when to request trailer tires?

Who cares? For pete sake if the tires are legal or close to legal just quit #####'en and pull the trailer.

 

No cuts or tears that expose the belts.

It's a trailer tire, stop abusing it and stop worrying about it.

 

Check for cracks in the sidewalls, bulges in the sidewall, and tread separation if it's a recap.
Your shop can tell you what their policy is on trailer tire replacement.
Until then , just run it.

 

Take pictures of what you think the problem areas are and forward them to your maintenance Dept.

 

Better yet post em here and we will tell you, and you will learn.

Trailer tires on the outside right are the two most abused at curbs etc. If you start tearing into the sidewalls possibly all the way down to metal, they need replacement. Ive had tires get a hole punched by fire hydrants (Don't ask...) and get replaced.

In the old days before ABS I took out a car and used all of the brakes on the 495 near DC in the NE side. The pavement ate into and embedded into the tread blocks of apshalt on all 8 of the tires, all of them were replaced.

Tread depth is a good measure. Also look along the tread and sidewall around the cap you can see a sort of a bead line for recap tires. Some times a failing tire will begin to bulge there, replace them instantly because that is your only warning before a zipper failure. It's basically a bomb that unzips the entire tread and throws it up to hit anyone and everyone in the path.

Tires that cut or cup the threads in the corners working to the middle have suspension problems if not outright sliding tandem mis alignment etc.

I can go on the more I think about trailer tires in particular. Where I used to run, checking under them for bums sleeping off the drink before leaving the dock etc in the very early morning is necessary to save thier lives.

Duals, tires touching one another is a no no. Air pressure check and add until no more touching. You might discover one or both of them are weakening and need replacement.

If you are given a assigned trailer and do not unhook for months, unhook anyway and put some greasse onto your 5th wheel or a plate designed to provide lube action onto the plate. Understeering in the rain due to no grease will tear your front end up.

Some drivers say stop crying and move on down the road. I say check the #### things before you do. They are your responsibility and to check them means you are going to detect a problem before it really becomes a problem.

In the old days I don't know if those rules are still apply now but we used to stop every 150 miles or three hours to do a walk around checking for excessive heat on the tires and wear etc. The main goal is to head off tire fires which once lit, you need to use a shovel after taking the tire off and bury it in dirt (After moving your trailer away.) Now? Just unhook, empty your firebottle onto the fire and get that tractor out of there and away. If it's hazmat and you have a tire fire you got big problems. Call first three. First to 911 with hazmat to fire dept, second to the dispatcher and third to the 800 number on your hazmat BOL papers for incidents and emergencies. The town or county you are in will depend on your actions to communicate fast and save lives. The firebottle wont stop tire fires.

Bad brakes that heat up and then burn will catch your tires on damage and burning too.

Im pretty sure someone else will come up with more problems for tires under your trailer. But the goal is to be viligant and catch the problems early to replace the tires before they really get to be a problem.

If you are abusing the tires, stop it. It's not a solution to whatever is aggravating you. Fix that too. Before someone stops you.

Good luck.

 

What does thread depth is fine but there is wear mean?
Do you mean for the majority of the tire it's fine, but there is a bald spot on the tires? If that is the case the tires are not legal as the wording for depth check states "when measured at any point on a major tread groove"
If they simply look worn then suck it up and pull the trailer.

Here is the criteria per FMCSA that makes in legal or not..
http://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/retrieveECFR?gp=1&ty=HTML&h=L&mc=true&=PART&n=pt49.5.393#se49.5.393_175

 

Have you asked your boss/shop about it?

 

yay or nay ? I voted nay, boss said yay lol