Balance your trailer tires

orangeTJ

Explorer
This is a video of the tires (and their out of round condition) on one of my trailers. The concept of balancing trailer trailers might be a new concept to some, so I thought I'd share my video here.

Back in 2010 I bought a different trailer than in the video. It was a flatbed PJ car hauler trailer, which I hauled my Jeep TJ Rubicon on. The tires were so badly unbalanced, the trailer vibrated going down the road empty. I took the tires/wheels to Discount Tire. They said 2 of the 4 were badly out of round. I took the tires/wheels back to the dealer I bought the trailer from and the sales guy gave me a "deer in the headlights" look when I said the tires were so badly out of round that they couldn't be balanced. He said "trailer tires don't need to be balanced." I told him they DO need balanced when I can feel the trailer vibrating going down the road when it's empty.

The trailer in the video vibrated as well. I didn't notice the vibration until I towed it with my Silverado Dually (stiff suspension). I could feel the vibration being transmitted through the trailer hitch to the truck.
Balancing the tires solved the issue on this trailer as well.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwFMpTrFJHM
 
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Bullseye240

Adventurer
He said "trailer tires don't need to be balanced."

Lets see, the tires on the trailer spin as fast as the vehicle pulling it but they don't need to be balanced? What an idiot. Any assembly that spins at a fair amount of sped needs to be balanced. Ever see a trailer tire with a scalloped pattern across the tread face? That's from imbalance among other things. Most of the time wear like that on a trailer tire gets scrubbed off as they get drug around corners, at least on multi axle trailers. Takes five mins to balance a set of trailer tires and you don't have to get it perfect, even a semi-decent job will produce results.
 

Vinman

Observer
A few years ago I took my 8,500 lb travel trailer into a commercial truck tire shop to have the tires balanced. I told the counter guy I wanted them balanced and his response was “why the heck do you want trailer tires balanced?” I was a bit taken aback and said when my truck tires are out of balance it shakes the hell out of everything and only make sense the same would happen to my trailer. He agreed with me completely and said hardly anybody feels its necessary and he always recommends getting them balanced.
That particular day the shop was super busy but he would get to it when they had time. I go back a few hours later and not only is the job done, they did it at no charge just because.
 
D

Deleted member 9101

Guest
I have always had my trailer tires balanced. They last lo get and ride better.
 

RedM101A2

Member
I run the same tires and rims on my tow vehicle and trailer all balanced and rotated when needed.
 

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rnArmy

Adventurer
If it is just a yard trailer then yes; you don't need to balance them. But going down the highway - of course get them balanced. It just makes sense.
 

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