Is your MV transport trailer insured? Insurance for a trailer or car hauler with coverage that covers theft, damage, storm damage, etc. will mostly likely cost less than $20.00 for six months. Ask your insurance agent. You will be surprised. That is less than the cost of a good pad lock. Not a bad price considering the trailer would cost at least $2500 to replace and trailers are a target for theft. You may have some limited coverage with your auto policy, but this is usually limited and most likely doesn’t cover theft, damage and the like. Might be worth thinking about.
While we are talking about trailers I will share my trailer tire experience. Please remember that my opinion / advise is worth what you are paying for it! I don’t claim to be a tire expert, but I’ve been through my share of flat trailer tires. My trailer tires track wider than my truck tires by nearly a foot on either side. With Arkansas’ narrow roads my trailer tires are constantly off the road or hitting pot holes at fast speeds and this may contribute to the all too common flat trailer tire.
The tires that came new on my trailer were rather low quality in my opinion. They were bias ply tires. I think they were Texas Star brand or something like that. I bet I didn’t get 5,000 miles out of those tires and I was constantly taking one in to get a flat fixed.
After the tires tread quickly wore down I started shopping for new ones. I started asking around for trailer tires made in the USA. I even talked to a couple different tire distributors as I was looking for USA tires. If USA trailer tires exist, I couldn’t find them. Most trailer tires that are on the market are a brand that I have never heard of and they are made in China. At one point I got some advise to just purchase car tires and use them. This is probably not a good idea as trailer tires have stronger side walls. I finally settled on some Goodyear radial trailer tires that I found at Wal Mart. Trailer radial tires compared to bias ply tires don’t have a side wall that is quite as rigid so the tires will look a bit flatter when fully inflated. My trailer manufacturer suggest tire inflation of 50 lbs. My trailer has two 3500 lb axles.
I’ve been using the Goodyear radial trailer tires for a couple of years now and have found the tread wear to be very good. The tires are not showing heavy wear like the tires that came on the trailer when new. I’ve also not had a single flat yet. I’m sure some of that is luck.
Another tip if you buy trailer tires at Wal Mart. If you don’t have the tires balanced then you don’t have to pay for mounting (at least I didn’t). I didn’t have my trailer tires balanced and have not noticed any negative results.
I know tires and tire brand is kind of like motor oil. Everyone has a different opinion. I have been very happy with the Goodyear radial trailer tires especially with the tread wear.