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Blowout! Learn how to prevent a trailer-tire blowout—and what to do if you experience a blowout despite your best efforts. Courtesy of USRider Photos by Heidi Melocco
Be aware of hitching weight. With a gooseneck, much of the weight is on the hitch and your tow vehicle’s rear axle. The amount of weight on the hitch can change significantly as the animals shift or after a tire blows out. Trailer-tire blowouts are risky and stressful for both human and horse. And they can happen without warning. One minute, you’re sailing down the interstate, and the next, you hear a horrific “bam!” and your trailer pulls to one side. You grab the steering wheel to control your rig and look for a place to pull over. You glance in the rear-view mirror. A trailer tire has blown. How well prepared you are for a blowout can lessen the severity of a blown tire’s impact. And steps you take today can prevent a blowout from happening in the first place. Here, we’ll first give you 11 ways to USRider® Equestrian Traveler’s Companion
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prevent a blowout. Then we’ll give you a preventive-maintenance to-do list. Finally, we’ll tell you the steps to take should you experience a blowout despite your best efforts. (For how to change a trailer tire, click here.)
Blowout Prevention Here are 11 ways to help prevent trailer-tire blowouts. Invest in high-quality tires. Use high-quality trailer tires that are correctly rated for the weight you are hauling. Check your vehicle’s tow rating. The biggest contributor to turning a simple blown tire into a trailer accident is a >> Spring 2020
