Flat Tires on 3326's ??

I seem to recall that the 3326 was a two-axle 4-tire trailer equipped with 14-inch Goodyear Marathons. Assuming that you have size 215/75R14 (and not 205's), each of those those tires is rated to carry 1870 pounds, so on a 4-tire trailer, the tires are rated for a total of 7480 pounds. This is a very generous total, so I don't think you need to do anything other than replace the tires with the same Goodyear Marathons.

As a quick note, it appears that 14-inch Marathons came in both a 205/75R14 and a 215/75R14 size. There is a small difference in load-carrying capacity, but these tires apparently fit on wheels with a different size. So when you replace your tires, you should duplicate the size you already have.

You may have been reading about TM owners upgrading from 14-inch tires to 15-inch tires. All TMs other than the 3326 are single axle trailers, so the two tires together were rated 3740 pounds. This is uncomfortably close to the actual loaded weight of the trailer, so there were more tire failures than there should have been. Retrofitting these tires with 15-inch version was an easy way to increase the load carrying rating. Since you have four tires, you need not do so.

Hope this helps.

Bill

Recently there was a "Poll" taken on the subject of tire blow-outs that had good information about types of blow-outs on the various TM's, but as quoted above, the TM 3326 has 2 axles with a total of 4 tires over which to distribute the load which makes the 3326 unique.

I am curious if any 3326er has had a non-road-hazard related flat tire and if any serious damage occurred. Just theorizing but it seems to me that the risks of a flat tire, though NOT entirely eliminated, would be greatly reduced with the two axles and also that the presence of a second tire right next to the flattening one would reduce the risks of debris hitting the plumbing.

Question: Has any 3326er had a non-hazard related flat and was there plumbing damage resulting from it?

I am doing tire research for a replacement of our original Marathons later this year, and came across this thread. Our 3326 is not moving right now, we use it in a campground so I will replace the tires later.

A tire blowout on a dual wheel trailer, in my opinion, carries the same risk as a single for equipment damage. Tire tread can and will be kicked up by the rear tire even if the front is the failed location. Watch a semi blow a tire from a safe distance and the tread will often be kicked up by the rear tires.

This is why I decided to install a safety cage on our plumbing. It was a one time investment that gives us peace of mind to deflect any road hazards, not just blown tires.

[davlin]

Originally Posted by TravlinOn

Recently there was a "Poll" taken on the subject of tire blow-outs that had good information about types of blow-outs on the various TM's, but as quoted above, the TM 3326 has 2 axles with a total of 4 tires over which to distribute the load which makes the 3326 unique.

I am curious if any 3326er has had a non-road-hazard related flat tire and if any serious damage occurred. Just theorizing but it seems to me that the risks of a flat tire, though NOT entirely eliminated, would be greatly reduced with the two axles and also that the presence of a second tire right next to the flattening one would reduce the risks of debris hitting the plumbing.

Question: Has any 3326er had a non-hazard related flat and was there plumbing damage resulting from it?

TravlinOn, I had a tire completely disintegrate on my 3326, while doing about 65 miles per hour. I was caught in heavy traffic and it took me about 2 miles before people would let me get to the shoulder. I had no damage to the trailer, but I've always considered that an act of "luck" rather than completely attribute it to the fact that I had another tire on that side. And yes, the tires were WAY too old, which in some ways was a blessing, because after that hair raising experience I "went to school" on trailer tires. I now know how the effects of age, speed, weight, and tire pressure act upon tire temperature, which is the "root cause" of all non road hazard tire failures. We have a 3124 now, and in some ways I do miss the double axle, but in other ways I don't.

Dave