Excessive Wear on Inner and Outer Edges of Tires that are Not Under Inflated

Question:

I have a boat trailer, tires are wearing on the inside and outside!! NOT under inflated! Tires are rated for 50 lbs which they are inflated to. Load range C. IF load was too heavy would that cause this kind of wear? Boat probably 1900 lbs.

asked by: Thomas O

Expert Reply:

Having the center of the tire tread wear more than the edges is typically a sign that the tires have been over inflated. Since you've mentioned that the tires are correctly inflated, we'll need to look elsewhere. This can also be caused by the tires being overloaded, but it's more likely been caused by worn suspension components. Make sure all the hardware on your suspension is still tight. Take a look at the shackle straps, the holes that the bolts pass through should be round, not elliptical (egg shaped). If they are elliptical, your axle could be racking which could certainly cause the wear your're experiencing.

Even though the suspension is the obvious culprit, I'd still recommend confirming the weight of your trailer at a truck scale to ensure that the combined weight of your boat and trailer isn't exceeding the combined load rating of your tires.

expert reply by: Mike L