When hauling things on a trailer, you can easily transport heavy cargo and bulky items like furniture or even other cars from one place to another without overloading the transport vehicle itself. Trailers are a great way to transport things easily, but often the tires on trailers wear down much more quickly than on cars. There are several reasons why the tread on trailer tires can wear down. By understanding these causes and knowing how to help prevent them, it should extend the life of the trailer and the tires, and help keep you safe.

Under-Inflation

One of the most overlooked yet common reasons tires wear down on trailers is because they are not properly inflated. Check the manufacturer's specific PSI levels for your trailer's tires, and make sure that they are correctly inflated before you begin using the trailer. If the tires' air is too low, it can cause uneven wear and may eventually result in a flat tire. Check for possible leaks and make sure the tread of the tires are in good shape. If not, it's recommended they be replaced before you start loading and using the trailer.

Load Imbalance

If a trailer is not loaded correctly, it can create too much weight on one area and put excess pressure on that particular tire. Make sure the weight of your load is evenly distributed as much as possible so that one section is not carrying much more than the others. Every trailer should come with a recommended total capacity for weight. You should never load the trailer with anything that goes over the recommended weight limit. This can result in a variety of issues including the trailer breaking, cargo coming loose, and of course, excess wear on the tires of the trailer.

Alignment

Just like your car, if the tires of the trailer are not properly aligned, it will result in too much wear on certain tires too soon. Any kind of imbalance on the trailer over time will make some of the tires work harder than others. Check the axles of the trailer as well, it may be time to get them replaced if they're not in top condition. A good rule of thumb is to do regular check ups and maintenance on your trailer's tires each time you use it. Also, don't hesitate to take it into a shop if you require trailer repair. Proper planning and getting the wheels aligned, ensuring the right tire pressure, and always making sure your weight is never over are good safeguards to extending the life of the trailer's tires and preventing problems from occurring while using it.