Seems to me the place to start is with the basics. There are many factors
which could contribute to overworking/overheating your tires.
How hot do the tires get when you run without the trailer? Tires have a
rating for "Temperature" as well as "Traction" and "Treadwear". Get "A's"
if you can, they'll run cooler. Avoid "C's"! Is the truck's alignment good?
Are you sure that your weight distribution on the trailer is correct? Make a
few calls and take your rig to a place that can measure tongue weight AT THE
BALL. Generally accepted is a range of 10 - 15 percent of the loaded trailer
GVW, with a maximum of 500 pounds. Move your car around until you get a
good balance, mark the spot, and put in positive stops in front of the front
wheels so you can hit the same spot each time. Note that you can screw it
up by putting tires or tools in the hatch of the car later.
If you can find a way to scale the weight at each side of the trailer when
loaded, it might clue you as to why one side is running at a higher temp.
You might have to load your car slightly offset. It would also be a good
idea to check the trailer's alignment. If the axles are not parallel, or they
are not square to the frame, you might be steering the tow vehicle, forcing
all 8 tires to do extra work. As trailer spring bolts/shackles wear, the
alignment can definitely go off.
Certainly if the springs on the `Burban are sagging, get them help, or replace
them. I went to air shocks on the Astro, as I can't use an equalizing hitch
setup with the trailer I tow. Oh yes... and apparently you have never checked
tire temps before while you are towing... I wouldn't consider ambient + 20 or
even + 30 to be excessive. I'd bet that the one which blew reached +100 long
before it went. I have not used a pyrometer, but expect tires to get warm
from flexing. But not HOT! The trailer - specific tires on the Trailex are
bias
ply, and they will always produce more heat than radials.
>Date: Mon, 17 May 1999 14:21:41 -0400
>From: dg50@daimlerchrysler.com
>Subject: Tow Truck Tire Trouble
>WHY can I not go to a Pro and not have An Adventure on the return trip?
>Coming home from Peru, about 9km north of the I69-US24 intersection, there
is an
>eash-shattering KABOOM! from my right-front tire, and suddenly I'm wrestling
a
>tiger. I manage to get the truck stopped and pulled over on to the shoulder,
and
>all the shiny surfaces are still pointed skywards.
<Major Snip>
>I _really_ don't want to go through that again, especially not at night, in
the
>rain, alone, on a road with no shoulder. I need to fix this now the RIGHT
way.
>Any suggestions?
>DG
|