According to Allstate Insurance and BoatUS, nearly half of all boat trailer breakdowns that are not auto accident-related, are due do trailer tire failure. Bias trailer tires have a stiff sidewall, and often appear to contain more air than they do. The only way to be sure is to check with a tire gauge. Driving around with under-inflated tires is the easiest way to have a tire failure. Watch out for dry rot and cracking in the sidewalls, as well as flat spots from vehicle immobility. It is good practice to replace your boat trailer tires every 3 to 5 years, even if the tread looks good.
If there’s any silver lining to be found in the recent housing crisis, it is this: thousands of Americans have discovered a vacation getaway that is far more affordable than a second mortgage: they bought a camper or an RV. Close to nine million American households own RVs today – up from five million from 1982.
It makes perfect sense. With a camper, your mobile vacation home is always there – no airline tickets, no travel reservations (save for a campsite), and no worries about bad weather. Better yet, owners realize that the perfect vacation can be as little as an hour or two away – a quick drive to a local campground can be just as rewarding as flying 3,000 miles away.
Another great thing about owning a camper, is that a typical outing isn’t limited to one single experience. Families can have a languid, peaceful vacation; whereas younger, more ambitious folks can “rough it” with their recreational vehicles in tow. Depending on what you are driving and hauling, it is always important to make sure to have the proper trailer tires – no two tires are the same, and the ones you choose must be attuned to the weight you are hauling and be properly inflated to avoid the risk of blowout.
Tags: camping
For some families, winter is a time for locking the camper away in the garage and praying for the arrival of spring. For others? Not so much.
The fact is that thanks to advancements in the design and technology of trailer tires and camping gear, families can camp and road-trip all winter long. Seasoned winter campers will tell you that cold weather is actually preferable to the summer for many reasons, the main reason being the lack of crowds. We all know how frustrating it can be in the warmer months, idling at a campground entrance for hours on end or trying to navigate busy highways full of distracted tourists. Well, the winter provides the exact opposite experience, if you’re willing to brave the conditions.
And what are some of the best national parks for braving these conditions? Opinions vary, of course, but here are just a few: Olympic National Park in Washington State, Yosemite in California, and Bryce Canyon in Utah. If camping in the cold isn’t your style, parks in warmer climates, like Biscayne National Park in Florida, will have more pleasant temperatures and far fewer people during the winter months.
So intrepid campers have a choice this winter: to camp or not to camp. Will it be cold? Sure. A little rugged? You bet. But totally worth it and a lot better than sitting at home wishing for warm weather? Most definitely.
Tags: winter camping
If you have small children, traveling across the country can feel like an almost impossible task. Traveling by plane can be expensive and the necessary security procedures can make the act of boarding the plane with children quite difficult. A viable option for traveling across the country, or taking a vacation with your family, is to rent or purchase a camper or trailer. Being able to stop just about anywhere and sleep comfortably, without having to rent a hotel room, is highly cost-effective and cuts down on travel stress.
Traveling across the country with a camper or trailer can be a great deal of fun, but only if you have outfitted your vehicle correctly. It is vital that you make sure that you have the appropriate trailer tires for the types of terrain and weather conditions that you will encounter on your trip. Once you are certain that your camper or trailer is safe for the ride, the next step is to ensure the kids will have plenty to do during the drive.
A travel DVD player is a great way to pacify a bored child for an hour or two, but make sure to have games that children can play alone or together, and engage your kids along the way. Point out landmarks and try to make the trip a learning experience, read stories aloud and sing songs. Pack plenty of snack foods and single-serve juices or bottled water. Also plan to stop regularly so everyone can get out and stretch their legs and use the restroom.
If you are camping, teach your children the rules of camping etiquette; such as cleaning up their own litter, how to extinguish a fire and to keep quiet at night. Go over what to do if someone gets lost or injured.
Family travel, when done right, can leave lasting fond memories for children as they grow up and start their own families. So get those camper trailer tires on the road and make some memories!
While many folks consider the summer months the best time to haul out the camper and see the country, many other folks are just as committed to seeing this beautiful country in the winter. The winter months offer the camper an opportunity to experience many winter sports. Ice fishing, skating, snowshoeing, skiing and hiking are available right outside the back door of your RV.
Winter camping does come with many dangers, though, and it is very important to be fully prepared before taking off for a winter camping excursion. Most importantly, you want to make sure your RV is ready for winter travel. Check that there are no leaks around windows and doors so the furnace won’t have to work overtime. Adding caulking and weather strips will help.
After a complete safety inspection that includes a check of electrical, battery and ventilation systems, make sure your camper trailer tires are in perfect condition and that you have a spare.
Once you have your plans set on where you want to go, be sure to always keep track of the weather conditions. They can change on a dime and leave you stranded if you aren’t aware. It is wise to carry a set of truck tire chains with you if you are hauling a camper with your pickup. Take along a radio with extra batteries and, if you don’t own a smartphone, bring a laptop computer. You should be able to use your computer at local restaurants or rest areas that have WiFi to check the weather via the Internet.
Always let people know where you will be on any given day. It is wise to carry a cell phone with you at all times. Make sure you know the routes you are headed on while driving. Avoiding hazardous routes is very important. The same rules apply when you are hiking or snow shoeing. Avoid having to cross streams, lakes and swamps, and any trail that may include a steep slope. Avalanches are very common in the mountains and can entrap your crew and disguise your route back. If it looks like it is something that would be easy to traverse in the summer months, it is probably a safe bet. If you are unsure which trails are safe, talk to locals or the area park rangers.
Make sure you have many maps of the areas and have plotted your route with an estimated amount of time you will spend on each trail. Pack the right clothing, snacks and water any time you are heading out.
And lastly, pick a camping ground that is popular and has other campers nearby who are also enjoying a fabulous winter camping experience.
Having the ability to travel and live comfortably, at the same time, is one of the major benefits of owning a camper or trailer. If you plan to be traveling a great deal over an extended period, choosing the right trailer tires or camper trailer tires can be crucial to the success of your trip. When choosing tires, it is important to consider the types of terrain with which your vehicle will come in contact. Different terrain requires different equipment and different behavior on the part of the driver.
Common types of terrain that one might experience while traveling include, asphalt/pavement, sand, dirt, snow, rocks, or mulch/wood. If you are simply traveling from one place to another, your tires will primarily come in contact with pavement. However, if you plan to take your camper or trailer off-road, then having tires that can accommodate other types of terrain will be safer and reduce the chance of costly repairs in the future. Before setting out on your next journey, make sure that you know the path you plan to take and what conditions you will encounter. Do some research and choose the tires that will work best for you. A little tire research beforehand can go a long way.
Tags: camper tires, RV tires, trailer tires
Boat trailer tires need periodic replacement depending on how often you use your trailer. Your trailer tires must be able to pull a great deal of weight, both on the ground and in the water. For this reason, trusted name brands like Carlisle trailer tires, Duro trailer tires and Towmaster trailer tires are preferable to generic products.
Tags: boat trailer tires, trailer tires
RVs are a great way to see America, and are highly cost-effective as well. The flexibility of being able to decide when to travel, how far, and where to stop each day cannot be beat. Saving on the cost of hotels and restaurants at every destination is another large benefit. Choosing a camper, the appropriate camper trailer tires, and all of the items needed to outfit your RV, can be a little daunting at first. Once you are up and running, however, you will be glad you made the investment.
There are a literally hundreds of great places all over the US that can be accessed via RV. One state that has an abundance of great RV camping spots is Maine. Primarily recognized for lobster and its rocky beaches, Maine is also a fantastic place to vacation in a camper, as the traffic (especially farther north in the state) is comparatively light, and there are an almost dizzying number of places worth seeing. When trying to decide where to take your next, or first, camper trip, check out the state of Maine. You will not be disappointed.
When deciding what type of tire will work best for your vehicle or trailer, it is important to know the difference between tire types, and what you need the tires to do for you. If you need boat trailer tires, then there are two basic options – radial trailer tires and bias trailer tires. The two types are not the same, and being clear about the weight of your load and how far/fast you intend to haul your trailer is vital for choosing the right kind.
If you plan to be traveling for great distances, or driving your trailer at high speeds, radial tires are your best bet. Their construction makes them more resistant to heat buildup, have longer tread wear, and they handle better on the road. Bias tires are stiffer than radial tires and consequently provide a rougher, bumpier ride. They are not meant to be driven at high-speeds or to carry very heavy loads, because they are susceptible to heat buildup. However, bias tires are easier to repair if necessary and are perfectly acceptable for trailers that are only taken on short trips. Examine how you intend to use your tires, and choose accordingly.
Tags: bias, boat trailer tires, radial, trailer tires
Trailer tires are very different from the typical car tire that we are accustomed to. The rubber compound that tire manufacturers design are specially developed for different vehicles and uses. Car tires, for instance, have designs and compounds that allow for higher levels of friction and heat caused by braking, accelerating and turning. They are designed for comfort and to withstand wear, and are replaced when the tread is visibly worn down.
In contrast, trailer tires are designed for load-bearing and are developed with a harder compound to carry weight. They are not designed for continuous use the way passenger vehicle tires are, and there are vast differences in the belting and plies between the two.
When considering new trailer tires, time is as critical a component as mileage. The life of trailer tires is limited by duty cycles and time. In three years, even high-quality trailer tires lose as much as one-third of their strength, not from mileage, but from exposure to the elements and the natural breakdown of the rubber compound over time. This is why people are often surprised when they blow a trailer tire. This type of tire should not be changed based on tread wear alone.
While trailer tires can last anywhere between 5,000 and 12,000 miles when properly cared for, a good rule of thumb is to purchase new tires every three or four years, regardless of mileage. Due to the potentially high cost of a blowout, regular replacement of trailer tires, even with minimal mileage, is a smart way to minimize the risk of a tire problem when on the road.
Tags: trailer tires