Changing the tires on a travel trailer can be difficult, because most don't come with detailed instructions, and the process is entirely different from changing a tire on a car. Don't allow yourself to get stuck on the side of the road. Learn how to change your travel trailer's tire so that, for routine maintenance or when disaster strikes, you'll be prepared to get your trailer back into working order.
Starting Out
Using a flat screwdriver, remove the hubcap or wheel cover from the tire. Most trailers will come equipped with a four-way lug wrench (if not, plan ahead to have one that fits your trailer tires in your vehicle at all times). Use this to loosen, but not remove, the lug nuts on your travel trailer. Do not loosen the nuts after the wheel is jacked or raised. Position the jack underneath the trailer near the tire, or place a changing aid before the tire that is directly in front of the one you want to replace.
Lift the Tire
Because a trailer is heavy, lifting the tire can be an arduous task. Even using a trailer jack, you might find that lifting a trailer enough to replace the tire is difficult and time-consuming. Consider purchasing a Trailer-Aid, a device that allows you to lift your travel trailer using the good wheel right in front of the one you intend to replace. Changing aids replace the need for a jack, which will save you time and effort in the long run. Once the tire is lifted above the ground, place wood wheel blocks in front and back of tires on both sides of the trailer to keep it from moving anywhere, and pull the emergency brake.
Change the Tire
Remove the lug nuts entirely and place them in a convenient location. Make certain you do not lose them! Pull the bad wheel from the hub and set it aside. Align the lugs on the hub with those on the spare. Fit the spare to the lugs. Tighten each lug in order of opposites; for instance, begin with the one on the right and tighten the one across from it on the left. Do not work in a clockwise or counterclockwise fashion. Remove the blocks and emergency brake, and back off the changing aid. Re-tighten the nuts.
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