Balancing your trailer tires

[Redbug]

Just a query...I have noticed that almost all trailers on the lots, etc., do not have the tires balanced. Is it to make more profit? I have several trailers of different sorts and take the tires off and have them balanced at the tire place. But it seems most folks I have noticed run with unbalanced trailer tires. I am talking about the larger tires...14" and up. In my opinion a tire is a tire...whether on a trailer or not. Does the RV trailer pulling bunch not have them balanced? What do you recommend?

 

[Dusty]

I would think that they don't balance the tires because vibration from an out of balance tire isn't a concern. I have never balanced trailer tires, nor have I ever seen any trailers with balanced tires. It can't hurt, but will it have much effect, I doubt it. Unless a tire is badly out of balance, I doubt that balancing will add to its service life.
Dusty

 

[wushaw]

Big truck tires are not ballanced either. I don't ballance any of my trailer tires.

 

[DieselPower]

Big truck tires are not ballanced either. I don't ballance any of my trailer tires.

If they don't care about ride quality and tire life they don't. I balance heavy truck tires almost daily in my repair business. Others add balance plates between the rim's and hubs. Others use tire balance beads (Equal) that go inside the tire. Medium and heavy duty truck tires are no different than car tires, they need to be balanced.

I balance all of my trailer tires for longer life and even tire tread wear.

 

[kenmac]

I remember years several ago that they didn't bother to balance large truck tires. But, I think that has changed over the years. Most large truck tires these days are balanced

 

[wushaw]

If they don't care about ride quality and tire life they don't. I balance heavy truck tires almost daily in my repair business. Others add balance plates between the rim's and hubs. Others use tire balance beads (Equal) that go inside the tire. Medium and heavy duty truck tires are no different than car tires, they need to be balanced.

I balance all of my trailer tires for longer life and even tire tread wear.

I know I don't put the miles on my Pete like a OTR driver does but mine are not balanced with any of the methods you listed, I don't have any abnormal tire wear and the ride is smooth. I know they can be balanced if you want or have a need to.
I see trailer tires on your average trailer owner dry rotting before ever wearing them out. I can understand the landscaper or someone using their trailer regularly balancing them to get the most milage out of them but other wise.... why

 

[patrick_g]

IF you don't pull a trailer fast for great distances and only use it intermittently the tires will be unsafe due to age before they will wear out or show dangerous uneven wear. Triple axle trailers will scrub the rubber off befor uneven wear can do much harm. You'd have to have a pretty badly made tire to need balancing if you are the intermittent trailer user. I use "SLIME" or equivalent in all truck, and trailer tires and think it gives the same dynamic balancing action as the "SILVER POWDER" that was installed in a 6 tire and wheel set of 19.5 inch I had shipped to me.

Pat

 

[Bird]

Does the RV trailer pulling bunch not have them balanced? What do you recommend?

I sure wanted all the tires balanced on my RVs or any other trailer.

 

[patrick_g]

Bird, Depending on intended use, balancing trailer tires can be a good thing. Although I don't think it matters for slow travel especially intermittent use, highway speeds and extended distances argue for it. The trailer manufacturer where I bought my last two trailers, custom to my desires, didn't ask if I wanted them ballanced. They just do it with wheel weights. They do ask if you want 15 or 16 inch rims and if you want used or new tires but they ballance everything, I think.

I go with new 16 inch load range "E" and a spare.

My 1 ton Cummins/Dodge has been upgraded to 19.5 Alcoa Rims and Michelins. They came with a balancing powder in them. I was skeptical but after 60,000 miles the tires are wearing very evenly and I can see that they will certainly rot off before they wear out. Just speaking figuratively. At some point I will access the condition of the sidewalls and decide to replace them but not for a while. The tires are aboiut 9 years old and have about 1/2 of the tread left. I use an ultraviolet and ozone protectant on them so they are not deteriorating as fast as unprotected tires. This is a brush-on product I bought at camping world. I am quite pleased with it.

Pat

Pat

 

[KICK]

Big truck tires are not ballanced either. I don't ballance any of my trailer tires.

not true.

my employer leases Goodyear tires and tire service, the balance all of them.

unless you dont consider 285/70-22.5 to be big tires.