Not every camper is parked for the winter yet. Plenty of owners around Columbus still have a late hunting trip, a holiday visit with family, or a short tow to a storage lot ahead of them. That last run of the year is often when a tire that has been sitting since summer finally gives out, usually a long way from the driveway.
Trailer tires also get less attention than the tires on the vehicle pulling them. They carry heavy loads, sit still for months, and rarely wear out before they age out. Here is what to check before you hitch up, and how to handle it if the tires need replacing.
The Roads Where Trailer Tires Get Tested
If you are headed south on US-23 through South Bloomfield and Circleville, you get long stretches at a steady speed with stoplights mixed in. Heading west on I-70 past West Jefferson means sustained highway speed, crosswinds, and heavy truck traffic. Both are hard on a tire that is underinflated or aging, because steady speed under load builds heat, and heat is what breaks down an old tire from the inside.
Five Checks Before You Tow
- Pressure, cold. Check before you drive, using the pressure listed on the trailer placard or tire sidewall. Fall temperature swings can drop tire pressure, and a camper that has been sitting has usually lost some air as well.
- Age. Find the DOT date code on the sidewall. The last four digits are the week and year it was built. Many manufacturers recommend having older tires inspected every year and replacing them on an age schedule, even when the tread still looks good.
- Sidewall cracks. Campers parked in the sun often show weather cracking long before the tread wears down. Check the inside sidewalls too, which are easy to miss.
- Uneven wear. Wear on one edge or in patches can point to overloading, low pressure, or an axle problem. Have it looked at before a long tow.
- Load. Make sure the tire load rating fits what the camper actually weighs when it is packed. Water, gear, and firewood add up quickly.
The NHTSA tire safety page has more on pressure, load, and aging. Before you pull out, it also helps to look at current road work on OHGO, Ohio's traffic site, so you are not stuck in a lane closure with a heavy trailer behind you.
Replace Trailer Tires as a Set
When one trailer tire is old enough to fail, the others are usually the same age. They were likely installed on the same day, ran the same miles, and sat through the same summers. On a tandem-axle camper, a failure on one side also shifts extra load to the tire next to it, which can damage it even if it looks fine afterward.
That is why replacing the full set usually makes more sense than waiting for them to go one at a time. You get matching tires, the same load rating across the axles, and a clean starting date to track. The same logic applies to your tow vehicle. If its tires are close to worn out, it is worth replacing those before the trip, too.
Why Mobile Install Fits a Camper
Getting a camper to a tire shop is a chore. You have to hitch it up, tow it on the tires you are worried about, and hope the shop has room to maneuver it. With mobile RV and camper tire service, we come to wherever the camper is parked, whether that is your driveway, a storage lot, or a campground. We install the new tires on site, and you never have to tow on the old ones.
The same truck can handle your tow vehicle while we are there, so you can take care of everything in one visit. And if a tire lets go on the way, we run 24/7, including weekends and overnight, so we can come to you on the shoulder of US-23 or I-70 as well.
Ready for a new set? Elite Mobile Tire is open 24/7 and installs 2 or 4 new tires right in your driveway or parking lot anywhere around Columbus, Obetz, Groveport, Grove City, and Reynoldsburg. Financing is available through Afterpay and Acima with up to 24-month payment plans. Call 614-344-5010 or visit elitemobiletire.com to book.
