[A/S] Thoughts about tires

["Lewis Leistikow" <LewLei@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Along with the previous discussion on tires, I also consider what 
happens when one tire goes.  

I once had a 5th wheel trailer that had axel weight of 10,000 lbs.  
It had 15 inch wheels and at the time, Goodyear load range D tires 
were the strongest I could get.  They were rated at 2,500 lbs max 
each.  That was just adequate for the weight they carried.  My 
strong concern was that if one tire was to go, the second tire on 
that side was suddenly carrying much more than it could and would 
most certainly go also.  

On all my Airstreams, tires and wheels were capable of carrying the 
load if one tire was to go.  On my recent trip west, I lost one of 
the tires on my 34 footer.  The remaining tires on that side could 
safely carry the load until I got to a place where I could replace 
the bad tire.  Fortunately, I did have a spare, but without the 
spare, I could have slowed down and eased the trailer to a tire 
shop.  (As I said, I had a spare, but the last I heard, I could have 
removed that wheel and gone on down the road - carefully).

This happened to me once before with a 30 foot Argosy and continuing 
on the one remaining tire on that side was no problem.  My current 
34 came with load range D.  So, losing one tire still gives me a 
load capacity of 5,000 lbs + on that side.  Plenty for the trailers 
GAWR or GVWR.

Lew