Tire Replacement?

Hello Everyone,

I've been wondering if I should replace my trailer tires.

I have a 550 Ultra built in 2006 that I bought from a woman in 2020. (She bought it a few years earlier from the original owner.) This woman I bought it from only used the trailer one time and kept it in her garage. The tires looked pretty nice when I bought the trailer and I forgot or don't remember if she told me if they were ever replaced.

The tires are Tempra Esquire A/S P215/75R14. I've searched online and can't them find - I was thinking it would help me figure out there age. Also I've removed the tires and cannot seem to find the mfg date stamped on the tire.

My guess is I've put 3500 - 4000 miles on the tires.

The tires still look new with almost no wear, good tread and the sidewalls are fine and smooth.

So my question is since they still look great should I replace them anyway because I don't know their history/age? Is it always better to be safe than sorry?

If you think they should be replaced - what do you folks recommend?

Looking forward to your thoughts.

Regards,
Bruce

 

Thanks for the tip...

I found the numbers "RER 3804" on the tire - see pic attached. If this is the manufacture date, it's the 38th week of 04, my guess it's September 2004? This means the tires are 20 years old?

The trailer was built in 2006. Could these be the original tires???

What am I missing here?

 

If your tires read 3804, indeed they are 20 years old. It's time.
There are a number of factors that age tires at different rates, but at 20 years it is really time. Better replace at home than on the road somewhere.

 

This trailer has always been kept in my garage since 2020 and I think the woman I bought the trailer kept it in her garage too.

Anyone have suggestions on what tires I should buy to replace them?

Bruce

 

Several of us have replaced the OEMs with Goodyear Endurance. Thats one place to start looking.

 

Once you get them replaced, don't let the new ones spend their entire life in the garage.

 

Bruce: If anything, this video will at least give you a short list of "possibles". I can't speak to this YouTuber's expertise and ability to accurately rank the list, but it does not appear to be biased. Pun intended.

 

Hi Bruce!

Definatley, I'm a believer in the better safe than sorry. Tires are only supposed to last 5 years before they become a risk. Its smart to be doing this...dry rot isn't necessarily visible, and while the manufacturers do permit an inspections are an option the tire industry does permit, tires are cheap, campers are expensive, and a roadside breakdown can be deadly.

Have you greased and inspecte the wheel bearings? A re-pack of them might be a good idea. This (not camp-inn specifically) is often overlooked maintenance item, and with CI its even worse since there is so little to maintain, its easy to just forget. Ahem, not saying. Just saying.

Its an afternoon to do the bearings and brakes, much less time if you've done it a few times, then electric brake adjustment. The nice part is, that's really all you have to do to beyond winterization

 

Bad joke! Bad! You, now...straight to bed and no supper!

 

I am chastened. But it was irresistible.

Just to head off at the pass a few other possible questions:

The Endurance have load and speeding ratings that are at the upper end for trailer tires. With the C-I's relatively low and constant trailer weight (compared to the tire's max load rating), you won't be coming close to the weight limit, or continually adjusting tire pressure, as one might with large utility trailers that are continually loaded and unloaded with heavy loads. The C-I's pressures should should stay within the 28-32 PSI range, despite its max inflation rating, BTW. As well, with the high speed rating, you won't come close to over-heating at reasonable highway speeds.

Staying far under the tires rated limits should allow them to live a long, uneventful life, as per Sweeney's 5-year ceiling mentioned above. i.e. as with current set, you get to retire them to greener pastures (another bad pun).

 

Excellent... I'm going with the Goodyear.

Just took a look at the spare tire which has never been used. The spare is the same age as the campers tires.

Replace this tire?

Bruce

 

Definitely.

If you're going with an under-the-bed, full-speed highway spare, like Camp-Inn sells, ask what their current model is. If you're going with a full-size spare, like I carry, then a lower-cost basic tire, like Carlisle, will get you going again.

Like the others have said: low use, zero wear, pristine appearance, lack of exposure to UV, are all irrelevant factors. Rubber ages and we can't stop it. 5 or 6 years is all we can expect. We apply the same replacement principles to bike helmets and child car seats.

When sourcing tires, physically look at the date stamp. On-line tires, from a seller that doesn't have much turnover, or deeply discounted tires can be as much as 2-3 years beyond their manufacture date. Which means that they have already lived half their life before they even hit the road.

 

+ 1 on Goodyear Endurance

 

This is what can happen when a tire ages out. The tread looks pretty good though. Replace every 5 years or buy a nice chair to sit in beside the road.

 

A picture is worth a lot. Thanks.

Most car tires wear out out the tread before they 'Time Out". So many of us never give tire age a second thought. And which is the opposite of how most trailer tires go to die.

So, if you are a regular trailer hauler, who switches out tires every 3 or 4 years after they've worn down, you aren't necessarily conditioned to think of them from that (age) perspective either.

For the rest of us intermittent trailer haulers who don't put on a lot of miles, and who still regularly see lots of tread left on our trailer tires (but can't remember exactly how long ago we bought them) remaining continually cognizant of the manufacture date can take some extra effort.

 

Got myself a couple Goodyear Endurance tires today. The tire's recommended inflation is 65 psi. I asked the installer about inflating to 35 psi and he said flat-out no that would cause problems.

In the thread above, Steve / Karen wrote "The C-I's pressures should should stay within the 28-32 PSI range, despite its max inflation rating"

I don't really understand why I wouldn't follow the MFG's recommendation.

Seems others here have the Goodyear tires. What inflation do you run on these tires?

Bruce

 

The max psi is for the max load rating. The loaded Camp-Inn weight doesn't even come close to that.

Over-inflate at 65 psi and you will have a trailer that is bouncing all over the place, and a prematurely worn center on the tire.

Camp-Inn is rather specific about the recommended psi. Check the tongue plate for recommended pressures, and/or the manual. Some even run the trailer at somewhat less than 28 psi with good results.

For the tire retailer to say that, without knowing the characteristics of the trailer is, well... I'll let someone else fill in blank.

 

I had no idea that one could use less pressure in a tire than the inflation marked on a tire's sidewall.

Yep the manual and tongue plate both have a pressure recommendation of 30 psi.

The old tires sidewall had the inflation marked 3o - 35 psi so I assumed this was why CI recommend 30 psi.

Really appreciate the knowledge base in this CI community! Everyone is so helpful.