How to Prevent Uneven Trailer Tire Wear

Question:

I wore out two trailer tires in less than 10000 miles. Replaced the tires and drove 600 miles and they are wearing out at the same places. Is there a adjustment for the alainement The trailer is a2012 .

asked by: Bill

Expert Reply:

You don't say where the tires are wearing out, but excessive inner wear on both tires typically means you have a bent axle, worn or broken suspension components or the trailer is being overloaded. When your trailer is overloaded for an extended period of time the axle could be bent which means it is not holding your load appropriately resulting in the excessive wear on the inside of your tires.

A trailer axle should be slightly arched, with the high spot in the center of the trailer and the spindles on either end being slightly lower. When the trailer is loaded the arch will flatten, placing the trailer tire treads in full contact with the road surface. A damaged or overloaded axle may place the inside edge of the tires in greater contact with the road, rather than the whole tread. A worn or damaged suspension component might cause the trailer to track incorrectly, which would also affect the alignment of the wheels and cause uneven wear.

Make sure your trailer load remains equal or less than the capacity of the lowest rated component. If you have a 3000 lb axle, but your tires are rated at 1200 lbs each your trailer capacity will only be 600 lbs less than the axle capacity. Any towing system is only as strong as its weakest component.

Closely examine your axle and suspension components, and be aware of the load you are placing on your trailer to ensure it is not being overloaded. Once any broken, bent or worn components are repaired or replaced and the trailer capacity and the weight of the load is known and not exceeded, you should have no more problems with uneven tire wear. You will also want to ensure that your that your tires are kept inflated to the maximum pressure listed on the tire sidewall.

Finally you can take your trailer to a shop that can do trailer alignments.

I have included a FAQ article on trailer tires for you to check out.

expert reply by: Chris O