Centering Trailer Axle

[Stotch]

After having hydraulic trailer brakes installed about 1.5 years ago and recently preparing the rig for this up coming season I've noticed excessive wear on both the left & right outside edges of the trailer tires. The trailer seems to track true when pulling, but I'm concerned about the wearing edges. The tires are a radial design and properly inflated. Could this be caused by the axle not being centered properly. If so, then please explain the proper method for checking and centering the axle. Such as, where do you measure from, the front tongue, the cross member, the rear end of the trailer ?? I would really like to correct this problem prior to the long distance and frequent trips planned ahead.

Thanks to all who respond. Stotch

[Skeeter Boy]

Stop by your tire dealer and ask him some questions about tire inflation.Maybe even ask at your local alignment center,but it sounds to me that if both the inside and the outside edges of both tires show wear you may have an inflation problem. It was explained to me this way. The proper pressure is whatever pressure allows the full face of the tread to contact the road,as long as it is within the manufactures specs. On my pickup for example, the front tires require about 6 or 7 psi more than the back to get the same result because of the engine weight. I hope this was of some help. Skeeter Boy

[Skeeter Boy]

Stotch;Sorry I misread your question.I see now you had wear only on the outside of both tires. If it seems equal I would quess it would be an alignment problem caused by the wrong camber or toe in, if it were the axle being off it would dog track. Your local alignment shop should be able to help. Red faced Skeeter Boy.

[Fin Addict]

If your axle was out of line you would have an irregular tire wear pattern and the trailer would not track straight. This is probably not your problem. Running a heavy load on lots of corners will cause uneven wear to the outside of tires and this is likely your problem. Like your car, simply rotate the tires to even out the wear. The only other thing I can think of would be that the wheels toe in but with a solid axle and the same issue on both sides, I doubt this is the problem.

[REELMAN]

After having 3 tires go bad I finally took my trailer in today for an alignment. It cost me
$50, but they said My trailer was way out of wack.
They also found that one of my bearings was about ready to eat her pigs. I think having the pro's check it out was worth the $$$$$$$$

[Tim/Iowa]

I'll try to help, first maybe you don't have a heavy enough boat on your trailer, if you look at your axles the should be bowed toward the top, to give you some Camber on your wheels and should straighten somewhat with weight on your trailer. I've heard Ranger will have one side different from the other to offset for the road. If your axle was not straight,you would have wear all across your tires not just the edge. just my $.02 good luck

[John in MN]

An easy way to see if the full face of the tread is contacting the road is do the following after the trailer is loaded in your garage or a hard, smooth surface. Take a piece of chalk and make a mark across the tread of the trailer tires. Then move the trailer at least one revolution so the chalked area comes in contact with the pavement. With a properly inflated tire, you should be able to see an even chalk mark all the way across the width of the tire.