While not scientific I have found that running max pressure seems to be the worst possible scenario. In the past 5 years I have had 9 blown tires on 3 different trailers. All tires were aired up in the evening before a trip. I have tried balancing them, rotating them, anything to keep tires from blowing. I had E and D rated tires, 15" and 16" inch tires. I have had the trailers weighted and been within specs, but still they failed. I do run right around max pressure for the trailer and tires and the last two trailers are over 15,000pd loaded.
Now in the past year I have had no blown tires, the only thing different is I dropped my pressure 4-5 pds from max. So, tire says 80pds max I run 75. I know have over 4,000 miles without a tire going out. Much better luck than when I ran full pressure. I seem to get better wear also.
radvans wrote: While not scientific I have found that running max pressure seems to be the worst possible scenario. In the past 5 years I have had 9 blown tires on 3 different trailers. All tires were aired up in the evening before a trip. I have tried balancing them, rotating them, anything to keep tires from blowing. I had E and D rated tires, 15" and 16" inch tires. I have had the trailers weighted and been within specs, but still they failed. I do run right around max pressure for the trailer and tires and the last two trailers are over 15,000pd loaded.
Now in the past year I have had no blown tires, the only thing different is I dropped my pressure 4-5 pds from max. So, tire says 80pds max I run 75. I know have over 4,000 miles without a tire going out. Much better luck than when I ran full pressure. I seem to get better wear also.
So a recap:
max pressure 9 tires in 5 years blown
5pds under max pressure 0 tires in 1yr blown
I am inclined to guess your success has more to do with you likely running 16" E rated tires now versus D or even E rated 15" earlier- You can get much better quality 16" tires than you can 15".
It is an indisputable fact that lower psi makes tires run hotter and heat kills tires.
Could be luck- could be your driving slower, could be it has been cooler when you have been driving but 5 pounds lower psi is not likely to be what is saving your tires.
Tire threads are like a fire drill with too many cooks stirring the stew and nobody remembers to turn off the stove when leaving.......
Without doing wheel position weighting on a regular basis using the Load and Inflation tables is a risky proposition.
For ST tires running max pressure/within 3% is the IMO the safest way to treat trailer tires. As stated most will not wear out the tread before the need to replace comes via a different reason.
LT tires could be adjusted somewhat for load safely but turning resistance/tire scrubbing and rolling resistance will increase dramatically.
IMO anything you can do on a trailer to lower tire running temperature is a good thing. Heat is what causes tire failure. Tire heat is directly affected by inflation and carcass bruising/damage.
Have never yet run max pressure on sidewall. Yes I know weight on each tire. Used pressure tables, then added 5 psi for luck, for over 35 years and 180,000 TT miles, all ST tires. 0 tires blown, 0 delam, no damage. Did have several repairable nail holes.
But, that does not "prove" anything. I am going to keep doing it because it has worked so well so far.
Chuck
Wonderful Wife
Lovely German Shepherd.
1999 Mercedes ML320 TV
2003 Wanderer 187TB Toybox (3620# UVW, 4800# loaded) Not yet camped in Hawaii, 2 Canada Provinces, & 2 Territories. I can't be lost because I don't care where this lovely road is going
Offline
