Snowmobile Trailer Tires
TLC for Snowmobile Trailer Tires
Whether you are on the freeway or a snowy back road, when one of your snowmobile trailer tires suffers a blowout, your vacation will come to a swift end. To keep your weekend and holiday fun on track, be sure to choose the correct tire and keep all of your tires inflated at the right levels.
What the Trailer Tire Won’t Do
One of the first things you should realize is that there are different tires for different jobs. Trailer tires should not be confused with tires for cars. It may be tempting to think that if the tires are the same size they will work just as well in either application, but this is not true. Tires for trailers don’t steer. They don’t transfer power from the car’s engine to the road. They also won’t swerve in order to avoid obstacles.
What the Trailer Tire Can Do
These tires are designed specifically for use on trailers. They have rigid sidewalls that can keep your outfit from rocking or swaying. The tires also have heavy duty load capacities, greater than light truck tires and much more than passenger vehicle tires. Snowmobile trailer tires often have less wiggle room because of their narrow width and shallow treads.
Tips for Trailer Safety
There are a few things you can do to keep your tires safe:
· Keep tires inflated appropriately.
· Carry a spare tire. Keep it properly inflated and ready to go.
· Don’t overload the trailer. Pay attention to the maximum load listing on the tires.
· Inspect the tires regularly and replace them every three to five years.
· Cover tires during storage to protect them from UV damage.
· Don’t mix different types and sizes of tires.
· Learn how to read the wear on your tires in order to replace them before they are seriously damaged.
Adjust Your Driving
Remember that the tires on your trailer behave differently than the tire on your car or truck; the way that you drive with a trailer should change accordingly. If you brake quickly, your truck’s tires may slow down, but the tires on the trailer don’t have the same traction. In the end, treat the snowmobile trailer tires with a bit of TLC for the very best performance.
