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17 Oct

Trailer Tech: Car and Truck Tires On Your Trailer

Welcome to Trailer Tech!

The winter season is quickly approaching and snow and ice will soon coat the roads (and off-roads). We here at Trailer Blocks thought it’s the perfect time to talk tires. Many folks assume that the trailer tire or “ST (special trailer)” tire is the only option. This simply isn't true.

A unique characteristic differentiating the trailing vehicle from the driven vehicle is trailer sway. One of the primary causes of trailer sway is flexing in the sidewall of the tire.  For this reason it is critical to choose a tire that carries a sufficient load index for the trailer. For example if your trailer’s GVWR is 6000lbs and is tandem axle, the tires should be rated for 6000lb / 4 tires = 1500lbs per tire.

Referencing a tire load index table, such as the one found here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tire_code#Load_index tells us that an ST (special trailer) or LT (light truck) tire would need to carry a load index code of 95. If we were putting P (passenger car) tires on the trailer we would have to apply a 9% reduction resulting in a load index of 99. This is because ST and LT tires carry a ply rating, while P tires do not.

By correctly matching a tire’s load index to the trailer’s requirements, P and LT tires can be used on your trailer. This opens up a lot of options.

In vehicles, we select a tire that is appropriate for driving conditions, the trailer is no different. Off road driving demands an off-road tire with multiple plies and a high load index. An aggressive tread pattern is useful to prevent sliding on uneven terrain. On-road street driving demands a high speed rating with a well-designed tread pattern for good wet/dry performance and cornering. Tires with V-shaped groves help relocate any potential road water from the center of the contact patch to the outside, preventing hydroplane condition. Winter driving conditions warrant winter rated tires that remain soft and sticky on ice where trailer brake performance can be devastating.

Overall, maximizing the speed rating for the load index required yields the best results. A high speed rated tire has a superior tread pattern and a correct load index greatly reduces trailer sway.

In any case, tire balancing is important and on-vehicle balancing can remove a lot of secondary ride issues (such as vibration).

Check back next time for more trailer tech talk.

14 May

Trailer Tech: Aluminum Billets

Welcome to Trailer Tech!

Today, we're going to be kicking things off with a topic that we've discussed among ourselves and was subsequently submitted to us from an anonymous reader. We're going to be talking about why we use the kind of aluminum we do and why we don't pursue alternatives.

Billet Aluminum Trailer Blocks group image

Our lineup of signature 6061-T6 Aluminum Lift/Lowering Blocks

Since we started production, our aluminum lift/lowering blocks have been from 6061-T6 aluminum billets. Although we stand by the use of billets, there has been something of a debate as to whether or not it's worth investigating the possibility of using cast metal instead. After careful deliberation, we ultimately found far too many potential issues that can arise from a cast metal block and the stability of a solid billet was unparalleled for our use. Structural defects are more likely to occur during the casting process; such as the presence of inclusions (foreign materials cast into the metal), lower elongation and shear strength as well as random soft spots along the finished product, leaving the final block more brittle as a result. It goes without saying that a brittle product has no business being attached to your trailer, so we actively avoid using cast parts in our process.

Billet aluminum, on the other hand, is far more effective at keeping inclusions or other potential errors at bay. As its being created at the mill, the billet is continuously cast using rollers which help ensure a uniform size while keeping the metal effectively free from inclusions or other defects. We wanted to go one step further ensuring the block's overall strength, so we decided on the T6 aluminum mainly due to its tempering process. T6 is tempered via a method known as "precipitation hardening" which increases the yield strength of the aluminum. As it's been allowed to settle uniformly, the precipitates in the metal impedes the movement of dislocations which are generally where deformations are found, Upon completion of the hardening, the finished product (billet) can be nearly twice as solid as cast aluminum. In the end, we're left with a more stable product to use and craft.

We've also noticed that many lift/lowering blocks being used today tend to have large, milled out sections in them, often in the name of reducing overall weight of the block. While there might be some merit to this method, we have found that cutting out sections of an aluminum block reduces the overall structural integrity and undercuts its potential strength far more than it's worth. Lift/lowering blocks need to withstand tremendous force and weight at all times of use and we feel that there just isn't a call to cut corners where it doesn't need to happen.

Ultimately, using the 6061-T6 aluminum billets for our blocks makes the most sense as it is a strong, uniform metal that ensures a better product and reduces the potential risks that come with alternative methods.

We hope you've enjoyed this entry of Trailer Tech and the insight into our metal choices. If you have any suggestions for topics or any feedback, feel free to send it in to: contact@trailerblocks.com

Thanks for reading!




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