Trailer Leveling

hemi rt

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Jul 1, 2010
Messages
321
On a single axle trailer that appears to not have any brakes, why does it matter how level the trailer is when towing? The important thing would be to check the tongue weight and make sure it's within the desired range. Then, based on the relatively low looking trailer hitch receiver on the tow vehicle, it looks like you need a hitch with about a 2 inch rise to it. Just enough to raise it up a bit and keep your chains from hanging too low and dragging while towing.


You want the trailer sitting as level as possible so that the camber, either built into the axle or the axle is bent in the middle to set the camber based on the weight rating of the axle, will not wear out the tires. The axle also has toe in built into it so this will also change if the trailer is not level. both camber and toe are set in the axle with the trailer being pulled level. If the trailer isn't as close to level you will wear out the tires faster, in most cases you will wear one side of the tire off and if you don't keep an eye on the tires for wear you are asking for a possible blow out. Trailers can be re aligned and in most cases the center of the axle is bent up and back to set both camber - bent up and toe - bent towards the back. Any good alignment shop can align a trailer from small boat trailers up to 3 axle RV trailers without any problems. I get our boat trailers aligned every 2 years and keep a good eye on them for tire wear as a good pot hole can knock the alignment out of wack.
 

joeltjen10

Seaman
Joined
Jul 18, 2016
Messages
54
I looked at my axle closer last night and it does appear that it is slightly cambered down. I might be okay if I flip the axle so the weight of the boat levels it out but right now I have a negative camber.
 

bruceb58

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Mar 5, 2006
Messages
30,454
I looked at my axle closer last night and it does appear that it is slightly cambered down. I might be okay if I flip the axle so the weight of the boat levels it out but right now I have a negative camber.
You need to weld some new perches on it. You definitely need the axle flipped.

There is usually no "toe in" on a new trailer axle. If they did, there would be a designation for right and left or front. New axles I have purchased for boat trailers never have that designation.
 
Last edited:
Top