrote:

Blowout date - 1 day
;-)

"Greg Arnold" wrote in message
news:xGTpd.175805$hj.6434@fed1read07...
How old can trailer tires get before they should be replaced?

Having been on the end of a "lucky trailer" please also check the
contruction of the trailer. If the steel used to attach the trailer
hitch to the trailer is shall we say a bit on the light side, you will
end up towing the trailer and glider on the top hitch and the brake
pipe.

I think I was within 10miles of losing the trailer as the tow hitch
had rusted away from the trailer. When we put it on the car the trailer
seemed fine. When we un hitched the story was not so good.

It boils down to this "Is the trailer departs from the rear of the car,
or pulls the car to the side (due to a blow out) it may kill somebody"

I do not want to be responsible for driving a trailer that departs and
kills somebody. That's the bottom line, not have a just written of a
glider?

Do something about this madness before somebody gets killed

Sean


--
jorgie
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