Possible bent Axle on 2014 Scamp 16 ft

[Jim Reimer]

Last fall I first noticed excessive tire wear on the outside tread of the Right (curb) tire. My suspicion is a bent axle.
I think it may have been an incident last Spring. I frequently had to slow down to dodge patches of missing asphalt on a road crossing the Appellations near Plaster Rock New Brunswick. On one occasion I was caught by surprise and went through a dip that saw my trailer leave the ground. We stopped to check things out. Everything appeared to be okay at the time.
When I noticed the tire wear I measured the Toe in. At this moment I can't recall exactly what that number was, but I do have reason for concern. Is there a fix for that, or do I have to get a new axle.
Or... is there another cause for tire wear. My Scamp 16 with side dinette and shower large fridge etc. tends to ride lower on the curb side I'm supposing because most of the weight tends to be on that side of the trailer.
What are your thoughts?
Jim. R.

[Carol H]

It's possible its nothing more than a faulty tire or insufficiently inflated tire or an unevenly loaded trailer or some might even suggest possible due to a loose bearing nut..... I think most of us have done the going to fast over a dump or hole and had the trailer take flight without any damage.

If you can take it to a shop that does tires or axles that can take a look at it.

[C&G in FL]

I had the same problem with the curb side tire when I owned my Scamp 19. Outer portion of tread was nearly bald 3,000 miles after taking delivery in Backus. Second tire did the same. No one in the tire/alignment business was able to tell me why.


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[Laughingindian]

Maybe someone jacked it up by the Axle and Bent it!

[David B.]

I agree you should check all that Carol suggested and if nothing can be found wrong, take it to a trailer alignment shop. We had problems with tire wear on the outside tread on drivers side and inside wear on the curb side. We replaced the "C range" tires with "D Range" and have the axle aligned. Time/miles with tell if it cured the problems.
Dave & Paula

[Rick Mooyman]

Just sent you a private message to take it to Metro Trailers on Nairn Ave here in Winnipeg they are the specialists I send everyone to them for repairs to frames and axles on our little trailers. John the tech there even owns a Boler.

Rick

Originally Posted by Manitoba Jim

Last fall I first noticed excessive tire wear on the outside tread of the Right (curb) tire. My suspicion is a bent axle.
I think it may have been an incident last Spring. I frequently had to slow down to dodge patches of missing asphalt on a road crossing the Appellations near Plaster Rock New Brunswick. On one occasion I was caught by surprise and went through a dip that saw my trailer leave the ground. We stopped to check things out. Everything appeared to be okay at the time.
When I noticed the tire wear I measured the Toe in. At this moment I can't recall exactly what that number was, but I do have reason for concern. Is there a fix for that, or do I have to get a new axle.
Or... is there another cause for tire wear. My Scamp 16 with side dinette and shower large fridge etc. tends to ride lower on the curb side I'm supposing because most of the weight tends to be on that side of the trailer.
What are your thoughts?
Jim. R.

[Bullington]

Originally Posted by Laughingindian

Maybe someone jacked it up by the Axle and Bent it!

Bahaha.....yeah let's get that one stirred up again !!

[DanoFL]

I would certainly suspect something is bent.

I would:
1) use a steel tape measure and carefully measure the distance wheel to wheel, using the highest point on the tires where the tape measure will clear the frame and other obstructions -- do the measurements front and rear - they should be the same.

2) I would look at Trailer Axle Alignment and Tire Wear Problems
and consider the techniques it offers. Remember the first step is measurement.

3) At some point, jack up the trailer and check the wheels, springs, etc to see if anything is loose.


I suspect you have an alignment issue (as you do). The question is what changed.

I would contact the camper mfg and ask for their guidance. I am sure that you are not the first person with this issue.

[C&G in FL]

Originally Posted by DanoFL

I would certainly suspect something is bent.



I would:

1) use a steel tape measure and carefully measure the distance wheel to wheel, using the highest point on the tires where the tape measure will clear the frame and other obstructions -- do the measurements front and rear - they should be the same.



2) I would look at Trailer Axle Alignment and Tire Wear Problems

and consider the techniques it offers. Remember the first step is measurement.



3) At some point, jack up the trailer and check the wheels, springs, etc to see if anything is loose.



I suspect you have an alignment issue (as you do). The question is what changed.



I would contact the camper mfg and ask for their guidance. I am sure that you are not the first person with this issue.

There are no springs in the suspension of a Scamp, which uses a torsion axle. If something is bent, it is most likely the spindle.


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[DanoFL]

are there any provisions to adjust the spindle?

[varmint]

Are you inflating your tires at the upper limit? Last year we did a cross country tour of national parks. We left Michigan with new tires. They were C load ratings at 1360 lbs. I weighed the trailer and had 2050 lbs on the wheels. The maximum tire pressure was 50 lbs and I set them at 40lbs. I checked them a couple times and the pressure held. When I got to california and 7,000 "car" miles later, I found the tires were wore out showing just a bit of tread on the outside. All I could find at the time was "C" rated tires as I would have liked "D"s. I have run the new tires about 5,000 miles at 50 lbs and they seem to be doing fine with slow and even tread wear. I'm a believer that higher pressure is better.

[DanoFL]

The higher inflation allows for more weight capacity. If inflation is too high for the load only the center of the tire would wear. underinflated tireswear on the edges.

A whell out of alignment will wear on one side.

What you describe sounds like a wheel out of alignment to me.

[Mike Magee]

Originally Posted by DanoFL

are there any provisions to adjust the spindle?

Not that I'm aware of.

[C&G in FL]

Originally Posted by DanoFL

are there any provisions to adjust the spindle?

Not that I know of!


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[redbarron55]

Back in the old days we would "string out" a race car to make sure we were building the car square. The technique was to get the "cotton laser" AKA string and tape it to the back of the tire and wrap it around the side across the tire and bring it forward to the front.
When the string just touches the sidewall on the front of the tire this was the direction of travel of that wheel. Measure from the hitch to the string and write that down. Repeat on the other side and then compare numbers.
In a perfect world the distance from the centerline (hitch) to the strings should be the same indicating the wheels both line up.
Some manufacturers build in a little toe in by bending the axle in the middle and some build in some positive camber by bending the axle up in the center to correct for loading.
Your Dexter should be lined straight forward and the wheels plumb vertically.

You may have a bent trailing arm or axle tube, but instead of wondering borrow a little string and a helper and check.
If you have some jack stands to tie the string to so much easier.
This assumes relatively unbent rims and good tires. Or at least tires with uniform sidewalls on the outside.
If you were to jack up the tire and give it a spin and check for uneven sidewalls you could check this out.
Remember a little mis-alignment over 12 feet makes a big difference so don't expect perfect!

[beardrum]

Same problem, same tire, same trailer! (2014 Scamp 16' side dinette, shower forward). I've got a post in here somewhere with some pictures of my tire wear. I've got the third tire on it now. Kent, at Scamp, had the tire company send me a new tire for the first issue. I had about 6500 miles on the new one, and same problem. The folks to whom I took Kent's new tire to get remounted took one look and said "separated belt, this new tire will fix it." Well it didn't. I've also had the trailer to a (different, local) trailer manufacturer, and their remark was the the axle was in spec ("Not great, but ok," whatever that means). My next step, which I will do in the next couple weeks, is to take the trailer to another outfit for a complete bearing check, etc. and also get their advice about alignment.

A lot of people tried to tell me I'd hit something, and that it is typical for that to happen on the passenger side, where the driver has less visibility. I don't remember hitting anything, but I supposed it was possible, until the problem recurred.

Interested to hear what you find out ...

Chuck

[mary and bob]

I've done a lot of axle alignments and toe-in adjustments on big trucks and trailers. Before doing the measurements we always moved the vehicle as far as we could in a forward direction so that the suspension was loaded as it would be in normal driving

[MAP 56]

This type of tire wear can be wheel bearings .to check the axle jack up the bad side and spin the wheel and while it is spinning place a jack stand beside the wheel an check for true this will rule out bent wheel .Then remove wheel repeat same on hub if hub wobbles might be bent or bearings replace bearings to and check again .This procedure will give you your answer Happy Trails Mike

[Roger C H]

"When observing hoofprints, think horses, not zebras."

Have you checked the weight distribution side to side?

[cmartin748]

I have inside wear on the roadside tire. Two long time reputable alignment shops. tol me that a torsion axle cannot be aligned. I just keep rotating all 3 tires each trip. Its cheaper than a new axle.