TM Tires

This is partially a rant, but includes some questions for the long time TM owners.
I just returned from a trip to Gettysburg, PA! Great camping destination if you haven't been! On to the rant: I had two blow outs on the trailer, one on the way to the campgraound and one on the way home. By looking at the tires I could not see any visible wear and tear, and both tires had very low mileage.
Then of course having to open the trailer (twice) to change tires along a busy interstate, was not my best travel experience.
So, what do folks do to keep the tires in good condition, especially when a trailer sits for several months?
What are some ways I can tell if the tires are aging, and ready to pop?
I hope that I am not asking something that has already been covered in another thread.
Thanks for any and all comments and suggestions!

[B_and_D]

After we had our blowout, we don't carry much of a load in the TM. No full water tank, no un-dumped grey/black water. We keep our speed down, especially with it's hot outside. Anything that weighs a lot goes into the truck, including soda bottles, canned foods, etc.

When our tires are between 4 and 5 years old (depending on the kind of trips we are planning) we will replace them.

We keep our tires covered from the sun, and "turn" them every two months or so when we're not camping (I jack up the trailer and turn them about 1/3 of a rotation).

[commodor47]

You might also consider installing steel valve stems. I bought two new tires this spring and had steel valve stems installed, including the spare tire (and had all three tires balanced). A visual inspection of the tire sidewall can also reveal possible tire issues. Look for slight dents or raised areas that could develop into weak points. Run your hand along the sidewall and note any irregularities. Have you accidentally hit a curb or some other object? That could lead to tire failure down the road (no pun intended). If a tire is questionable, I would rather spend the extra money up front (to replace the tire) than have to change the tire along an interstate.

Dick

Originally Posted by NCCamper

This is partially a rant, but includes some questions for the long time TM owners.
I just returned from a trip to Gettysburg, PA! Great camping destination if you haven't been! On to the rant: I had two blow outs on the trailer, one on the way to the campgraound and one on the way home. By looking at the tires I could not see any visible wear and tear, and both tires had very low mileage.
Then of course having to open the trailer (twice) to change tires along a busy interstate, was not my best travel experience.
So, what do folks do to keep the tires in good condition, especially when a trailer sits for several months?
What are some ways I can tell if the tires are aging, and ready to pop?
I hope that I am not asking something that has already been covered in another thread.
Thanks for any and all comments and suggestions!

NCCamper, we're kinda keeping up with member tire failures and brands. Can you let us know all the info about your failed tires: Brand, size, DOT number, how the tire failed (ie. sidewall or tread blowout, tread peel, etc.)

This is for our information in trying to determine if one tire is more prone to failures than others amongst TrailManor owners.

Any information you care to share with us would be appreciated.

Thanks