My trailer currently sits on grass/mud and I’d like to at least get the wheels out of the mess. I swear I’ve seen somewhere on the boards that someone used concrete pavers. I’m a decent trailer backer, so I can probably nail the pavers after some cursing, but a bit of Googling found someone mentioning parking their trailer on stall mats. Bigger target and gentler on my knees when I’m down, trying to wrestle the wheel covers on. Anyone tried it? Obviously going to ask the barn for permission first. They tell me they plan to redo the parking area, so I hope that means trading mud and grass for at least gravel, but in the mean time, my trailer is doing a lot of sitting around waiting for pandemic times to pass, and I’d like to do what I can for my stationary tires.
I cut a 4x6 Tractor Supply Mat in half and used those for several years. I’m a decent backer but they are “portable” enough you don’t need to be.
Long term parking on cement isn’t good for tires anyway. Get the mat(s).
Out of curiosity, what did you cut it with? I’d like to pretend I’m decent with a box cutter, but honestly, I’m probably safe using one on an actual box. :o I’m pretty limited on other cutting tools at home, but my dad’s got some tools I can beg/borrow/steal…
I just use cheap paver blocks from Lowes, have done for years. I also put tire covers on bc uv kills everything, found a cheap set for rvs.
I think I would cry if I cut up a perfectly good stall mat
Great COTH hack. Use a straight edge metal ruler (or T square) to score the mat. Put a 2x4 under the scored edge, add some traction as you go to “open” the scored edge and finish cutting the mat. Done! Works great for a single mat or to do lots (I did my small barn this way).
Or use a circular saw with an old blade.
My trailer is parked on previously-owned stall mats bought off of CL. Asking price was $10 each, but when the seller realized I was interested in several, she offered a discount if I took them all.
My entire gooseneck trailer (including the nose) is on the mats, which also extend out a bit on each side (standard 4 x 6 mats, put crosswise by twos, so 12 foot wide coverage the length of my trailer), so I don’t have to back up the trailer perfectly when parking. Very inexpensive solution that has worked out fine.
Okay, explain this to me, because this is the first time I’ve heard this. I understand why parking in mud/grass deteriorates a tire and currently, due to the amount of grass I’m parking in, I can’t even get my tire covers on, but I was always under the impression parking on solid ground, whether concrete or asphalt, was the way to go. I know tires get flat where they meet a flat surface if they sit forever on that surface, but that should be true of any flat surface.
Ideally you should get the weight off them, like putting a car up on blocks. That avoids problems with flat spots. Probably not really practical for larger trailers.
Figure on 5-6 years rather than mileage. Keep an eye on the sidewalls. Tires dry out and tiny cracks develop in the sidewalls. They are a sign the tire is deteriorating and should be replaced. Not as big a deal if you are hauling your yacht, rather than your horses. It makes me nervous when people keep going because the mileage is low.
If tires sit on concrete without moving for months, the concrete wicks moisture from the tire and dries that point out. Dirt is actually not an issue, wood is nice, but as Walktrot state above, any tire will get a flat spot if left unmoved. I Michigan, we tend to park stuff for the winter - always on pieces of wood, not directly on concrete.
Sorry, but can you provide a reference? I’m baffled. Ive never heard of concrete as “wicking” and water will certainly sit on the surface until it evaporates. The trailer folks in my life have always recommended a manmade surface over dirt for storage, so this doesn’t sound right. Anecdotally, having helped load some old, old cars, those stored on concrete/asphalt rolled a lot better than those parked in someone’s yard! Of course, traction was better for pushing when you’re not standing on wet grass. :lol:
OP, you are correct – the important part is that moisture (which causes rot & corrosion) can drain away & there is protection from UV. There are lots of tire myths & a quick google search reveals them. Concrete doesn’t pull any hidden moisture from tires. Mats should also work fine as long as they don’t deform & hold a pool of water directly under the weight of the tire.
Also, “flat spots” are less of an issue for modern radial tires, which hopefully everyone has on their horse trailers. You can always shift the trailer periodically if you are concerned about that.
Only reference I can find is in unsubstantiated forums. Maybe it was more applicable to older tires - I’m old, so that could sure be true!
Ah, how the internet/old lore leads us astray! :lol: I’m going to plan to start with stall mats. I think the benefit to me will be that I can move them with ease, in case I’m having one of those days where it’s easier to move the mat than it is to park over it perfectly. I do worry that the mats will curve/dip with the weight of the tires in mud, but my covers should keep rain from collecting on top, and I can cut the mats to size to make sure not a lot sticks out beyond my fenders to avoid any rain drippings. I’ll plan to keep an eye under the covers and make sure the mats aren’t sinking enough that groundwater/puddles rising over them is an issue. My hope is that I’ll trailer out once a month or so for lessons starting in October.
Thanks, COTH crew!
I do worry that the mats will curve/dip with the weight of the tires in mud
there are specific pavers for grassy areas that will support a fire engine…or airplane as we used these as overruns at DFW Airport, you could put a Few of these down then the mats if desired
https://www.ndspro.com/PDFs/Tech-Spec-Guides/Grassroad-Pavers-Tufftrack.pdf
one other Tire protection that we have is a lock on the spare tire, the spare can not be removed without the key… a spare tire and wheel cost about $175 to replace
