tire-safety tips, tire safety tips, tire-safety information, tire information, tire safety information
Wanting to be safer on the road, Members often ask
us, “What is the number-one reason for breakdowns?”
The answer is simple — tires.
With the weather heating up, we will see more tire
problems on the road. Most tire issues are directly
related to underinflation. When a tire is underinflated,
more of the tire surface is exposed to the roadway,
causing heat buildup. This will eventually cause an
explosion – or blowout.
For the most part, tire issues can easily be avoided by
taking the following precautions:
Know the maximum pressure. Know the maximum tire pressure
for your tow vehicle and trailer tires. For tow vehicles, the information
is located on a placard usually found in the door jam.
Or, look in your owner’s manual. On dual-tire vehicles, check the
inner wheel. On trailers, check the sidewall of each tire.
Check tire pressure. Own a high-quality tire pressure gauge
and know how to use it. Before every trip, check the air pressure
in your tires. Do this when tires are cold, before you
travel, since tire pressure changes as tires heat up. Also, be
sure to check the spare tire’s air pressure.
Monitor tire pressure. Consider investing in a tire-pressure
monitoring system. This will help alert you to any sudden drops
in air pressure, allowing you to take preventive action to avoid
a blowout.
Perform a visual check. Whenever you stop in a safe area
Keynotes•Safety News
Tire-Safety Tips Whenever you
stop in a safe
Add Trailer Traction
Hoof boots not only help your horse gain
traction on the trail, but also they help him keep
from slipping while riding in the trailer, especially
as you turn corners, and drive up and down hills.
Even if you have trailer mats, the boots’ extra
grip can enhance traction and help him feel secure.
They can also help him avoid injuries from
slipping or bumping into the trailer’s sides. Note
that shavings atop trailer mats can be especially
slippery, so if you use this bedding, consider
hoof boots for extra grip. USR
— Heidi Nyland
HEIDI NYLAND PHOTO
HEIDI NYLAND PHOTO
6
during a road trip, always walk around your vehicle and perform
a visual check of your tires.
Don’t push it. Replace tires every three to five years, regardless
of mileage.
Use the right tire type. Never use automobile tires on a
horse trailer. Horse trailers require trailer-specific tires. Make
certain tires have an adequate load rating for the loaded weight
of the trailer. Also, never use re-tread tires on your trailer or
tow vehicle.
Buy fresh tires. If you buy tires from a high-volume dealer,
be sure they are “fresh.” Do not buy tires that have been on
the shelf for 12 months, 24 months, or more. The manufacture
date is stamped on the side of each tire. Although this
date is encoded, a reputable dealer will be able to provide
you with the date.
Replace the valve stem. When you replace your tires, also
replace the valve stem. If the valve stems are metal, replace the
inner core. Always have a cap on the valve stem.
Check the attitude. Make certain that your trailer has the
correct attitude. That is, when your trailer is hitched
to your vehicle, make sure your trailer is level and its
weight is equally distributed on all four trailer tires.
Go light. Do not overload your trailer.
Check into trailer failures. If you are experiencing
a high number of tire failures, either you are
using the wrong tires, old tires, or underinflated
tires, or your trailer may have some alignment issues.
If alignment is the cause, take your trailer to
a competent trailer dealer or service facility.
For additional safety tips, visit the Equine Travel
Safety Area on www.usrider.org. USR
area, walk
around your
vehicle and
perform a visual
check of your
tires.
To view a Ceros magazine you need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser and have the flash player 8 or higher installed. To install the latest flash player, click the icon above, install the flash plugin and then click here to refresh this page.