mel
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1964 Shasta Airflyte
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Post by mel on Aug 1, 2018 17:51:53 GMT -8
I got new tires a month ago, used them directly after on a camping trip 3.5 hours away, towed there and home fine. After we got home and parked it in the driveway I noticed it seemed unusually wobbly when I stepped in and out of the camper while unpacking. I didnt have jacks under it, but I didnt have jacks under it while working on it some of the time so I know it was wobbling more. I chalked it up to needed new springs, I checked the springs and nothing is broken or any different than before. But I still just figured that was the reason. Well now its a few weeks later and im getting ready to leave for a camping trip on Friday and yesterday I notice the camper looks unuasally uneven. It has a flat tire, completely flat. I cant find a nail or anything in the tire, is there another reason it could have went flat? the camp ground was super unlevel and I had to try to jack up one side of the camper but it was till uneven the whole trip. My husband says maybe they didnt seal the tire properly. We put air in the tire and I cant hear a leak or anything. With the tire full the camper is not wobbling like it was, so that leads me to believe it was already a little bit low when I got back from that trip(not noticeable by eye), so it must be a super slow leak to have taken a month to fully deflate.
Anyone have any ideas?
Also what tire pressure should the tires be inflated to, they say max 50psi. But my husband says you dont fill to max on cars but we wernt sure about campers.
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Ten
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70 Shasta 16SC + 1964 Airflyte
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Post by Ten on Aug 1, 2018 18:43:22 GMT -8
There are a few common problems that can lead to your flat, mel. There is a possibility of a bead leak, around the rim. It can be so slow that it is not noticeable without really really looking for it. You may have something as simple as a loose valve core. Or the other thing that comes to mind might be a puncture that was made by an object that was thrown from the tire, unlike a nail or screw that may stay lodged in it.
Most tire shops I have dealt with have a tub large enough to submerge the entire wheel to look for bubbles, but i's uncommon to have anything large enough at home. A bottle of diluted dish soap works wonders for looking for leaks. Cheap soap works but I use Palmolive. I figure I can be soaking in it while I am checking.  The simple steps for checking would be to remove the valve cap, inflate the tire to near max, then soap around the end of the valve. Usually a loose core would show up right away, and you don't need to remove the wheel to find or fix that problem. If that is not the problem, then remove the wheel, again check that your pressure is near to max, and soap it around the bead, first on one side then the other. This can be tricky if the leak is slow enough, it can be difficult to detect. Patience patience patience. A puncture is usually easier to detect with the wheel off the trailer. It could be possible to be parked on top of the wound, and not let air escape, and that makes the listening test more difficult.
As far as tire pressures for towing, you really can't go wrong inflating to the maximum pressure. It can make for a rough ride, as the tires may tend to rebound like basketballs if there is little to no load on them. The higher pressure is recommended for heavier lading, but if the trailer is not loaded heavy, it is certainly alright to run them slightly lower. Too low of a pressure can build a lot of heat and cause tire failure however.
Personally, I tend to run the 16SC at about 40-45 psi, if I don't have water in the holding tank and a moderate amount of gear. I find that it increases sway and makes the ride a bit sloppy if I run much less.
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mel
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1964 Shasta Airflyte
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Post by mel on Aug 2, 2018 5:33:01 GMT -8
I couldnt find a nail or anything, so I took it to belle tire where I got the tires and it turns out it was the valve stem. But now I cant get the camper back into the driveway lol. Our street is skinny and always has a bunch of cars parked on the street. And my driveway is super skinny too, oh the joys of living in the cool part of town. One car is in the way, I dont want to clip the corner of it. So now the camper lives in the street until someone moves a car. But would still love advice on tire pressure just to see what everyone does  Belle tires says 35psi. |
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oakback
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Post by oakback on Aug 2, 2018 6:20:51 GMT -8
For car tires it can depend on load and use (my vehicle owners manual reflects this as well). But for trailer tires (ST designation), max psi stated on the sidewall. An etrailer.com "expert" says: "Trailer tires, which will have an ST in front of the size, should always be inflated to the maximum psi indicated on the tire." He elaborates more, which you can read here: www.etrailer.com/question-78836.htmlDiscounttire.com says "A trailer tire should be inflated to the maximum inflation designated on the sidewall of the tire to provide the full load carrying capacity." www.discounttire.com/learn/trailer-tire-faqsSo that's what I do. |
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mel
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1964 Shasta Airflyte
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Post by mel on Aug 2, 2018 8:46:10 GMT -8
Manufacture suggestion doesnt really help much, copy/pasted this from their site
PROPER INFLATION
When it comes to maintenance, keeping your RV tires inflated to the proper pressure is the most important thing you can do to insure their long life. Follow the guidelines in your RV owner's manual if you have one. If you don't have an owners manual then asked an expert, either a good tire man or your RV service tech.
The maximum pressure allowed for a tire is embossed on the side wall. That's the maximum pressure when the tire is cold. It's okay for it to be over that by as much as 10 psi if tire pressure is checked while hot. However, always check air pressure when tires are cold for accurate reading. The proper pressure for your RV tire may not be the maximum tire pressure. The right pressure is determined by the weight carried by each tire on the RV and the pressure recommend by the tire manufacture for that weight.
Running a tire in an over pressure condition will cause uneven tread wear. Running a tire in an under pressure condition will also cause uneven tread wear and can cause damage to the side walls of the tire. Keep in mind that a tire can lose as much a 1 psi per month and as little as 5 psi can make a difference in the load carrying capacity of a tire. So, it's especially important to check and adjust your tire pressure before taking your rig on that first trip of the season. Then check tire pressure once a month.
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Post by bigbill on Aug 2, 2018 12:24:29 GMT -8
A trailer tire is rated to carry a certain weight at the pressure listed on the tire as the pressure drops so does the amount of load it can carry. I recommend keeping trailer tires at maximum pressure because most trailer tire failures are caused by one of two things. First killer to excessive heat caused by over load, either not enough air pressure or not the right size tire either one causes the tire to flex more generating heat causing failure. The second cause of failure is dry rot do to age and sun exposure. Even though your tires have lots of tread left the may be unsafe to use (most trailers never wear the tread off a tire) always check for cracking in grooves between tread and on sidewalls, if you see any replace. Manufactures say never run a tire over four years old. If you start out with a tire inflated to a minimum pressure and you lose any air you can get in trouble before you know it. Semis run there tires max pressure to 10% over when loaded or empty to increase tire life and fuel mileage. Also a fully inflated tire will help prevent sway.
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Post by Teachndad on Aug 3, 2018 4:01:34 GMT -8
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oakback
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Post by oakback on Aug 3, 2018 5:25:48 GMT -8
I drive a full-time-4wd vehicle daily, proper pressure is very important for even wear. And with a 4wd vehicle that goes off road, you adjust pressures regularly depending on terrain (or snow I guess? I dunno about snow). My all-terrain tires are designed to be able to be deflated quite a bit and still safely driven, below certain speeds. They have a lot of sidewall flex to increase surface area with uneven ground.
However, ST trailer tire sidewalls are not supposed to flex as much. They have thicker sidewalls to hold higher weight (for their size), and any amount of flex due to lower pressure can increase heat buildup (which is bad).
I will say, if I were running car/truck/at tires on my trailer (many overlanders/off-roaders do), I would most definitely use the chalk test and adjust air accordingly, depending on loaded weight.
But for ST tires, full pressure all the time. Just my hobbyist-level opinion, I'm no expert.
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turbodaddy
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17' 1965 Fan "Sunseeker"
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Post by turbodaddy on Aug 13, 2018 18:05:23 GMT -8
Just another bit to add to this discussion. Until recently I thought all ST tires had a 65 MPH max speed rating. Actually, if there is an"L" or "M" on the sidewall the rating is 75mph or 81 mph respectively. I am uncomfortable towing our 17' FAN over 70 mph even though our tires are "M" rating. It is comforting to know that they should be OK in the event of having to pass someone at a higher speed on occasion. I always keep them at max inflation and check pressure prior to every trip. Peace of mind, camping is supposed to be a way to relax...to chill.
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