inner tread bald

[heckhole]

The inner tire tread on the driver side of boat trailer is bald, the other tire is mint and the remainder of the wearing tire is good.

I forget what the pressures were but when I checked a few days ago they were fine. After a 7 mile trip home from the lake all I could smell was rubber. The tire is not rubbing. Is it safe to assume wheel bearings or low tire pressure?

 

[jimmbo]

By inner tread, do you mean center tread, or do you mean the tread closest to the center of the trailer. the former means too much tire pressure, the latter means bent axle

 

[spoilsofwar]

By inner tread, do you mean center tread, or do you mean the tread closest to the center of the trailer. the former means too much tire pressure, the latter means bent axle

I read it as meaning the tread closest to the trailer frame was worn. In which case, I agree with jimmbo, seems like an bent axle. Low tire pressure tends to wear both the inner and outer tread blocks prematurely, while leaving the center tread unscathed.

http://www.kendonusa.com/downloads/K...Wear-Chart.pdf

 

[Silvertip]

Smelling rubber could mean the inner bearing is bad so the wheel is canted thus placing wear on the inside portion of the tire. Yes -- probably not the #1 cause on the list but not to be overlooked as most people have no idea when a bearing is bad because they don't service them. Jack up that side of the trailer and wiggle wheel (hands at 12 and 6 and then try at 9 and 3). Sloppy = bad bearing. No slop = good bearing. Spin the wheel. Grinding noise = bad bearing. Smooth operation = good bearing. I'm with the others that there a bent spindle is the cause. Park on a nice flat parking lot. Walk back about 20 feet in back of the trailer. Squat down and eye-ball the two wheels. If the problem wheel is tilted in at the top more than the other = bent spindle. Verify the spindle is or is not bent back rather than down. Measure the distance between the inside of the tires at the front and at the rear. A drastic difference (wider at the front than at the rear) = spindle bent backwards which drags the tires inside portion of the tread (just like too much toe-out on your car).

 

[heckhole]

Nailed it silvertip.

I went to a nearby parking lot and sure enough, just the tire is tilted. Going to see what I can find for parts. The wheel bearing seems fine, but the whole hub assemble itself has negative camber in it. Need to take it apart and see what the deal is.

 

[jimmbo]

Replace the axle

 

[Silvertip]

The hub is not the problem. The spindle is bent. The old one would need to be cut off and a new one welded on. Unless you have a jig that allows proper spindle alignment during the welding process, the tire would still wear funny. That would likely cost you more than a new axle.

 

[hemi rt]

Or if it's not out a lot it can be aligned, pick a shop that knows what they are doing and have it aligned.

 

[Silvertip]

Or if it's not out a lot it can be aligned, pick a shop that knows what they are doing and have it aligned.

But probably still cost nearly as much if not more than a new axle considering current labor rates. The average alignment shop will not likely touch this. A shop specializing in trucks and trailers would be the likely choice. And once heated and bent, the axle will not be as strong and will likely bend in the same place again with less force than it took to bend it the first time. Since the bend is in the vertical plane, it suggests this wheel was dropped into a pot hole or hit a speed bump, curb or something similar. I also suspect the trailer is loaded close to its load limit or possibly over it. You might want to have this rig weighed.

 

[hemi rt]

But probably still cost nearly as much if not more than a new axle considering current labor rates. The average alignment shop will not likely touch this. A shop specializing in trucks and trailers would be the likely choice. And once heated and bent, the axle will not be as strong and will likely bend in the same place again with less force than it took to bend it the first time. Since the bend is in the vertical plane, it suggests this wheel was dropped into a pot hole or hit a speed bump, curb or something similar. I also suspect the trailer is loaded close to its load limit or possibly over it. You might want to have this rig weighed.

Anyone that heats up an axle to do an alignment should be shot. The axle is bent cold. Look at an axle on a RV, the bend is how the tires are aligned. I've had boat trailers aligned and never paid more than $90.00 for everything and some have been so bad that they tore off the tires in less than 50 miles.

 

[heckhole]

I know I definitely didn't bend it. I still have to jack it up and find out what the deal is. It's frustrating because there is likely no shops I can deal with. Labor rates are $120+ at Marina's. Local fab shops will likely look confused and tell me they aren't interested. I'm going to look into a new axle first, see if that's feasible. It's a matching King Fisher trailer.

 

[jimmbo]

I know I definitely didn't bend it.

All it takes is one big bump or hump to bend it, especially if the boat, motor, and gear weigh close to the capacity of the trailer

 

[hemi rt]

I know I definitely didn't bend it. I still have to jack it up and find out what the deal is. It's frustrating because there is likely no shops I can deal with. Labor rates are $120+ at Marina's. Local fab shops will likely look confused and tell me they aren't interested. I'm going to look into a new axle first, see if that's feasible. It's a matching King Fisher trailer.

Any alignment shop that is good should be able to align it.