Funny trailer tire wear

[TomB985]

Hi everyone,

I've never dealt with abnormal wear on a trailer before so I figure I'll seek some opinions. My boat rides on a 2011 Shore Land'r trailer with a 3,500 lb axle. Trailer tire pressure has always been maintained to 50 PSI and the trailer probably has between 3-4,000 miles on it. This season we've noticed drastically increased tire noise coming from the trailer, so I checked it out today. This is what I found:







This was the left side tire. the right side was unevenly worn on both shoulders of the tread which led me to think it was underinflated. But the only way that could happen is if the boat is too heavy for the trailer, as the tires are rated for 50 PSI at maximum capacity. I swapped the tires hoping to make them last a little longer, but that's hardly a solution.

What am I missing here? Why is my trailer eating tires?

 

[Grub54891]

Re: Funny trailer tire wear

Is the axle square with the frame? Maby measure it from various places/angles,and see if it's lined up right. Or did you nail a pothole or curb somtine, and something is bent? Just a couple things to look for.
Grub

 

[TomB985]

Re: Funny trailer tire wear

Yup, the trailer tracks straight as an arrow. My dad nailed a curb with it two weeks ago, but this has been going on for some time now so I don't think that's it. Anything's possible though.

 

[matt167]

Re: Funny trailer tire wear

Yup, the trailer tracks straight as an arrow. My dad nailed a curb with it two weeks ago, but this has been going on for some time now so I don't think that's it. Anything's possible though.

I think the axle is deflecting a bit. Looks like a camber issue if the tire pressures are right, and I know that camber is engineered into the axle so that they sit straight when loaded

 

[TomB985]

Re: Funny trailer tire wear

The strange part is how both sides of the opposite tire are also cupped all the way around. The trailer has a 5-year warranty, any guesses as to whether or not they'll consider this a warranty problem?

 

[Thalasso]

Re: Funny trailer tire wear

That tire looks like it's hopping down the road. Check the balance

 

[Lone Duck]

Re: Funny trailer tire wear

Yup!

that tire looks like it's hopping down the road. Check the balance

 

[TomB985]

Re: Funny trailer tire wear

That tire looks like it's hopping down the road. Check the balance

The wear pattern is like that way around the entire tire, wouldn't an out of balance tire cause spots like this at certain points?

 

[Fleetwin]

Re: Funny trailer tire wear

I agree that it is probably "hopping". Balance or broken belt within a tire. On a straight axle, one tire can effect the other side.

Regardless, you'll never straighten that tread wear out. Time for new tires.

 

[etracer68]

Re: Funny trailer tire wear

Looks like a balance problem to me. Tires can go out of balance, as belts shift. Replace the tires, and make sure you have them balanced, and then keep an eye on them. If they start to wear the same way, you have other problems. When is the last time the bearings were checked, and repacked.

 

[TomB985]

Re: Funny trailer tire wear

I got it on a scale last week to make sure the axle wasn't overloaded:



Nope, with 3/4 tank I have another 220 lbs capacity left. It's close, but that shouldn't cause my problem. I have a hard time believing it's a balance issue because the tire wear is constant around the entire tire.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Funny trailer tire wear

Balance issues can cause tire wear as can broken or weak springs. Trailer springs normally break at the locating bolt hold in the center of the spring. 220# reserve on the load capacity means the trailer is loaded near its capacity. Again, weak or broken springs can create wear issues.Tagging a curb certainly doesn't help matters.

 

[etracer68]

Re: Funny trailer tire wear

You are very close to max load, in my opinon you should have at least 500lb reserve cap. As i said, check the bearings, get new balanced tires, and keep an eye on them. Also there could be other issues, as others have said too.

 

[TomB985]

Re: Funny trailer tire wear

Balance issues can cause tire wear as can broken or weak springs. Trailer springs normally break at the locating bolt hold in the center of the spring. 220# reserve on the load capacity means the trailer is loaded near its capacity. Again, weak or broken springs can create wear issues.Tagging a curb certainly doesn't help matters.

Yeah, my dad nailed a curb with it last month and I nearly freaked out. I can't find any damage, so I think I got lucky. Of course this tire wear predates that incident, and it has never been curbed otherwise. I'll take a look at the springs and see, but I would think, especially as heavy as its loaded, I would notice one end sagging if that was the case. Near capacity or not, it's a 2-year-old trailer.

You are very close to max load, in my opinon you should have at least 500lb reserve cap. As i said, check the bearings, get new balanced tires, and keep an eye on them. Also there could be other issues, as others have said too.

What do you recommend to check the bearings? I've always checked for wheel end play and smooth rotation, and I've never found anything wrong. Is there something that I could check only by disassembly?

 

[etracer68]

Re: Funny trailer tire wear

Its most likely time to repack anyway. Take them apart, clean, and repack.
My dad two years ago but a new trailer for hauling his motor cycle to FL, and then back to WI. He had a tire wear just like yours. I jacked it up and found the bearings were a bit lose, and the tires werent balanced. He now has me check them every year, and I take the tires, and have them rebalanced too. You be suprised at how after a few thousand miles, a tire can go out of balance.

 

[brummo]

Re: Funny trailer tire wear

I have tire wear like that on my Trailstar trailer with my 175TXW. They are the cheap 3 ply bias tire that came with the trailer. Had them warrantied after the first year as I was surprised I made it home from a fishing trip, didn't check pressure (33psi)...the new ones started to do almost the exact same thing not near as bad because I have them at 55psi. I have new rims and 6 ply radials now and am hoping for a better wear. I haven't towed with it yet, but it should be better.

 

[DBWilson]

Re: Funny trailer tire wear

Make sure your trailer is level to the ground. If the hitch is too high or low it could cause this problem. Mine did the same thing ,only worse.

 

[TomB985]

Re: Funny trailer tire wear

After thinking about it, I think I may know the answer.

Last November we moved from Wisconsin to Connecticut. During the move we needed every ounce of space we could get, and as a result we packed the boat with as much as we could fit not thinking of how little excess capacity the axle had. We were probably overweight by a good 500 lbs for that 1,300 mile trip. I wonder if that got this funny wear started.

 

[etracer68]

Re: Funny trailer tire wear

Moving from WI to anywhere east, will do it every time. Jusk kidding. Anyway, you have to do as said above. After that, go out on the boat, and have some relaxing fun, summer is slipping away. You cant replace the good times on the boat, so get off the PC, and on that boat!

 

[TomB985]

Re: Funny trailer tire wear

Moving from WI to anywhere east, will do it every time. Jusk kidding. Anyway, you have to do as said above. After that, go out on the boat, and have some relaxing fun, summer is slipping away. You cant replace the good times on the boat, so get off the PC, and on that boat!

Well said, I completely agree!