Given good operating practices, your trailer should last you for many years without any major hassles. You may use it on a daily basis, especially if you are a trader of some kind and rely on its efficiency to haul goods and equipment from point to point. However, you do need to ensure that the trailer is well maintained and set up properly, or it could end up costing you more money than necessary in the long haul. In particular, you need to keep an eye on your tyres and use the information you gather to make changes if necessary. What do you need to be on the lookout for?

Tyres Can Tell a Story

You may not think that the tyres on your trailer need as much attention as those on your truck or towing vehicle. After all, they just follow the leader and go wherever your truck goes, correct? However, if you haven't set everything up correctly you will come across irregular tyre wear on your trailer covers and this can lead to additional cost, mishandling or even a blowout if you're not careful.

Making an Inspection

When was the last time that you had a good look at this rubber? These are some of the issues you could uncover:

Edging

If you find scuffing along the edges of the tyre this signifies that they are underinflated relevant to the load that you carry on a typical day. If your loads do vary a lot, you have to get into the habit of adjusting the pressure of these tyres based on how much "stuff" you've got on the bed that day.

Centre Wear

Conversely, if you find that the tyres are worn in the centre this indicates that they are overinflated and once again you need to adjust as necessary based on the weight that they have to carry.

One-Sided

If you've been inadvertently carrying too much weight on the trailer based on its recommended axle rating, you will find that the tyres tend to wear on one side only. This indicates that they are out of alignment and you need to take the trailer into a mechanic to get everything lined up properly again. This expert will also be able to help you if there is wear on the inside front edge of the tyre, which can be caused by incorrect "toe in."

Taking Action

If you find wear in a number of different places when you inspect your tyres, it's certainly time for you to take them in to be replaced and to get an urgent realignment as well. 

Visit an automotive shop that handles trailer repairs to learn more about maintenance.

Share