# Tires Have Small Sidewall Cracks



## garywies (Aug 23, 2007)

Hello Outbackers!
I'm getting the TT ready for our trip, took the covers off the tires, and there are some small cracks (4-6 inches mid-sidewall-one on one tire and two on another) in the sidewalls of the tires on one side of the trailer.
The tires were new (and new manufactured) August 08. The Duros were installed by Hollman's on a recall/warranty and were used about 7,000 miles before being parked for 14 months during a serious illness. The air has been monitored but the trailer never moved.
Question: We leave very soon for a 17 day trip, should I be greatly concerned about these tires? I am a pretty conservative driver, 55-60 mph is fine for me. The spare is aired up, the air compressor is packed and the roll on jack in loaded.
Thanks in advance!
Gar


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## thefulminator (Aug 8, 2007)

With the cracking history this brand of tires have, I would be. What is the cost of new tires plus mount and balance vs. repair of possible damage from a blowout? That doesn't count the time you have to spend on the road trying to find a new spare.


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## hautevue (Mar 8, 2009)

X2. Be safe. Spring for four new ones. Load range no lower than the ones you have, and it might be worth it to go one level higher.

Sidewall cracking is a warning. IMHO, heed it.

That blowout will be very messy--probably damages to your TT, and often the other tire on that side gives up the ghost when it suddenly has double the weight load on it. And Murphy's Law (Gilligan's Corollary) says that it will happen on the Interstate, between nowhere and hell, at night, with a narrow shoulder and huge tractor-trailers barreling along at 75, and the blowout will be on the pavement side of the TT...









Go for it!


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## thefulminator (Aug 8, 2007)

My dad had a tire blow out on his prowler a couple years ago. He said he was very lucky not to have swerved into another vehicle on I-5 when it happened. Is your deductible more than the new tires would cost?


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## daslobo777 (Mar 24, 2007)

Do not even think about it. Just do it! Cost of four tires is not peanuts, but ....... the potential for a blowout and worse is not worth it. We received our TT brand new with dry rot cracks in the Milestar tires. All five tires were replaced with Maxxis and three years later they are still iin great shape.


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## ED_RN (Jun 25, 2006)

If your going on what is supposed to a relaxing trip the last thing you want is to constantly be worry about those tires. I agree with everyone else, get them off of there.


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## garywies (Aug 23, 2007)

OK
So were and what tires do I get?
I know I want radials & mine are 14". And I need to buy them NOW.


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## thefulminator (Aug 8, 2007)

Haven't had to buy them yet myself, but there seem to be a lot of forum members that like the Maxxis at Discount Tire.


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## garywies (Aug 23, 2007)

Great!
Once more the forum was giving me the answer I needed, THANK YOU!
I arranged for 4-Goodyear Towmaster 215/75R14 ( load D) tires. $80 each. 1870lb load range. Having them installed on the way out of town tomorrow.








Gar


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## hautevue (Mar 8, 2009)

Smart move. Good luck and have fun on your trip.

Only thing to do: after you've gone 50 miles or so towing, check the lug nuts. Any time they are loosened, do the "check it at 50, 150 and 300 miles" thingy. Once in a while a lug nut loosens and that's not good.


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## jetjane (Feb 8, 2007)

daslobo777 said:


> Do not even think about it. Just do it! Cost of four tires is not peanuts, but ....... the potential for a blowout and worse is not worth it. We received our TT brand new with dry rot cracks in the Milestar tires. All five tires were replaced with Maxxis and three years later they are still iin great shape.


X2 except substitute 5er for TT!


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## Nathan (Jan 2, 2007)

garywies said:


> Great!
> Once more the forum was giving me the answer I needed, THANK YOU!
> I arranged for 4-Goodyear Towmaster 215/75R14 ( load D) tires. $80 each. 1870lb load range. Having them installed on the way out of town tomorrow.
> 
> ...


Great plan!!! Have a good trip.


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## mmblantz (Jul 1, 2007)

Ya get rid of them. I got rid of my duros with plenty of tread just because of the bad juju on here. I put 4 brand new 10 ply maxxis on and have been happy ever since. ----Mike


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## magnum1070 (Jul 15, 2008)

I just have to say, I love this Forum, I just got new tires put on yesterday. On my way out of town I always stop at our Local Les Schwab Tire center and get the air pressure checked. For my first trip out this year, they found cracking in the valve stems and recomended I replace them. Then when they took off the tires they found cracking on the inside and reccomended I replace before going on long trips. When I went back in yesterday to get new ones I was leary, thinking I was just wasting money and they were probably fine. Up until now I felt like I just spent $345 I didn't need to. Reading this thread makes me feel so much better! Now I have nice shiny new radials and wow on the driving you can really tell the difference.

Thanks to everyone who responds to these questions, I often search through here and find answers to all my hundreds of questions.


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## MJRey (Jan 21, 2005)

I just got 4 new Maxxis 14" tires for our trailer after I found small cracks on all of the old tires. My tires were 04/05 years so they were fairly old. I ordered the tires through my local Americas Tire/Discount Tire and they came a few days later. They are all late 09 manufacture dated so they should be good for a while. When I got mine they had a special rebate when buying 4 tires so check they might have some kind of deal. They were $570 minus a $100 rebate for mounting/balancing and steel valve stems.

When I was ordering the Maxxis they were trying to sell me the tires they had in stock but they were Greenball Transmasters and I don't know anything about them. Also they were all over 2 years old so I told them to just order the Maxxis.

One thing I noticed about the cracks on the old tires. They were all on the bottom of the tires where they had been sitting for the last few months. I cover the tires and spray UV protectant on them and I still got cracks. I think the constant flexing in the same place over a long period contributed to the cracking. In the future when I'm not going to use the trailer for more than a month I'll probably jack it up a bit and put it on jack stands to take the weight off the wheels. I've no idea if it will help but it can't hurt.


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## Ridgway-Rangers (Apr 18, 2008)

We got rid of our duro's also and went with Goodyear Marathon. Becareful, Goodyear also sells cheap off brand tires. Dont forget to replace your spare which means buying 5 new tires $$$$$. Even with new rubber you can get a blow out from a road hazzard. If you have a piece of junk spare, you are in the same boat as when you started.


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