Tire Problem

[Martin B.]

The outside edge of our right trailer tire is badly worn, while the inside edge shows little sign of wear. What do you think is wrong?

[Vtec]

Originally Posted by Martin B.

The outside edge of our right trailer tire is badly worn, while the inside edge shows little sign of wear. What do you think is wrong?

Not sure but with trailer tires inflation is everything. Our Casita we picked up in spring had badly scuffed tires with up and down scalping on outside edge of tread when we bought it. Checked the tire pressure before dragging it back and it was I think in the 20's psi, and it was supposed to be 50psi. I rotated them from side to side plus watch the pressures closely and now they are almost back to normal.

[Tim D.]

The axle may be out of alignment. Over the course of seven years of driving potholed frost-heaved roads I have had mine straightened a couple of times to solve tire wear issues. A good alignment shop or a spring & axle shop should be able to check and correct the alignment, at least on a leaf spring axle. Torsion axles may be a different story. I'm not sure they can be aligned.

[Joe Romas]

First as mentioned check the tire pressure then check the wheel bearings for proper adjustment.

Some friends had your problem and they took their Casita to a small shop that made and serviced trailers for the farming community they were in.
Casita uses the Dexter torque flex axle, newer ones incorporate the bolt on brackets, older ones were welded on.
Their trailer has the bolt on brackets and the shop was able to align it simply by using the play in the bolt holes. Then they tack welded it to keep it in position. It does not take very much out of alignment over many miles to wear like that.

Joe

[dleverton]

If the outside edge of both tires are overly worn, it sounds to me like the axil is bent either in at the front (toe-in), or in at the bottom (camber). There are shops around that put a hydraulic tool on your axil and can change the alignment. Might be as inexpensive to replace the axil, I'd ask around.


Doug

[Joe Romas]

Originally Posted by dleverton

If the outside edge of both tires are overly worn, it sounds to me like the axil is bent either in at the front (toe-in), or in at the bottom (camber). There are shops around that put a hydraulic tool on your axil and can change the alignment. Might be as inexpensive to replace the axil, I'd ask around.


Doug

Doug.

Just the right side and the outer edge of the tire is wearing per the first post.

If the right wheel is closer (more forward) to the hitch center line then the left wheel the outside of the right tire will wear as shown and it only takes very little difference for that to happen.
This is exactly what happened to our friends on their newer 17' SD over a lot of miles that was corrected using the play in the two mounting bolts on the right side. Oddly enough though is the left, street side, was worn evenly. That I don't understand

Joe

[dleverton]

That's a good point. A right angle from the center of the axil should pass thru the ball on the hitch, otherwise the trailer will dog track, and that too would result in tire wear.


Doug

[dleverton]

If it is only the one it sound to me like camber. Take a square and on level ground check how far off vertical the wheel is and compare the two sides. If the worn one is significantly more angled, it's camber for sure.
Any chance one wheel bearing is quite loose?


Doug

[Vtec]

Upon closer inspection they look exactly like ours looked. Rotate them so they spin the opposite direction, inflate them accurately, run them for a while, see what happens. If it gets worse, get it checked out,

It is always comical to me how many people go in for a wheel alignment for their car. I ask why, what has it been doing? And they say "The tires shake badly". I say that has nothing to do with alignment, that is a need for the wheels to be re-spin balanced. They get an alignment anyway and say it went away after the alignment. You ask for an alignment they give it to you, in many cases they don't change much adjustment, just balance them, and you both go away happy. If you ask for an alignment you will get one no matter if it needs it. Seldom will you get a place to say "After checking it you really didn't need an alignment, but I am taking your money anyway".

I am not trying to imply there may not be a serious problem, but at least try to deduce whether it really needs an alignment first. I never had a lot of problems with tire wear until the last few years. What changed? I got teenagers in my house who were driving and in charge of proper tire inflation. Not sure which of those two variables causes the most problems?

[Carol H]

OP has not indicated the age of the trailer or tires. If its an older trailer take a look in the wheel well area - any rubber marks indicating the tire has made contact. If so its due for an axle change. As others have suggested checking the bearings & balancing the tires would also be a good starting point.