Here is a step-by-step guide to change all tires on your travel trailer. You do not need to replace all four tires simultaneously, instead, you can change these tires one by one.
How to Change all 4 Tires on a Travel Trailer? You can change all 4 tires on a travel trailer by moving it to an even surface. Use a ramp or jack stand to raise both sides, secure it by the woodblocks, and lose the lug nut by the wrench. Remove the tires and all of the lug nuts. Install new tires on the trailer and lower it by removing these jacks and secure all tires. You should replace trailer tires every 2 to 6 years regardless of their durability and life expectancy.
To replace tires for your travel trailer, you follow two basic options. The first option is to use a bottled jack to lift the vehicle and the second option is to use the ramp to lift the side of your trailer where your tire is damaged, or you want to change the tire of that particular side.
You need to install a jack or ramp on the respective side of the tire that needs to be changed.
Easy Steps to Change all 4 tires of your travel trailer
Changing a wheel on a travel trailer is a common task for most people. But, it can be a frustrating experience. You can do it yourself or ask an expert for help.
Move the Travel Trailer to a Safe Place
It is necessary to make sure that the trailer position in a secure location for changing the wheel. The surface of the ground where you position it should be plain and flat.
For this operation, usually empty parking lots and roads with wide margins are preferable. Except for the flat tire, you have to place the blocks to the towing vehicle and trailer all wheels front and backside to secure at its place.
Select the Right Option to Lift Your Trailer
Firstly you need to select the right option to lift your travel trailer. In average practice, people use a bottled jack, blocks of wood, and ramps. However, depending upon the type of surface you travel and ease of use, you must prefer a ramp to lift and replace its tires one by one.
Choosing this option has many benefits. For example, the ramp never sinks into soft soil, it raises the vehicle with ease, and its height can adjust when necessary.
You take care while using cinder blocks because they have the potential to fail at any time, with terrible consequences, so wood cribbing is also an ideal option as an alternative.
Trailer with tandem axle to lift off from the ground by place jack on the frame according to the need and front part of motorhome will raise.
While doing this, shackles of it can flip that make sound, so you do not worry about it. After the installation of all-new four wheels, shackles also return to their place.
Lift Your Travel Trailer While Using the Ramp
Place ramp at right point and drive tires of the vehicle to be replaced on-ramp.
During ramping up your travel trailer, you must remember that the tire change must be up to reasonable height so that it can change with ease. Avoid parking in that area where have high traffic.
Choose Suitable Tools for the Replacement of Tire
After ramping up your trailer, you need to bring out the tool kit. Now choose carefully the right tool required to change a tire.
It will most probably include a wrench, pressure gauge, and greasing tool. After taking out these tools, check that either of these tools is good enough to do the task.
Arrange the Spare Wheels for the Travel Trailer
Tires or wheel quality depend on the cost of it. Check its durability and lifespan from the DOT that mentions on it in digit form.
The first two digits represent the weeks, while the last two digits show the year. You make sure while buying the new or old with the simple coin test.
Use ST(special tire) for travel trailers, which can handle more weight than other RV classes.
Loose Lug Nuts of the Existing Wheels
You can use a four-way wrench of different sizes that adjust in lug nuts. It requires a lot of force while loosening these, but it becomes easy to operate after applying too much pressure.
You have to lose the lug nuts when you jack up the trailer before lifting the wheels off the ground.
So lift it to a specified level after loosening it, remove the lug nuts and take out the wheel.
For vehicles with double, triple, tandem axles you can use the ramp to remove all 4 tires easily without damaging or face severe consequences. Pull a trailer on it, adjust properly, remove the tires.
Install New Tires
Use the jack stand, or the ramp does not need to remove all the tires first and then install new tires.
You can remove one and install the new one. Replace both wheels on one side of the vehicle, then repeat the process on the other side. Tighten the lug nuts by hand and take out the blocks that you place on each tire.
In ramp, you can raise your motorhome on both sides by placing it on both sides of it so that you can easily remove four tires one by one.
In the end, remove the jack stand or ramp that you use and lower the motorhome. Lubricate the bearing and inspect the brake lining.
How Often to Change the Travel Trailer Tires?
Usually, the lifespan of these is around 5 to 6 years. Its replacement depends on two factors one is durability, and another is mileage.
According to a survey or research, the most suitable time to change it is between 2 to 6 years.
The mileage range can vary, but it is usually between 4000 to 14000 miles, depending on the instruction or guideline.
You do a visual inspection to check the need for its replacement. You make sure there are any cracks and weathering on its sidewall. Tire tread is also a reason for it, so double check these because the amount of traction depends on its thickness.
Its durability and tire pressure can affect by cold and hot weather conditions, so make sure these are at the prescribed levels.
If you park it somewhere where it will expose to direct sunlight, cover it with a plastic cover to protect it.
Why would you replace the tires of your travel trailer?
Various factors can be a reason for its replacement.
Tire Tread
Tire tread protects your trailer from slipping or sliding due to excellent traction and gripping action.
You make sure any wear pattern on it can be around 2/32 inches. The tread grooves’ bottom has a built-in indicator that tells you about its replacement.
For this, perform a coin test to determine the wear pattern. You have to check regularly that alert you about its condition.
Crank/Puncture
Spaces can produce in it that release air out due to entrapment of the object or crank and puncture. The condition can worsen if you neglect that factor can lead to a blowout or the situation worse.
When you observe, remove these in tire tread to avoid future damage. You can resolve this by patching the punctured area or plugging the space. If this does not fix your problem, contact a skilled trainer who can assist you in changing it if you are unable to do so.
Check the valve stem because it can inflate the tires. A crack in this component will cause improper inflation, so change it if necessary.
Durability
You can figure out the replacement of it by the lifespan. Each manufacturer has a different suggestion about its durability, but the average figure is around 5 to 6 years.
But you have to think about changing the travel trailer tire after two years regardless it has standard tread or no deformation or cracks. If you cannot find the life expectancy of it, then visit the dealer to confirm it.
Other Common Causes of Damaged Tire
There are various common causes that you should know to protect yourself from facing further problems and increase the safety and durability of the tire also.
Extreme weather conditions can damage its surface and quality. High speed, improper weight load, axle alignment issue, and tire pressure imbalance it’s level.
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