How many people check their trailer tire temps at rest stops?

[Mark42]

I jump right out and put my hand on the trailer tire to feel the temp. Then I compare that to the truck/car tires as reference. The trailer runs cooler. I am surprised that the tires are only warm. I always thought they would be hot. I have 12" on my trailer.

 

[craze1cars]

Re: How many people check their trailer tire temps at rest stops?

I check the hubs for excessive heat frequently to ensure bearings are OK, but see no reason to check the tires themselves. If you checked for proper pressure in them before towing, I see little benefit.

 

[rwidman]

Re: How many people check their trailer tire temps at rest stops?

I check the tires, hubs, and brake drums with a non-contact infared thermometer. "Feeling" them isn't very accurate.<br /><br />I have recently significantly shortened my towing distance so there are no longer any "rest stops". There were several on the trip from MD to SC.

 

[milkyway]

Re: How many people check their trailer tire temps at rest stops?

The tire and rim should be warm to touch but never, never hot. If it becomes hot, then likely the pads are too tight and you may burn the brakes. Mine caught fire and burned the hoses. Loosen the pads and try it again. Always carry a fire extinguisher in your tow vehicle.

 

[NYMINUTE]

Re: How many people check their trailer tire temps at rest stops?

Every 50 miles or so. Check the tires to touch, and compare to each other. The hubs too. I do the truck tires as well. Had a WB go bad once, and a blowout (Carlise) on I-80. Neither of which I care to repeat.

 

[dorelse]

Re: How many people check their trailer tire temps at rest stops?

I check mine whenever I stop for gas, or at any break we take. I feel the tire & hubs, they're always warm, but never hot...so far so good.

 

[Frankhanhart]

Re: How many people check their trailer tire temps at rest stops?

Always do before I take off and at any stop on the road. Mostly on the caravan, don't haul long distances with the trailor. Check before I leave with the boat on though.<br />Frank

 

[fondafj]

Re: How many people check their trailer tire temps at rest stops?

As rwidman does, I use an infared thermometer. In less than 30 seconds I can cover all 4 trailer tires, hubs and the 6 tow vehicle tires. And the added bonus is ---- my hands are clean and ready to eat that yummy rest area food afterwards!!!

 

[JohnRuff]

Re: How many people check their trailer tire temps at rest stops?

What temperature should the hubs be when hauling?<br /><br />Same for the tires?

 

[John McFarlane]

Re: How many people check their trailer tire temps at rest stops?

JohnRuff, good question.<br />What is the point of checking the tyre/assembly temperatures if you don't know the correct running temp, or do the people with 'infared thermometers' have the knowledge?<br />Or is it more of a guess, and if something is hotter or colder, then a problem exists?<br />Do the temperatures of the tyres/wheel assemblies change with differing ambient temps?<br />What happens when you leave at 4 in the morning and the temp is -6C, and 3 hours later it's 26C? Does this impact on the temps of the tyres and if so, how is this compensated for? <br />Does the state of the road surface impact on tyre/wheel assembly temps?<br /><br />Too much technology.<br /><br />Stick your hand on the bits. If it starts to smoke, you've got a problem.

 

[Realgun]

Re: How many people check their trailer tire temps at rest stops?

With the sun beating down they get too hot to touch! And thats before I start towing!<br />The tires are at the proper pressure and the bearing were repacked. I do test the hubs after towing as the wind has usually cooled them down.

 

[John McFarlane]

Re: How many people check their trailer tire temps at rest stops?

'With the sun beating down they get too hot to touch! And thats before I start towing!'<br /><br />Wow, so is this the beginnings of a problem? My Grandfather drove trucks for a living, across some of the most inhospitable land Australia has to offer. He did this in the 40's and 50's, long before current tyre technology, and a good deal longer before tarred roads or freeways. Big rigs too, what we call 'road trains'. That's a truck/3 x trailer combination with about 42 tyres and up to 80 tons.<br /><br />He used a tyre gauge at the beginning of a trip (up to 5000 miles) and his hand during the trip. He knew what every tyre on the rig was doing, and even knew when one was about to fail, and he could tell the condition of the hub bearings using the same method.<br /><br />It came down to feel.<br /><br />Sometimes the simpliest techniques can be the best. His method certainly did the same job as technology does now. <br /><br />Sorry about the rant.......

 

[Mark42]

Re: How many people check their trailer tire temps at rest stops?

I saw a program on those Australian Road Trains. Those are something else! Your Dad sure had a lot of responsability behind the wheel of one of those rigs.

 

[BillP]

Re: How many people check their trailer tire temps at rest stops?

On long high speed hauls I usually check the hubs the first 50 miles or so. If they are ok I don't check again unless stopped for gas. Never had any that were more than slightly warm, even in 95f temps on the interstate. I check again before launching. Those drives are usually 4-6 hrs.

 

[dingbat]

Re: How many people check their trailer tire temps at rest stops?

Bearing operating parameters<br /> <br />Temperature<br /><br />Medium<br /> -30 to 110 °C/-22 to 230 °F<br /> <br />High<br /> -20 to 130 °C/-4 to 266 °F<br /> <br />Low<br /> -50 to 80 °C/-58 to 176 °F<br /><br />Your grease is the back bone of the system. Select your grease accordingly

 

[fondafj]

Re: How many people check their trailer tire temps at rest stops?

John Mc,<br /> Don't apologize, we are all learning from each other. I used my hands exclusively for many years and found problem brakes and bearings using this method. The IR thermometer does exactly the same thing ... a relative comparison of the tires and hubs. Certainly a cleaner and "geekier" way. <br />I didn't mean to mislead anyone into thinking there was actually a science involved, just good ol' common sense using newer technology.

 

[BoatBuoy]

Re: How many people check their trailer tire temps at rest stops?

Australian Road Train. I count 110 tires.<br />

 

[jwharan]

Re: How many people check their trailer tire temps at rest stops?

i 2nd that, 110 tires, not including probably a 6-pack of spares

 

[BillP]

Re: How many people check their trailer tire temps at rest stops?

WOW, what do they usually haul?

 

[John McFarlane]

Re: How many people check their trailer tire temps at rest stops?

They haul everything. From sheep to coal to home contents. The distances here in Australia are significant, and successive governments have allowed the rail system to fail.<br /><br /> http://www.australianroadtrains.com.au/gallery.asp <br /><br /> http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/content_pages/record.asp?recordid=43494&Reg=1 <br /><br />Longest roadtrain in the world was in Australia, over 4000 feet long.