Just want to say...

[riverforest]

...I'm glad I optioned for the spare tire for my dolly. got a flat on the 40 middle of the Mojave Desert. by the time I could pull safely off the roadway I was almost down to the rim most of the tire gone. no way of telling what made it fail, had about 10,000 miles on it and I keep 50 psi in it.

..

[jelag]

I'm sorry for your loss...

Next time you run past a closed scale house run across the scales and weigh each axle.... and adjust the tire pressure on each axle based on that weight... for me... 50 psi on a LT tire wouldn't be enough....

I also carry a point and shoot infra-red thermometer from harbor freight... ($25) at the rest stops I walk around checking the temperature of the tread and the wheel bearing (hub) and brake rotors....

I've driven several times across Ash Meadows and Death Valley and agree about the spare and I always look at the temperatures.... at fuel stops and rest stops...

[NXR]

Next time you run past a closed scale house run across the scales and weigh each axle.... and adjust the tire pressure on each axle based on that weight... for me... 50 psi on a LT tire wouldn't be enough....

My dolly had 12" ST tires and the sidewall pressure was 80 PSI. That's what I used to set them to. Tireman9, a retired tire design and forensics engineer, usually recommends setting to the sidewall pressure for non-motorhomes, I believe. www.rvtiresafety.net

I also carry a point and shoot infra-red thermometer from harbor freight... ($25) at the rest stops I walk around checking the temperature of the tread and the wheel bearing (hub) and brake rotors....

Good advice. I used to do that when I used a dolly.

And yeah, I optioned for a spare dolly wheel and tire for the same reasons. I never had to use them before I switched to flat towing but I actually am OK with that.

Ray