Have You Thought About Your Trailer Tires Recently?

Most people follow a pretty strict routine of tire maintenance on their cars and trucks. Monthly or quarterly tasks, like checking air pressure, rotating tires, testing alignment, and monitoring tread, can all help tires perform at their best and help you identify problems. The truth is that trailer tires need regular care, too, to help your trailer perform the job it was designed to do.

Your trailer tires have a different construction than tires for your vehicle, given that they're supposed to carry heavy loads. Although you should check the tread with the penny method, replacing tires right away if the tread doesn't come to the top of Lincoln's head, there are other factors that affect trailer tire life. Tires should actually be replaced every 3 to 4 years because the materials have a limited life span and the tires can begin to develop cracks and bulges, even if their tread still looks great. Trailer tire inflation is also really important for safely transporting your loads and maintaining the tread on your tires. Always keep the tires inflated to the maximum listed pressure on the tire. remember that you should inflate to this pressure when the tires are cold, not hot. This maintenance step keeps you safe on the road and preserves the life of your tires.

Selecting The Correct Trailer Hitch

Determining the correct type of trailer hitch requires some investigation. You want to think about future items that you may want to tow as well to avoid having to make an additional purchase. It is always better to step it up a class rather than having to remove a trailer hitch to put a higher class on. Most people who put a trailer hitch on their vehicle install a class 3 trailer hitch. A class 3 trailer hitch will accommodate a wide variety of items.

Here are the classes of trailer hitches and what they can handle:

Class I: This is capable of towing up to 2,000 pound gross trailer weight with a 200 pound tongue weight. This class of trailer hitch will fit all vehicles.

Class II: This class is capable of towing up to 3,500 pound gross trailer weight and 350 pound tongue weight. This class of trailer hitch is geared for the mid-size car, SUVs, trucks and vans.

Class III: The class III trailer hitch can tow up to 5,000 pound gross trailer weight and 500 pound tongue weight. This class of trailer hitch operates well with an SUV, vans and mid-size pickups.

Class IV: The class IV trailer hitch can tow 12,000 gross trailer weight and 1,200 pound tongue weight. It is for use on a SUV, pickup or a van.

Class V: A class V trailer hitch can tow 24,000 pound gross trailer weight and 2,400 pound tongue weight. This trailer hitch is only suitable for pickup trucks.

Choose the right trailer hitch for your vehicle for convenience and safety.