Why Is Trailer Tires On Front Axle Increasing Air Pressure But Not The Tires On The Rear Axle?

Question:

While traveling recently, the tire pressure on my two axel travel trailer increased significantly while the rear pressure remained near or slightly above the maximum recommended PSI. What would be causing the front axel tire temperature to increase and the rear to remain the same?

asked by: Cesar V

Expert Reply:

There are a few different things that can cause the tires on the front axle of your tandem axle trailer to increase way more than the rear axle.

First if you have different size tires this can cause an issue by putting more load on the taller tire.

Next is if the trailer is not level then one axle may be supporting extra weight. Since you mentioned the front tires are getting higher air pressure when warm but the rear axle is not changing then this would be the trailer pointed nose down.

Lastly is improper loading of the trailer. If you have the weight too far forward on the trailer then more of the weight is getting supported by the front axle while the rear axle is not helping much.

A trailer tire should heat up while on the road, and an increase of 10-15% is expected. Since your rear tire is not changing air pressure that means it is not heating up and thus is not carrying much if any weight.

If you can send me a picture or two of your trailer hooked up to your tow vehicle I would be happy to take a look and help identify what is causing your issue.

I included a link to a help article on trailer tires for you to look through as well.

expert reply by: Samuel C