Torsion axle questions

[AMink]

My Wildcat TT has torsion axles. The tires on the left side wear fine, but the ones on the right side show cupping on the outside of the tire. The rear tire is especially bad, front not too bad. I am not, however, convinced that the axle is out of alignment as the tire is also showing signs of structural failure. At one point across the tread, the tread is almost flat side to side, the rest of the tire has a pronounced hump around the circumference. So, the question becomes, is the tire failure caused by bad alignment or is the wear caused by tire failure? Can torsion axles be aligned? How do they do it? I know all about the Chicom trailer tires but before I drop some serious change on new rims and tires, I need to know if these axles can be aligned if needed. Also, if they can't, can traditional axles be installed?

 

[HBarlow]

Yes, they can. A few years ago I had a nearly new Airstream triple axle trailer I bought when one year old. It wore all six tires in various ways. I took it to a big truck alignment facility which had me back it onto a long steel alignment rack above a pit. I watched as the alignment expert mounted one of the alignment devices like used on front wheels for car and light truck alignments on each wheel. He crawled around under the trailer and bent each one of the axle stubs back into proper alignment using chain hoists to move the axles.

It worked. This was 15 years ago. The shop had quoted me a price of $50/wheel but he charged me only $200.

 

[TLane]

You can start by crawling under the trailer with a tape measure and check to see if the axles are parallel, as close as you can measure. If they are, then it's off to an alignment or suspension shop as Harvey suggested. Having them check it is probably cheaper than seeing if the new tires wear out quickly! Ask locally until you find someone who knows what they are doing.

The tire with a hump may be about to come apart - which can do serious damage to your trailer. It sounds like it has already separated internally, so replace it before you do any traveling with the trailer.

 

[AMink]

The tire with a hump may be about to come apart - which can do serious damage to your trailer. It sounds like it has already separated internally, so replace it before you do any traveling with the trailer.

It's off. I have been through the wheel well redesign before!#@$%!

 

[Gonzo 1066]

I have seen quite a few trailers with tire alignment issues only on the right side. This MIGHT be from climbing over curbs?? Seems odd that the right side issues are more common than the left side.

 

[Bill Stockard]

I have seen quite a few trailers with tire alignment issues only on the right side. This MIGHT be from climbing over curbs?? Seems odd that the right side issues are more common than the left side.

Yep, I had that happen to our Airstream trailer in '76 when I backed into a high curb in Banff, AB. I was afraid of what happened and it did. The right rear tire was worn smooth by the time I returned to TX. A trip to Dallas Frame & Axle fixed it.



Bill

 

[Hoefler]

I have seen quite a few trailers with tire alignment issues only on the right side. This MIGHT be from climbing over curbs?? Seems odd that the right side issues are more common than the left side.

The right side is always in the gutter, that is where all the trash and junk wind up. Also where the worst part of the road is as well.