I left from Thunderhill on Friday evening.
i got about two exits down the freeway and I see this truck driver on the other side of the freeway with his eyes all bugged out like a Volkswagen!

I looked in my mirror and I see smoke billowing out of my fender well on my dual axle trailer. Then sparks

Total blowout.


KT

Sorry to hear that Trek. I was wondering where you were heading at that hour.

Jen

I had to strap the axle up off the ground so I could limp back to town and get a room for the night.

I got a new tire this morning.

KT

imagine that scenerio in a 914!

yeah that was me

b

wow Trekkor, that is tough luck

I guess we will be buying a spare?

The tire was GONE.

On the bright side:
It could have happened on the way to the track causing me to miss the event.
Or it could have caused an accident.
Or it could have been raining or dark...

I went back to the track today to watch the Porsche racing.

KT

Mine was prettier coming home from Thunderhill in 2004. Looked in the mirror and saw cars weaving all around me to dodge tire chunks coming from my trailer.

Luckily I carry a spare.

Isn't it purdy!

Bill P.

good job mcguiver.sp?

i lost one on my toy hauler, didn't notice till i got off the exit and noticed in the rear view as i went around a corner the tire on the middle axel was gone, just about 3" of sidewall left.

I will have a spare from now on.

Here's a much nicer pic.


KT

White 911 Bob Stefanwicz one of the fastest if not the fastest 911 in the USA
red and silver 911 appears to be Joe Wong....a former student of mine.

Are you running trailer rated tires? You should, it's worth it.

A can of Fix-a-flat will fix that right up.

You wouldn't have to sell those sweet wide stealies to pay for the repair now would you????

Car tires are not up to the challenge....long term.

QUOTE

I was wondering where you were heading at that hour.

That was funny, Jenny.

I was cruising along and here comes Jenny on the feeway along side me waving.

She faded back for a moment...


As she passed me again she was smiling and lifted her 914 club hat for me to see...I lifted mine, too.

Classic.


KT

I do run trailer tires.
The tire guy found a nail in the bad one.
It went flat and died.




KT

ouch

if you see jenny while driving... pull over. you are about to explode a tire

QUOTE (Aaron Cox @ Mar 11 2006, 09:53 PM)

if you see jenny while driving... pull over. you are about to explode a tire

Is that because she has hex appeal?

Thank you, I'll be here all week.

WTF you dont carry a spare trailer tire?

dont want to get all soap boxed up but I carry two spares for my trailer.

Two spares for that trailer might cost $300.. cheaper than a newtire+hotel room+ missed track event

QUOTE (drew365 @ Mar 11 2006, 09:56 PM)

QUOTE (Aaron Cox @ Mar 11 2006, 09:53 PM) if you see jenny while driving... pull over. you are about to explode a tire  :lol: Is that because she has hex appeal? Thank you, I'll be here all week.

Brian and I were just driving along. I look up and see a racecar on a trailer. Looked at first like a camaro, 'cause of the stripes. Whoa, it's a teener! I pointed it out to Brian, and he asks me "Do you know it?" like he always does when we spot a 914. I thought for a minute, and was like "It's Trekkor!!!" It's pretty sad how excited I get when I see a teener on the road. More so when it's one I recognize. Trek did look really tired. Now I know why.

Jen

Nice end to the day


I'll never be without a spare again.


KT

Trekkor,
Glad you didnt lose control and spill the load - after that nice new paint job....btw great makeshift axle-lift with the tie downs.
Greg

Happened again!

This time two exits before TH.

And I had a spare

5 minute pit stop on the side of I-5 at 6:00 am


KT

Trekkor,
you need to check the alignment of your trailer's axles.
You may have a situation where the trailer is "dog legging" behind your truck.

Need to measure from your hitch ball connector, and each axle on both the right and the left.

Not from the spring shackles but from where each axle actually is attached to the spring. (spring perch)

I have seen similar situations and they were caused by misaligned axles.

Glad you had a spare this time

You buying these tires at Horbour Freight?

You got bad trailer karma dude.

i carried a can of fix-a-flat this w/e because i didn't have time to get to the tire store -- but getting a spare is a definite TO-DO after seeing this thread!

This was the front left. The last was the right rear.

They were 5-6 years old. Full tread. "C" rated trailer radials.

3 are less than a year old and the spare will go back to being the spare when the new tire goes on.

I wonder how long you keep a trailer tire before replacing?
It would take twenty years to "wear" them out. ( the tread )


KT

i replace tires on my RV trailer every 3rd year.

the damage to trailer tires is done by exposure to UV especially if the trailer is stored out doors.

My 8000# RV is parked at the side of my house and the tires are always covered.

I also inspect the side walls very closely before each outing.

Dry rot and UV exposure....leads to sidewall cracking.

If you care for them properly they can safely last for many years.

I have been pulling RVs, boats and racecar trailers for 35+ years with no flats or blowouts using the above guidelines.

I still think you should check your axles for being square on the trailer.

I trailered all the way to WCC last year at Willow Springs with no problem.

Then to Anahiem.
Then back to Napa.

Been to Marina about ten times...2.5 hours one way.

Brand is Carlisle


KT

Get yourself some Goodyear trailer tires. All those RV manufacturers don't use them just for the heck of it.

Axles being out of alignment could have happened at any time.
This could have been cumulative over time.

Or something recently that caused misalignment.

I would get them all checked very carefully and then think of replacing them all with a good brand name tire.

i'll do all of the above.

The axles have a placement seating pin on the spring carriages.
they only mount in one place...No adjustments possible.

Ams Tire Co will replace this blown tire free.

I'll need to figure something out.
I was *nervous* driving home with no spare again.


KT

Trek,
the axles themselves can be bent causing increased tire wear....friction leading to premature failure.

the axles can still be out of alignment even with the centering pins.

This whole situation is a real bummer.

Luckily you have not had anything more than the tires shread.

After my "incident" last year over hi-way 17, I replaced the axles with new heavy-duties.

i hope this doesn't become some re-run thread every three months


KT

That last statement would tend to make me think that your tire problems are related to your new axles.
they may not have been properly aligned during installation....?

Uh-oh...

I installed 'em.

How do i check that alignment again?


KT

if solid axles, you'd think the tire on the other side of the same axle would have strange wear problems....

can you have somebody pull your trailer in a straight line and follow behind it to see if you notice anything odd?

how about chalkig the tires?

Measure from the end of the axle to the center of the ball socket on the right end of the axle and on the left end. If the measurement isn't the same the axle isn't square with the frame. See this diagram...

http://www.crofttrailer.com/added_information3.htm

Good diagram Paul.

that is what I was going for.

Here's some measurements:

left front and right front are 148" each from the hitch to the edge of the rim.
Then from hub center to hub center, the right rear is 3/16" further back then the left rear.

The tires don't show any unusual wear.

All I can think is that these were both older tires.


KT

Trekkor,
I know 3/16" doesn't sound like much, but just think if the alignment on your car or truck were off by that much.

My front left blew out this time. With equal measurements. Old tire.

The trailer tracks very nice. No whipping or pulling from side to side.

I'll go double check my measurements.


KT

My trailer is sitting on uneven gravel and I'm not sure the measurements are accurate.

I'll have to pull it out on flat ground.

I guess the "right" way to do this would be to put it on stands, no wheels, and then measure.

If it is indeed out, can I safely oval the pin locating holes to adjust the axles?

KT

Sure, whatever works. You may want to weld a small piece of key stock or something to hold it in place after you get it set just right. Check it several time before you do this.

Hmmmm.... is this a Patrick Motorsports Trailer by any chance????