Trailer Tires Excessively Wearing on Outside of Tread

Question:

Towed 400 miles using equalizer hitch and outside of both back tires wore the tread down severely. I recently put Bridgestone P275-55-20 tires on my vehicle. Are these tires to soft , I had 40 lbs of air in back tires. Max pressure is 44.

asked by: T-Roy T

Expert Reply:

Are you speaking of the trailer tires or the tires on your tow vehicle?

Typically, trailer tires should be kept inflated to the maximum pressure listed on the tire's sidewall. An under inflated tire will typically have wear at the inner and outer edges, but it's recommended to fully inflate the tires to remove one possible cause. Other factors that could cause the wear you describe are excessive sway, a damaged axle or suspension components or tire scrub. I'd suspect suspension damage to be the least likely, as the wear is occurring on both tires.

If your weight distribution system has an anti-sway component, make sure your system is set up correctly. If you frequently make sharp turns while maneuvering on hard paved surfaces, I'd recommend slowing down and taking your time to minimize the effect of scrub on your trailer tires. If it's time to replace your trailer tires, I'd be happy to make a recommendation if you could reply with the tire size on your trailer.

I've linked you to our trailer tire help articles, which includes nearly everything you'd ever want to know about a trailer tire.

expert reply by: Mike L