Trailer tires wearing uneven

[rnArmy]

I just got back from a 3000 mile trip pre-running part of the 5000 mile trip to the Arctic Ocean we'll be doing in August. I noticed when I got home the trailer tires were wearing more on the inside half of the tread (I'll probably replace them before the trip in August).

The trailer is a home-built, and the axle is a 52" 3500 lb axle on a 40" wide trailer frame, so there's not a lot of axle hanging past the spring perches. The tires are just cheap 235/75/15" Goodyear Wrangler radials. And the total trailer weight is probably only between 1200 & 1500 lbs.

Any suggestions on why the tires are wearing uneven?

 

[calicamper]

Unless the axle isnt quite square nothing you listed would suggest inside wear other than possibly under inflated tires? However if its a 3500lb axle and your running 1500lbs ish does it get bouncy going over rough spots on the highway? I wonder if a lighter spring pack would help?

 

[Louisd75]

I just got back from a 3000 mile trip pre-running part of the 5000 mile trip to the Arctic Ocean we'll be doing in August. I noticed when I got home the trailer tires were wearing more on the inside half of the tread (I'll probably replace them before the trip in August).

The trailer is a home-built, and the axle is a 52" 3500 lb axle on a 40" wide trailer frame, so there's not a lot of axle hanging past the spring perches. The tires are just cheap 235/75/15" Goodyear Wrangler radials. And the total trailer weight is probably only between 1200 & 1500 lbs.

Any suggestions on why the tires are wearing uneven?
View attachment 529447View attachment 529448

Can you take a picture of the axle from behind?

Most axles are sold with a bow or curve to them. An impropeely oriented axle can cause uneven wear.

 

[Jimmy51]

Or wheel bearings a little on the loose side. had that happen recently on a trip from Ontario to BC. Ruined one tire before I clued in.

 

[CampStewart]

A cambered axle would wear the outside of the tire not the inside if it was lightly loaded. I would run a straight edge under the axle and check the wheel bearings. A picture of both tires would help also.

 

[gdlals]

A cambered axle would wear the outside of the tire not the inside if it was lightly loaded. I would run a straight edge under the axle and check the wheel bearings. A picture of both tires would help also.

Not if the axle is flipped but the spring seats are not flipped/rotated.

 

[billiebob]

Might be a myth but I heard axles have a slight bend to give a minor amount of toe in.
If you flip from spring under to spring over, you also have to spin the axle, left becomes right, right becomes left.

I'd start by spinning the axle.

 

[opp]

looks a bit low on air. Could you have bent the frame ?

 

[4S50]

I had a similar experience where my tires wore entirely on the inner half if the tread and found my axle was bent. Likely from extended dirt road travel in the Arizona strip. I straightened it with a chain and bottle jack and should truss it, but have not yet, and with new tires they are wearing true. I just added shocks and have high hopes that they will help with tire wear.

 

[rnArmy]

It is not a cambered axle - it is a straight axle (I was the one who ordered it and installed it).

I hadn't thought about it being a possible bearing issue - I will definitely check them (I was going to repack the bearings anyways before my 5000 mile trip that's comin up next month). It makes sense a loose bearing would cause the tire to be at an angle and wear funny. Thanks for the suggestion! I had put a lot of miles on the trailer before, and this is the first time I noticed the tire wear issue.

I was running about 28lbs of air in the trailer tires. I can add some more air, but not sure how that would affect the tire wear.

I will also run a straight edge along the frame to make sure it isn't bent.

Thanks again all for your input!

 

[opp]

I was running about 28lbs of air in the trailer tires. I can add some more air, but not sure how that would affect the tire wear.

low air ware the out side high air ware the inside of tires

 

[rnArmy]

Pictures of the tires. The passenger side tire (first picture) wore worse than the driver's side tire.

 

[Brianj5600]

I had a similar experience where my tires wore entirely on the inner half if the tread and found my axle was bent. Likely from extended dirt road travel in the Arizona strip. I straightened it with a chain and bottle jack and should truss it, but have not yet, and with new tires they are wearing true. I just added shocks and have high hopes that they will help with tire wear.View attachment 529546

What shocks are those?

 

[WOODY2]

low air ware the out side high air ware the inside of tires

I thought low air wore outer edges and over inflation wore the center of a tire? Please feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[opp]

yes outer edges = out side. edit ( of tread) Looks like a alignment problem from top to bottom . look for broken welds on axle. Pull tire and place a strait straight edge on hub and turn .dose it turn true?










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