Trailer Tire Wear

[DRR-24V]

The right rear tire is wearing on the outside. All the rest are fine. On rotating them do you just switch to the other side or what? Don't believe I have a bent axle or anything. Tires have about 10-12,000 on them, always at the max inflation pressures.

 

[Dieselnerd]

You probably have something slightly bent. I've towed fifth wheels for many years and as long as you tow them level (not nose high or low) the tires have always worn evenly. With radial tires I always rotate front to back. I normally find that I have to replace the tires due to age before the tread is worn enough to require replacement. With the trailer parked on very level ground you might try measuring the distance between the wheels on each side. They should be very close. Another common problem if you do not have the heavy duty greasable suspension is one or more of the suspension links have elongated bolt holes. Sometimes this makes the trailer slightly lower on the worn side.

 

[WCrovo]

More than likely you got somethin bent.

 

[Joseph Donnelly]

It can be kinda easy to bend an axle when you thump a curb, etc. with a trailer. If the alignment shop isn't handy, you can do a rudimentary job by cutting down a bubble level until it just fits between the outer lips of the wheel. Check each wheel this way for camber. Toe-in can be checked with a long pole held against the tread, centered up and down.

 

[C Schomer]

I,ve also used a straight edge across the outer surface of the front and back tire to find if one has the wrong toe. Check center to center on the axles on both sides too. They should be the same on both sides!

 

[CFarlow]

I agree with Dieselnerd,, you probably have elongated brackets. The suspension on most trailers and 5th. wheels is pretty pitiful. I have seen this myself on my own rig. Checkit out, and then get some of the "greable fittings" for your shackles and links. It will be much better. YOu can install







Chuck.

 

[DRR-24V]

Will Do Some Measuring !

Rig is only 2 years old. I will try this stuff this weekend.

 

[DRR-24V]

Now It Gets Weird !

After some careful measuring, all the wheels seem the same. The worn spot does not go completely around the tire. It is 13" long and really worn. No weights are on any tires. Would an out of round tire or one badly out of balance wear like this? Think I will put my spare on and have all 4 of them balanced.

 

[Boldt's Wagon]

You just described a ply separation. You caught it before the tread came off and beat up the trailer. Keep an eye on the other tires.



Separation is common on trailer tires. I believe it must be caused by the severe sideways scrubbing when you turn a dual axle trailer on pavement. Ever watch the tires deform when you turn. The tires on the pickup are not exposed to such abuse.

 

[DRR-24V]

Boldt Is The Man !!

You jogged my memory. Last year while leaving Wyoming I noticed a bubble like 1/2 of a grapefruit on the R/R of the trailer. I popped it and it slowly went down to normal. Came home on it and forgot about it till you mentioned tread separations. Local tire man said the same thing. Said don't even keep it as a spare.

Thanks for the info.

 

[C Schomer]

I've balanced the tires on all my rvs when they were new, before they could get too screwed up. Some have taken 5 ounces - that's a lot! The old bubble balancer does just fine. I do my truck wheels that way too. Craig

 

[Sarge]

Tire Wear.........

This is a good time to bring up a situation that happened to me this summer. While towing in Northern Ca this summer I had a huge bubble on the outside of one of my trailer tires. This was the second one on a two year old RV. I switched it out and kept going until I got to Chico Ca. The tires were all Goodyear Marathon radial "D" rated trailer tires. I found a Goodyear dealer in Chico and showed him the tire. His response was that he wanted them all.



The next day I took the trailer to his shop. He called Goodyear for authorization to change the set of tires. He was told that the Goodyear Marathon had in fact had a recall for tread seperation, but is was the "E" rated tire that had experienced tread seperation, not the "D" rated tire. That left me to ponder just replacing the one tire, or paying for all four. Fortunately the dealer was knowledgeable about these things, and called Goodyear back and got a different customer rep this time. He authorized the change of all of the tires on my trailer. I only paid labor and balancing.



The moral of the story here is that tread seperation is not normal for any tire that is manufactured correctly (and not overloaded). The tires were new, the trailer was new, and I was far from overloaded. If you have Goodyear Marathon Trailer Radials, take note!!!!



Contact a Goodyear dealer and inquire about the tires on your rig. I put the new model Series E tires on the trailer, and have not had a problem since. Be careful out there!!!!!!!!