why do you paint white marks on your trailer tires?

by David Mac
(Walla Walla, WA)

I have seen white marks painted on the trailer tires, I have seen them on the highway and also on ice road truckers. Why are these white marks on the tires?

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Oct 06, 2020
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starstarstarstarstar 		Painted tires NEW
by: Anonymous

Well some of you were close, we paint the tires so that the driver can tell if his breaks are frozen to the hub, which happens all the time. A lot of tires have been drug off due to drivers setting their brakes to soon after driving, this allows the warm moisture between the brake pads and the drums to freeze, keeping the wheels from turning when they start to drive again. if you have noticed the white strip then you must have noticed trucks doing s turns when they start to roll, they do this so that they can see if the white markings are moving on the tires.
Aug 29, 2016
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starstarstarstarstar 		Curious NEW
by: Anonymous

I'm glad to see I wasn't the only one curious about this :) seen it on ice Road trucker's as well .
May 19, 2011
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starstarstarstarstar 		marked tires
by: TruckerYitz

the above comments are true but to explian it a little more. usually the white or yellow lines are up to down and right to left to create some what of an X opateern so if the tire is rolling, it will seem obvious to the driver looking in the rear/side view mirrors that the tireis rolling cause oif the flashing white line on the tires. but if the tire isnt rolling the non moving white opattern will tell the driver "OH SH_T !!! i am driving on ice... some companies use a yellow pointed mini flag on the studs of the tire mounts that give the same indication. now if the tires locked up on dry road, it shouldnt take a rocket scientist to figure out that the tires are not rolling, 1st there should be a terrible vibration of the tires being dragged on ground, and secont the smoke should also be somewhat obvious, but then again....there are some ignorrant drivers or just drivers that have never gotten a good training and didnt grow up around trucks and truck drivers.
May 10, 2011
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starstarstarstarstar 		Painting Trailer Tires
by: Trucker81

Several companies paint the trailer tires so that at night it is easier to see if the tire is rolling. During winter months, brakes have a tendency to freeze. If the driver pulling the trailer pulls a trailer that has frozen brakes, it will drag the tires causing them to have either flat spots or blowouts. Having the paint on the tire allows even the laziest of drivers to check his/her mirrors and see if the tires are rolling. If they are, no problem. If not, then the driver should get out and unfreeze the brakes.
May 07, 2011
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starstarstarstarstar 		White marks...
by: Jimmy

To see if the tires are moving. On ice, you could concievably be pullin the trailer with locked brakes and not know it. Jimmy

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