Spare tire on underside of DUMP trailer bed

[Mace Canute]

What works in theory often does not work in practice...

 

[Sodo]

True.
I may never need a spare.
.
.
.
Dang probably shoudnt have written that......

 

[Big Barn]

The only given is that you will need one if you didn’t have it.

 

[downsizingnow48]

What is the rhododendron problem? I have lots of wild rhododendrons and they seem to be inoffensive. Pretty for a couple weeks when they all bloom.

btw I got a 5x10 dump trailer for the same reason, a bigger one would not go where I need it and harder to tuck out of the way in some corner.

 

[Sodo]

What is the rhododendron problem? I have lots of wild rhododendrons and they seem to be inoffensive.

The SWMBO

 

[downsizingnow48]

Oh yes. Running over a rhododendron very bad form.

 

[Sodo]

.....shoulda kept my trap shut.

Spare bolted underneath.
Just long 12” carriage bolts from the wood deck (& nuts)
The spare tire (underneath) had 25psi, I put it there in 2014 and have NEVER checked the pressure.
Iasn’t so bad getting it out from under.
No spare at all coulda been a lot worse.:shocked:

Luckily I have an air compressor on my truck.

Just finished, now having a burger.
Luckily had everything I needed.

 

[Big Barn]

Sodo, you probably should go to a heavier ply or better quality tire if you’ve been having problems.

 

[downsizingnow48]

On tire scrubbing. I move the trailer around the property with a hitch on the FEL and raise it high enough to get the front axle off the ground or at least greatly reduce the weight on that axle. That is easier on the tractor, the trailer, and the ground too.

On tires, I shifted to LRE 15" and 16" tires and that eliminated every flat tire problem except running over screws and nails.

 

[Shaneard]

On tire scrubbing. I move the trailer around the property with a hitch on the FEL and raise it high enough to get the front axle off the ground or at least greatly reduce the weight on that axle. That is easier on the tractor, the trailer, and the ground too.

On tires, I shifted to LRE 15" and 16" tires and that eliminated every flat tire problem except running over screws and nails.

There’s no way to eliminate flats, I had load range E tires on this trailer and it blew doing 60mph on the interstate hauling a tractor. I learned not to buy load range E tires made in China anymore.


When I ordered our gooseneck I paid extra to have American made tires put on it.

 

[Sodo]

Sodo, you probably should go to a heavier ply or better quality tire if you’ve been having problems.

They're load range D, 2450 lbs.
The stuff I move can't load them any heavier.

Dump trailer tire was "General" brand, made in USA, 2540lb rated, and I was probably loading it to 2250lb with 3 yds of dirt: 9,000 lbs.
But I've never driven it (with load) faster than 25mph.
I've scrubbed them fully loaded (9000 lbs) on gravel many times 'cuzza where I load.
And sometimes when dumping of course.
The manufacture date is 1998, they could be "original" cuz the trailer is a 1999.

Pat I think scrubbing empty trailer tires is zero concern - other than picking up a nail etc.
Putting the trailer where you want it (and avoiding the Rhododendrons) with minimal effort is far higher on the list.
The tractor is a good way to move empty trailers around, but it can be efficient to put it away before unhooking from the truck.

Car trailer (yesterday's failure) has unknown tire history.
Tires are Carlisle, load range D, 2450 lb, from 2003, made in China.
The guy I bought it from said it had "new tires" when I bought it in 2013.
I suppose that meant "he bought them new in 2003".
They did have full treads, real good condition.
So they were in-use (lightly) for 10 years, but no idea if inflation/loading was monitored properly.
That guy used the trailer for many years with no spare at all.

I don't load it anywhere near the tire maximum, but there was a time that I had driven it loaded, and the tires were under-inflated.
That __was__ under my watch, and could have overheated some of them.

I'm not sure I need to increase my tire capacities, the numbers don't suggest it.
They seem to be lasting OK, just getting old.

A couple failures makes a guy pay more attention to "proper inflation" though.

 

[Big Barn]

Yes your specs seem okay. The tires are getting old just like the rest of us.

Nobody likes inflation, but when it comes to tires it’s best to pay attention.

 

[crazyal]

It's up to you and I normally am not the safety police but I would think, assuming you didn't, of adding a safety bar than can be flipped up. I've only had one cylinder collapse on me (due to a hose that burst) but it dropped like a stone. I wasn't in any danger but it has given me a healthy respect for the forces. It looks like to get that spare out you are going to be under the bed when raised far enough where you might not get away from it.

 

[Sodo]

of adding a safety bar than can be flipped up.

Yup it has one.
I would guess...... that all hydraulic dump trailers include a safety bar (if commercially produced).

 

[downsizingnow48]

To be clear I move the trailer with front axle off the ground loaded as well as unloaded. Rarely have more than 4000 lbs in it though.