trip. Should you notice any of these signs, be sure to visit a tire expert be- fore heading out on your vacation.
3. Ensure proper inflation. Next to actual tire damage, inflation is the most important variable to check before leaving on a long trip. Tire pressures should be checked before the vehicle starts operating in order to get an accurate reading as tem- perature and altitude can affect pressures. Over and under-inflation can compromise handling, trac- tion and braking, and even cause blowouts. Correct tire pressures will also allow your tires to roll easier and make your vehicle more fuel- efficient.
Every vehicle, whether it is a RV or trailer, has a recommended tire pressure specification that is usu- ally listed as PSI (Pounds per Square Inch) or kPa (kilopascals). This infor- mation is usually found on a placard in the door jam of RV’s or in the own- er’s manual of a trailer. However, if neither of these list a recommended tire air pressure then refer to the tire sidewall and inflate to the recom- mended air pressure listed there.
4. Never overload and keep it bal- anced. It’s not uncommon to over pack a trailer for an extended trip. However, ensure you never exceed the vehicle or trailers Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR), which is list- ed in your vehicles owners’ manual. An easy way to ensure this is to pack up your RV or trailer early and visit a weigh station so you can get an accurate weight. Overloading your trailer can lead to poor handling, braking, fuel economy and tread wear. But it can also lead to extra heat generation in the tires, which can cause tire failure.
It’s also worth noting where inside your vehicle you pack heavy items. Distributing weight throughout the trailer or RV will also prevent an un-
Weigh Safe Trailer Hitch
balanced load, which can lead to uneven tire wear and poor han- dling. A guideline for balancing your trailer is 40% behind the axle, 60% in front with 10-15% of the trailer weight on the tongue. You can find an on- line calculator here;
http://www.engineersedge.com/ calculators/trailer-weight-balance. htm
A new product from Weigh Safe is a trailer hitch with a built in scale. Using it allows you to instantly know if you have the optimal tongue weight.
www.weigh-safe.com
5. Replace worn tires. It may sound pretty obvious, but replace worn out tires with a fresh set of new rub- ber. The majority of blowouts on the highway happen simply because the owner tries to get one last trip on a worn out set of tires. Once a por- tion of your tread blocks wear down to the tires wear indicators (a rubber bar raised up from the tread gaps base), its time to head into the shop and pick up a set of new tires.
When you get to this point, ensure that you replace all of a vehicle’s tires at the same time. Having the same tread design and tread depth promotes balanced traction and handling. If replacing all the tires is not possible, ensure that each axle has the same set of new tires.
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