Quote:
Originally Posted by Darrel Smith
We just returned from a 4000 mile trip and I noticed that the outside sidewall of both tires was wearing smooth. The axle is a upgraded 3500# Dexter spring unit.
Can anyone tell me if the 1000 pound weight of the trailer does not flex the axle enough to set the tires at normal towing stance which causes the outside wear.
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Is it the sidewall that is wearing or the edge of the tread? The sidewall should not wear at all. If the outside tread of both tires is wearing and the inside of the tire tread is not wearing, then it is not due to inflation. The toe in could be off, but that is not likely with a new axle, so my guess would be that there is not enough weight on the axle to flex the axle straight. If your trailer only weighs 1000 pounds, that is only 29% of the axle capacity. My
Burro has a similar weight and when I replaced the axle I got a 2000 pound one, resisted getting the 2200 pound axle for the same price because I was wondering about this issue. Why did you get a 3500 pound axle? A 3500 pound axle costs and weighs more and the trailer frame could not handle that much weight without serious reinforcement. It also seems that the torsion suspension will not flex much with that little weight, so it may act more like a solid axle without suspension. You might be able to take the axle off and have it bent straighter with a hydraulic press, but there would be the possibility of screwing up the alignment if it was not done accurately.