Flat tire in the spring?

pfalex · 03-30-2017, 07:05 AM

So, our BRAND NEW Jayco 17XFD had a flat tire...

We bought it at the end of last year, took it camping once, the winterized it...

The other day I noticed one of the four tires on it was flat. I've pumped it up and also noticed the other three were lot (35 psi). I put them all at 45 psi for now, and when I de-winterize when it gets a bit warmer, I'll take them all up to 50 psi.

SO, how concerned should I be about the one that went flat???

RedHorse1 · 03-30-2017, 08:14 AM

My experience with the original tires on both unit we've owned is they loose air quickly when compared with tires on our car/truck. I guess it's just how ST tires are. Time will tell how the new Goodyear US made ST tires perform.
The tire that went flat is another point. If it went completely flat I'd suspect a slow leak somewhere. I recently had a leak that turned out to be a damaged valve stem. If it is having a problem it'll probably go flat again pretty quickly.
Reading the tire horror stories on the JOF prompted me to buy a TPMS and it has saved me twice by alerting me of a tire failure while driving. My neighbor, also a trailer guy, was not so lucky. A passing motorist alerted him to a flat and shredding tire. It was flailing the wheel well and did quite a bit of damage. Needless to say I'm a huge fan of having a monitor.
Congrats on the new HTT, our first was an X23B which we loved but quickly longed for something bigger. Tho gone, we still talk fondly of it.

Bassdogs · 03-30-2017, 08:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RedHorse1

My experience with the original tires on both unit we've owned is they loose air quickly when compared with tires on our car/truck. I guess it's just how ST tires are. Time will tell how the new Goodyear US made ST tires perform.
The tire that went flat is another point. If it went completely flat I'd suspect a slow leak somewhere. I recently had a leak that turned out to be a damaged valve stem. If it is having a problem it'll probably go flat again pretty quickly.
Reading the tire horror stories on the JOF prompted me to buy a TPMS and it has saved me twice by alerting me of a tire failure while driving. My neighbor, also a trailer guy, was not so lucky. A passing motorist alerted him to a flat and shredding tire. It was flailing the wheel well and did quite a bit of damage. Needless to say I'm a huge fan of having a monitor.
Congrats on the new HTT, our first was an X23B which we loved but quickly longed for something bigger. Tho gone, we still talk fondly of it.

TPMS will help with slow leaks or low psi in a tire, but they will do no good with a sudden tire failure either from road hazard or tire defect. Always check psi before each trip and investigate if a tire repeatedly loses psi. I am not a fan of TPMS because they are expensive and not particularily useful as long as you moniter psi at stops and overnights.

TWP723 · 03-30-2017, 08:49 AM

I know this sounds stupid but, did you check the Schrader valve in the valve stem? They CAN and WILL on occasion come loose. Buy a cheap Schrader valve tool and make sure they're tightened. On my old truck, I had a cut valve stem. I was washing the truck's wheels and when I hit the valve stem, I heard air. Bent the valve around a little and there was a cut right where it enters the wheel. And inspection didn't catch it, so check that as well.

oldmanAZ · 03-30-2017, 09:29 AM

X2 on the slow leak due to bad valve stem from the factory. Discount Tire replaced the valve stem at no charge.

bansai · 03-30-2017, 09:37 AM

We lost about 15psi per tire over the winter. Stock Raniers.

pfalex · 03-30-2017, 10:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TWP723

I know this sounds stupid but, did you check the Schrader valve in the valve stem? They CAN and WILL on occasion come loose. Buy a cheap Schrader valve tool and make sure they're tightened. On my old truck, I had a cut valve stem. I was washing the truck's wheels and when I hit the valve stem, I heard air. Bent the valve around a little and there was a cut right where it enters the wheel. And inspection didn't catch it, so check that as well.

Hmm.. not a stupid question, since I didn't know much about the valve stem (yay for Youtube)... I'll have to check... will probably do the old soapy water test as well. I am hoping it was just a cold weather issue that won't resurface.

Jagiven · 03-30-2017, 10:44 AM

On our old TowMax tires we would loose 10-20 psi over the winter. Between trips every 2-3 weeks apart we would loose 2-10 psi. These tires had the rubber valve stems.

Last year, Installed new Carlisle RH tires with metal valve stems. I noticed last year, I was not topping off the tires very often. This spring I pulled it our of storage, one tire was down 0.5 psi, the other three were at 65psi.

As for the flat tire, I would use a little soapy water on the valve stem. You could have also picked up a nail during your last trip.

Good luck

RedHorse1 · 03-30-2017, 10:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bassdogs

TPMS will help with slow leaks or low psi in a tire, but they will do no good with a sudden tire failure either from road hazard or tire defect. Always check psi before each trip and investigate if a tire repeatedly loses psi. I am not a fan of TPMS because they are expensive and not particularily useful as long as you moniter psi at stops and overnights.

Bass, I'll disagree with you about the sudden pressure loss. I've had one dramatic tire failure where 2/3 of the tread departed from the rest of the tire. My monitor immediately started beeping and flashing red, glancing in the mirror I saw the strip of tread flopping in the road behind me. I was on the brakes and shoulder before any damage was done (except to the cheap tire). A second instance was slightly less dramatic but the tire was coming apart and loss pressure a little less rapidly (probably over a 3 sec or so period). Without the TPMS I would have had no idea of either, like my neighbor.
I always check and adjust pressures as needed before hitting the road. the failure wasn't a pressure issue but, I believe, just a bad tire and a heavy trailer (and no, I was not overloaded).
JMHO

crumgater · 03-30-2017, 12:33 PM

Our previous 5th wheel (SOB) arrived new from the factory with Towmax tires... but it was a cracked WHEEL that was our problem. Makes me wonder what kind of driver our deliveryman was... We had that trailer for 7 years with no other issues though (the dealer replaced the wheel for us). We did upgrade the tires after 3 years. I've heard too many horror stores about Towmax to keep those for very long.

3'senough · 03-31-2017, 06:09 AM

Factory valve stems leak almost always in my experience. You can easily spin them if they are the rubber push in type. I would upgrade to nut type rigid and it should solve your problem.

Spray some dish soap and water solution all over the tire and rim to confirm.

RAurand · 03-31-2017, 06:27 AM

Air is subjected to change with temperature. Nitrogen does not.
I do not have nitrogen in my tires yet. When I put my trailer away for the winter, I pumped them up to 70 psi (normal psi is 65) Right now, all mine are at 63 psi.

Lolead · 03-31-2017, 07:41 AM

Our trailer came with the tires filled with Nitrogen. When I recently topped off the pressures I used a mixture that was 78 percent nitrogen .

SouthCo · 03-31-2017, 07:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lolead

Our trailer came with the tires filled with Nitrogen. When I recently topped off the pressures I used a mixture that was 78 percent nitrogen .

LOL, so you used a regular pump? Regular air contains 78% nitrogen. Figured you were making a joke and not all would catch it....

Lolead · 03-31-2017, 07:55 AM

SouthCo, You are absouletly correct !! I figure if it has been a good enough mixture to keep me pumped up for the past 67 years, it's good enough for those tires !!LOL!!

RedHorse1 · 03-31-2017, 09:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lolead

Our trailer came with the tires filled with Nitrogen. When I recently topped off the pressures I used a mixture that was 78 percent nitrogen .

Does the exotic gas mixture cost extra?

Lady Fitzgerald · 03-31-2017, 10:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lolead

Our trailer came with the tires filled with Nitrogen. When I recently topped off the pressures I used a mixture that was 78 percent nitrogen .

Lady Fitzgerald · 03-31-2017, 10:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RAurand

Air is subjected to change with temperature. Nitrogen does not.
I do not have nitrogen in my tires yet. When I put my trailer away for the winter, I pumped them up to 70 psi (normal psi is 65) Right now, all mine are at 63 psi.

Actually, nitrogen will change pressure with changes in temperature. For RVs and TVs, there is no advantage to using pure nitrogen except to the snake oil peddler.

Lolead · 03-31-2017, 10:37 AM

I've been considering packageing this top secret mixture and retailing it. I believe combined with my dehydrated ice I should have a winner !!

Lady Fitzgerald · 03-31-2017, 10:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bassdogs

TPMS will help with slow leaks or low psi in a tire, but they will do no good with a sudden tire failure either from road hazard or tire defect. Always check psi before each trip and investigate if a tire repeatedly loses psi. I am not a fan of TPMS because they are expensive and not particularily useful as long as you moniter psi at stops and overnights.

Leaks can (and usually do) develop while driving, something only a good TPMS. If a brake is dragging on wheel, a good TPMS will detect the increased heat the tire is subjected to, something you will never be able to detect before leaving on a trip and may be too late by the time you stop. It's also possible to blow a tire on a trailer while driving and be completely be unaware of it until after further damage has been done. A good TPMS will alert you to leaks and sudden loss of air while you are driving.

You may also like: