Check Your Tires

[Bob Landry]

Checking tire pressure should be part of every trip preparation. I went out today to get mine ready for the weekend, and checking tire pressure has become a ritual with me every time I tow. I carry 80 lbs of pressure in my tires and they usually leak around 10 lbs or so between trips, so I accept that as normal. One tire had leaked down to around 30 lbs, so I know that one needs to come off and go to the tire shop.
The point is, the low tire looked normal as the weight on that side of the trailer was supported by the other tire. Visually, I would have thought nothing about it and would not have known had I not checked them all with a tire gauge. I probably by-passed a blowout on the road. It pays to take a few extra minutes and check everything.

[Little Guy]

Thanks Bob for the valuable insight.

[Jim & DJ]

Without a doubt and also check the wheel (lug) nuts too!!!!!!

[Bob Landry]

That's why I carry a torque wrench also.

[Ken / Claudia]

Good advice, last week I finnished the spring check everything over and had taken the wheels off to grease the ez lubes. I rolled each tire by hand looking for cracks, bumps, strange wear etc.. Than the psi and used the torque wrench.

[fla-gypsy]

I check the tire pressure before each trip without fail and inspect them each time I stop. I check my lug nuts once a year with a torque wrench and have never had an issue with any of them.

[ed cobos]

I recently had nitrogen put in the tt tires and so far it relieves the tire pressure check as they seem to hold up well. I do obsess about the Lug nuts however and check and tighten them after every trip. While camping, I rarely see anyone checking them.

[PT RV`er]

Originally Posted by fla-gypsy

I check the tire pressure before each trip without fail and inspect them each time I stop. I check my lug nuts once a year with a torque wrench and have never had an issue with any of them.

X2 I do the exact same thing

[byrdr1]

Originally Posted by fla-gypsy

I check the tire pressure before each trip without fail and inspect them each time I stop. I check my lug nuts once a year with a torque wrench and have never had an issue with any of them.

Do this too. Thats how I found the tire bubble on one of tires this year before our first trip. now I have replaced two last year and two this year.
Maxxis 8008 265-80-16 E rating. metal value stems and balanced. Allowed me to clean the rims real good too.
randy

[Jay Pat]

Originally Posted by Bob Landry

Checking tire pressure should be part of every trip preparation. I went out today to get mine ready for the weekend, and checking tire pressure has become a ritual with me every time I tow. I carry 80 lbs of pressure in my tires and they usually leak around 10 lbs or so between trips, so I accept that as normal. One tire had leaked down to around 30 lbs, so I know that one needs to come off and go to the tire shop.
The point is, the low tire looked normal as the weight on that side of the trailer was supported by the other tire. Visually, I would have thought nothing about it and would not have known had I not checked them all with a tire gauge. I probably by-passed a blowout on the road. It pays to take a few extra minutes and check everything.

Great reminder!!
Pat

[GaryWT]

Don't forget to check the spare.

[hoffbrew]

I do the same tire and lug check before I go every time. I put max in while cold. Before we left I put 80 in truck tires and noticed on truck computer it read 80 as well, perfect. While traveling I went through dash computer and truck tires were reading 88, now I know not to trust this but is this normal? Forgot to check it with a gauge when we arrived. Outside temp was around 88 degrees and traveled up around 2500 ft.

[denverpilot]

Originally Posted by ed cobos

I recently had nitrogen put in the tt tires and so far it relieves the tire pressure check as they seem to hold up well. I do obsess about the Lug nuts however and check and tighten them after every trip. While camping, I rarely see anyone checking them.

I'd love someone to explain the physics on this one.

I had a tire guy say it was because O2 molecules were "smaller".

(Ok, knowing that's not a lie...)

So, being the smartass that I am, I said, "So if the atmosphere is 78% nitrogen and 21% oxygen, if I refill a few times the tire will eventually be almost all Nitrogen, since the tire will allow all the O2 out like a filter?"

I walked off while he babbled with his brain exploding.

It's a scam. And if it's true, just air up a few times and you would have almost all nitrogen in the tires.

The reason to use Nitrogen is a need to know the expansion rate of the gas more accurately. Typically not a problem on travel trailers.

[Wally15]

The primary reason to put nitrogen in your tires is because nitrogen is an inert gas, it doesn't really react with anything. The 21% oxygen in "air" is a reactive gas, actually oxygen is a corrosive. Think rust! By eliminating the O2 inside the tire, you reduce the chances of something happening to weaken the tire or rim internally, especially a steel rim. Hopefully the tire will keep the same "stuff", whether it's nitrogen or air, inside for 5-6 years.
Oh, the difference is size between an O2 and an N2 molecule is
only about 0.3 times 10 to the -10th meters (0.00000000003 meters). I looked it up.

[Fixjet]

Only one reason to use nitrogen in your tires. Reducing fire hazzard in an enclosed wheel well of an aircraft. If you have a fire and the thermal plugs release the tires pressure, little oxygen will feed the fire. Plus nitrogen will help slow the fire down. Been putting nitrogen in aircraft tires over 30 years, if it was worth using on trailers or vehicles the 1000 or so guys and gals I've worked with over the years would have fiqured that out and had our trucks in the hanger topping them off. Nitrogen leaks out too, that's why we check tire pressure every day. Save your money, buy some extra beer.

[JRTJH]

Originally Posted by Fixjet

Only one reason to use nitrogen in your tires. Reducing fire hazzard in an enclosed wheel well of an aircraft. If you have a fire and the thermal plugs release the tires pressure, little oxygen will feed the fire. Plus nitrogen will help slow the fire down. Been putting nitrogen in aircraft tires over 30 years, if it was worth using on trailers or vehicles the 1000 or so guys and gals I've worked with over the years would have fiqured that out and had our trucks in the hanger topping them off. Nitrogen leaks out too, that's why we check tire pressure every day. Save your money, buy some extra beer.

Well said, The wheels on my trailer aren't retractable and even if they did retract, knowing how Keystone builds things, the wheelwells wouldn't be "air tight" so I'm guessing I wouldn't have an explosive atmosphere with that 21% oxygen. I've been using that extra money for added adult beverages for years. Been using "plain old air" for 50+ years and it's worked great so far, I don't imagine I'll have any issues with swollen tires or explosions from leaks at ground level anyway. I spent 26 years in the Air Force first servicing and later flying "them things without propedders" and can't find a reason to drive to a welding shop to inflate with nitrogen either.

Originally Posted by GaryWT

Don't forget to check the spare.

x2

Got my trailer out of storage this weekend and aired up all the tires to max psi. Was a last-minute thought to check the spare. It was flat. The valve stem had shook loose and let all the air out.

Wes

[trackstand]

Originally Posted by CampDestinations.com

x2

Got my trailer out of storage this weekend and aired up all the tires to max psi. Was a last-minute thought to check the spare. It was flat. The valve stem had shook loose and let all the air out.

Wes

Make sure it is cold psi max, when You pull it the temp will build and they will be over inflated.

[Wally15]

Originally Posted by CampDestinations.com

x2

Got my trailer out of storage this weekend and aired up all the tires to max psi. Was a last-minute thought to check the spare. It was flat. The valve stem had shook loose and let all the air out.

Wes

Do you have metal valve stems? Reason I'm asking, a rubber stem being "shook loose" is most unusual, especially on a static spare. Metal stems, on the other hand, having two nuts holding the rubber gaskets in place, will leak if not tightened enough and the nuts work loose. Or the gaskets can leak if overtightened. It's extremely important to use Loctite or similar on metal stems during installation. A lot of dealers (shop workers) won't do it unless you insist on it. And make sure it's done to both nuts. Unfortunately, primarily for insurance reasons, most tire dealers won't let you go in the shop to make sure it's done right. One option is to go buy top quality metal stems and go to a tire dealer that also sells and mounts truck tires. Those workers usually know how to do a professional job installing metal stems. Think I'll repost this comment on a recent thread about TPMS issues. Of course, if this was a rubber valve stem that shook loose, I'll look like a know-it-all idiot.

Originally Posted by Wally15

Do you have metal valve stems? Reason I'm asking, a rubber stem being "shook loose" is most unusual, especially on a static spare. Metal stems, on the other hand, having two nuts holding the rubber gaskets in place, will leak if not tightened enough and the nuts work loose. Or the gaskets can leak if overtightened. It's extremely important to use Loctite or similar on metal stems during installation. A lot of dealers (shop workers) won't do it unless you insist on it. And make sure it's done to both nuts. Unfortunately, primarily for insurance reasons, most tire dealers won't let you go in the shop to make sure it's done right. One option is to go buy top quality metal stems and go to a tire dealer that also sells and mounts truck tires. Those workers usually know how to do a professional job installing metal stems. Think I'll repost this comment on a recent thread about TPMS issues. Of course, if this was a rubber valve stem that shook loose, I'll look like a know-it-all idiot.

It was the metal bit INSIDE the rubber valve stem that shook loose. I was able to use some small needle-nose pliers to spin it back in. I've got a tool for that purpose on it's way to me now so I can make sure it's really seated well. But I am considering the metal stems as I'll probably be changing out tires soon.