Carrying cargo across the country is crucial for many businesses and sole proprietors. A deckover trailer is an essential piece of equipment for many of these entities. To ensure the safety and timely delivery of your cargo, you need to ensure the health of your trailer’s tires.

Tires are crucial to the safe transportation of merchandise — a trailer without optimal tire pressure or wheel size risks blowouts or other dangerous situations for the operator. Driving on tires without the proper preparation can result in the loss of cargo or worse. Therefore, before going out on the road, it is essential to inspect your trailer’s tires for the following four signs.

1. Age

When is the last time you replaced your trailer tires? When tires reach about four years old, they can begin showing signs of wear and even dry rot. Either condition puts the driver and other motorists at risk of blowouts and accidents.

Too many people take the age of their tires for granted, believing that if they look good from far away, they are fine. However, on closer inspection, you may find that the inward-facing wall is not as healthy as the outer wall. To ensure that your tires are in good condition and not beyond the age of replacement, check the sidewall of each tire for its precise age. The sidewall should have the date the tire was manufactured.

2. Lack of Spare

Every trailer should have at least one spare tire, if not two. If you were forced to use your spare recently, then do not hesitate to replace it.

Blowouts and accidents can occur even when a tire is in prime condition. It is always a possibility that you will run over a piece of debris in the road that manages to penetrate the inner wall of the tire. If you go out on a long trip without a spare, you risk having to leave your cargo vulnerable on the side of a roadway while getting a replacement tire.

3. Wear

Inspect each trailer tire for signs of wear. Are the treads still pronounced, or is the tire bald? Does the tube still sit snugly against the rim? If you notice anything off about the level of wear on the tire, then it may be time to replace it.

Your tires can also tell the tale of your trailer’s performance. For example, is the wear on the tires even, or does it seem to favour one side over the other? If you see uneven wear, then your trailer is possibly sitting out of alignment, which can stem from axle problems or other issues. In such a case it would be best if you had the trailer inspected before setting out on the road.

4. Size

Size matters when it comes to trailer tires. If you want your trailer to operate the way it is meant to, then you must ensure that you have installed the right tires. The tire capacity should match the load rating of a trailer. For example, a 5,000 lbs dual axle trailer rated for a 10,000 lbs load should use a minimum 15″/225-10 ply radial tires. Using these tires ensures that the load rating and tire capacity are compatible, avoiding any potential hazards later.

When carrying cargo across the country on a deckover trailer, it is critical to have appropriate and healthy tires. Before going out on the road, play it safe and inspect your current tires for age and signs of wear. If you suspect that anything is wrong, then replace the problem tire or get a professional opinion.