Typical Wobble with Conventional Steel Trailer Wheel

Question:

How much should a new steel trailer wheel wobble side to side? Mine are wobbling 3/32. Brake drum has no wobble.

asked by: Jack T

Helpful Expert Reply:

If the new steel trailer wheel itself, not the tire, has a 3/32-inch out-of-true wobble as it rotates this can be considered within normal tolerance. Conventional steel wheels like # AM20514 are die-formed so they will have some dimensional variance.

With that said, do note that a wheel can display irregularity at its outer lip but still be true at the bead seat where the tire mounts. That needs to be true but the outer lip of the wheel does not.

On the other hand, if you were talking about a machined aluminum wheel then that 3/32-inch wobble would be considered excessive.

expert reply by: Adam R