Boat trailer tire wear

[model12]

Guys, I need some suggestions. Trailer is EZ Loader single axle with 17.5 ft Crestliner. Tires are wearing very rapidly on the inside third of the tread. Boat and trailer setup is 10 years old, first I've seen this problem. Tires have proper pressure, oil hubs are proper level. It has been suggested that trailer axle is weak , bent or out of alignment.
I'm interested in other ideas, plus any places that I could take the trailer to for checking and possible repair. Trailer travels about 2000 kms per year, located near Edmonton.
Thanks in advance

[oilngas]

are the tires 10 years old??

[Tfng]

Your axle is bent causing a toe out condition. Have you been to Sask lately? lol

Edit- I should not have been so specific, I suspect the toe but it's not guaranteed. It could be camber if bent severely enough.

[model12]

Tires are 6 years old, only noticed uneven wear this year

[tallieho]

Orginal tires are cheap,bias ply tires.Have you tried radials.Ihad bias that only lasted 4 yrs,went to Kal tire 6 ply for $60.00 ea mtnd &bal..

[oilngas]

I suspect that being 6 years old is 90% of the issue. Like others have said go get new Radials.

[Tfng]

So why would only the inside tread surfaces of the tire wear due to age?

It's an alignment issue without a doubt.

[Rockjockey]

I had the same issue with my boat trailer. The tires wore identical to what you said and rapidly. I put a set of good tires on and the next summer had the same issue. I then got a new heavier axle built and I installed it. No issues since.

By my experience I would say you have a axle bent or out of alignment.

RJ

[Dewey Cox]

Fix your axle, and then buy new tires.
Seems like everyone wants to burn up a new set of tires to make sure their axle is bent (myself included).

[fish99]

3500 lb axle at standens are $160. , just purchased one for my 5th wheel , easy to install , then buy new tires , good insurance for the price of one good quality tire.

[neilsledder]

Run a tape from the ball to the inside of rim or some other common easily measured part. Farther out the better and out side of the springs forsure. The ditch side should be about an 1/8" longer so if it comes unhooked it will drift into the ditch opposed to oncoming traffic. Once you know that's good use a string line and run it on your tires or rims up to the ball. Then measure over to see if one side of the axle is bent out. If it is it will be the passenger side as most people clip the curb when cornering. It don't take much to bend.


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[deanstr8]

I had the same problem, but I made the mistake of using my boat as a hauler for gear out to a seasonal camping spot... just a thought but your trailer is probably only designed for the boats weight itself, any extra weight will cause the tires to wear on the inside. I had to replace both tires this year.

[SamSteele]

Just had this on my SSV 16 and ez loader trailer (1500# axle). Axles should have a slight "hump" or rise in the middle. When I checked mine I found that the distance between the top of the rims was 3/4" narrower than the bottom, indicating that the tires were sitting angled in at the top. Thus the wear.

Here's what I did. With the trailer unloaded I put a railway tie directly under the axle. I then chained both ends of the axle to the tie and put a hydraulic jack under in the middle. I jacked it up in the middle, forcing the axle to get that "hump" back. I continued measuring between the top of the rims and the bottom. Once the top was 3/8" wider than the bottom I stopped. Unchained everything and loaded the boat and remeasured. They were the same top and bottom.

It is likely a temporary fix, but gave me some time to find a deal on an axle without burning up new tires and cost me 25 min.

SS

ETA: I just had my 5th wheel axles done at City Spring in Edmonton. They were $140 per axle and they adjusted the toe in as well. In essence they did the exact same thing that I did, just with more precision.



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[Habfan]

Originally Posted by Tfng

So why would only the inside tread surfaces of the tire wear due to age?

It's an alignment issue without a doubt.

I went through this ! Backed into a launch a little fast and hit a hole, threw the alignment out, figured it out after 2 sets of tires. Blamed it on being overweight, overused and cheap tires. Take it in and get it straightened.

[Jack fish hunter]

Originally Posted by model12

Guys, I need some suggestions. Trailer is EZ Loader single axle with 17.5 ft Crestliner. Tires are wearing very rapidly on the inside third of the tread. Boat and trailer setup is 10 years old, first I've seen this problem. Tires have proper pressure, oil hubs are proper level. It has been suggested that trailer axle is weak , bent or out of alignment.
I'm interested in other ideas, plus any places that I could take the trailer to for checking and possible repair. Trailer travels about 2000 kms per year, located near Edmonton.
Thanks in advance

Either bent axle or bearings are wore out. The axle is bent on mine and that's how they wear.

[buck12]

I would agree axle is bent. You could go to City spring and they would fix you right up or buy a new one and install. It is an easy fix. Original axles are made very cheap and don't like pot holes

Buck12

[Tfng]

I like your style SamSteele! I've straightened a couple with varying degrees of success.

I'll add that you can measure the amount of toe in on any axle by raising the wheels and scribing a mark around the circumference of the tire. Then you can measure from scribe to scribe front and rear. The difference is your toe in/out. This won't tell you which wheel but that could be determined by measuring from the centre line of the trailer to each tire. It's a very rough method and is only as accurate as the tape measure and the guy working it.

You could also measure the camber using those same scribe marks but measure top and bottom.

I've bent a few trailer axles. Lots of miles over rough roads at too high of speeds eats up axles/trailers/trucks. It's all good until the mother of all potholes shows up and there's no way around it.

[dangerranger5143]

Originally Posted by Tfng

Your axle is bent causing a toe out condition. Have you been to Sask lately? lol

Edit- I should not have been so specific, I suspect the toe but it's not guaranteed. It could be camber if bent severely enough.

X2

Axle is bent. Needs to be taken to an alignment shop for the to bend it back to the proper angles. Worked at a heavy duty alignment shop for 6 years. Seen it multiple times. Anywhere from small utility trailers to large fifth wheels. Easy fix with the right people working on it. New tires after alignment and good as new.

DR

[Tfng]

Originally Posted by dangerranger5143

X2

Axle is bent. Needs to be taken to an alignment shop for the to bend it back to the proper angles. Worked at a heavy duty alignment shop for 6 years. Seen it multiple times. Anywhere from small utility trailers to large fifth wheels. Easy fix with the right people working on it. New tires after alignment and good as new.

DR

Hey did you see my thread in general on "peening"? It sounds like you might have the right type of experience.

[dangerranger5143]

Originally Posted by Tfng

Hey did you see my thread in general on "peening"? It sounds like you might have the right type of experience.

I just checked it out. Can't say I've ever heard of it but I could see it happening. I'll post my thoughts. Thanks.

DR

[model12]

Guys, thanks for the comments, seems I need to have the trailer axle fixed, although you suggest how, I'm not the right guy to do it myself, any good places to recommend near Edmonton. Thanks again

[Jack fish hunter]

City spring on parsons road. Most tire shops would probably do it too.

[rogerdogger]

I had an EZ-loader trailer, fairly light trailer for a SV16 lund, wore the "trailer" tires out yearly, but i put it down to lots of miles on gravel, northern sask. Finally checked it out carefully after the 5-6 set of tires, noticed the axle was mounted 90 degrees out, the hump was to the back, giving it a lot of toe in. Gave the axle a quick turn, new set of radials, and it's still going years later on the same set of tires. Boat trailer axles are quite flimsy, and i could definately see hitting a good pothole at speed bending them easily.

[THERICARDO]

I bought my Lund last spring and also had to change tires this year bc of uneven wear and tread actually starting to peel off... I work at a Ford dealership and our tire guy mentioned to me the tires that came with trailer Goodyears are garbage in general and its a known issue to wear unevenly and peel. He suggested I go with a 8 ply tire which I have now done. They checked axle and was no variance at least in my case. I put 21,000 kms of trailer last year so am sure that had something to do with the wear.

good luck in finding the issue either way

[shell_guy]

Do yourself a favor and call Standens, purchase a 3500lb Torflex axle kit. Torsion rides way better then spring and it will last you forever.

[couleefolk]

My 18' crestliner was to heavy for the trailer it came with, so I beefed the trailer up and threw a 5000lb axle under it, which happens to have the same 6 bolt pattern that my camper uses, win win.

[fish99]

most boat dealers cheap out on boat trailers because most do not understand the weight rating required for boats when loaded. always up grade your trailer if buying new its cheaper in the long run.

[eagleflyfisher]

I've had listed problem of wearing out rapidly on bias ply.
First trailer I owned I wound up putting a new standons axle under it. Was better but eventually put radials on it.
My new boat/ trailer 2012 has torsion axles under it.
Burned the bias ply off it at about 3000k
Have put some good radials on it and maybe have over 10k now, the one rubber has some pretty uneven wear and the other is good.
I guess I'll get them turned around on rim and get what I ca.
I think it's something to do with light boat, light trailer, smaller tire size etc..
I bet it wouldn't wear out on some 15" or larger skins.

[TylerThomson]

Axel for sure. If your trailer is that old i would also check your springs. If you have enough weight to bend your axel chances are your springs are tired as well. Take it from a guy that tore the axel clean off his trailer heading down a sand road into a lake. I heard the trailer and boat hit the ground then saw my axel spinning 360s in my side mirror.

Luckily I was using my welding rig to tow the boat and was able to weld the axel solid to the trailer but unless you have a fully supplied welding rig towing your boat I'd check my springs just info case haha.

[Tfng]

Originally Posted by TylerThomson

Axel for sure. If your trailer is that old i would also check your springs. If you have enough weight to bend your axel chances are your springs are tired as well. Take it from a guy that tore the axel clean off his trailer heading down a sand road into a lake. I heard the trailer and boat hit the ground then saw my axel spinning 360s in my side mirror.

Luckily I was using my welding rig to tow the boat and was able to weld the axel solid to the trailer but unless you have a fully supplied welding rig towing your boat I'd check my springs just info case haha.

I carry spare springs if I'm traveling way off the beaten path. I only needed them once but I was so glad I had them.