# Balancing Travel trailer tires



## Hip-Wader (Oct 28, 2010)

Does it do any good to have travel trailer tires balanced. My wife said I need to get them balanced because her co-worker's husband said they have to be balanced . I think he owns a tire repair center!


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## AntiHuntersLoveMe (Apr 18, 2012)

I'd have them balanced if it were me.

Sent from my SM-S727VL using Michigan Sportsman mobile app


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## 6Speed (Mar 8, 2013)

Your wife is right again....sorry.


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## Hip-Wader (Oct 28, 2010)

How many people own travel trailers here and have their tires balanced. I have been towing travel trailers for decades. Until recently I have never heard of balancing the tires.


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## 6Speed (Mar 8, 2013)

I do, boat trailer too. It's inexpensive and just makes the tires last longer. Unbalanced tires wear out faster and that's a fact. If you don't want to do it then don't.


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## 6Speed (Mar 8, 2013)

One article saying don't do it...

https://www.natm.com/blog/trailer-tires-to-balance-or-not-to-balance


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## 6Speed (Mar 8, 2013)

Another saying you should...

https://www.thesavvycampers.com/balance-travel-trailer-tires/


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## 6Speed (Mar 8, 2013)

Here's an RV forum that goes back and forth on the issue. 

https://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/24086549/print/true.cfm

Pick the one you like and tell your wife she's right or wrong! I'll keep balancing mine and tell my wife to focus on girl stuff.....


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## Hip-Wader (Oct 28, 2010)

All good articles. bottom line that convinced me is high speeds and frequent use. I put 3,000 miles on my travel trailer every season. I had to take my truck in to get a tire repaired so I pulled off the travel trailer tires, they are getting balanced now. Happy wife! Happy Life.


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## kroppe (May 7, 2000)

I have had all my trailer (boat and 32' travel trailer) tires balanced. The sole exception is the bias-ply tire I bought this weekend for the boat trailer. I asked for it to be balanced, and when I picked it up, I asked if it was balanced. "I think so" said the guy who took my money. Turns out it wasn't balanced. I was in a hurry so took the wheel/tire and got on the road. 

Bottom line for me - balance all wheels/tires.


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## JenP (Mar 11, 2018)

We balanced our fifth wheels tires after having a lovely blowout on I75. Blair’s in Mio did it- that place is awesome.


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## ESOX (Nov 20, 2000)

Always balance your trailer tires, or at least duct tape your checkbook to the tire to save time.


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## Rasher (Oct 14, 2004)

Just had my T.T. tires replaced at a Firestone, they didn't balance them, and I worked for a car hauling trucking company in their warehouse for 3 years, when ever the trailer tires got replaced, they NEVER were balanced.


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## ESOX (Nov 20, 2000)

Rasher said:


> Just had my T.T. tires replaced at a Firestone, they didn't balance them, and I worked for a car hauling trucking company in their warehouse for 3 years, when ever the trailer tires got replaced, they NEVER were balanced.


Not balancing tires on a class 7 or class 8 truck or trailer is asking for one of those catastrophic failures we all see in the form of the tread laying on the road. It's not just recaps, even new carcasses will shed their tread due to overheating from an out of balance condition. Usually just the old fashioned bubble balance will suffice to keep the tire living as long as it should,


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## Rasher (Oct 14, 2004)

ESOX said:


> Not balancing tires on a class 7 or class 8 truck or trailer is asking for one of those catastrophic failures we all see in the form of the tread laying on the road. It's not just recaps, even new carcasses will shed their tread due to overheating from an out of balance condition. Usually just the old fashioned bubble balance will suffice to keep the tire living as long as it should,


my whole time there I saw several hundred tires changed, not 1 was ever balanced, but I was just a worker bee who was going to listen to me, worst part is is that almost aii upper management including the owner and sr. vp all had cdl A’s.


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## 22 Chuck (Feb 2, 2006)

Ill ask what Uppr Lakes recommends in 6 mo when I go back.


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