Trailer- uneven wear on outside wheel tyre

[Clarky]

I have a Roller coaster 1 trailer and the offside tyre is wearing quickly on the outside edge. Pressure is correct as is alignment, is this most likely to be the suspension unit being quite old and worn.
The trailer has short axles located in the suspension units, it has just started doing it and the trailer has never had any knocks or anything like that.

 

[pete]

I would jack up the trailer and give the wheel a good rock, top to bottom and side to side and try to move the wheel fore and aft if there is more than just a little movement in the (presumed)taper bearings find where it is coming from. Years ago I heard of the rubber bushes in some suspension units coming apart. Maybe this is an early warning of this happening.
Also check the suspension units nuts and bolts are tight to the trailer.

 

[Lakesailor]

Is the wheel vertical? Sounds like positive camber (top leaning outwards). Stub axles are easy to bend, clipping a kerb may do it. It may be long standing damage, but the wear is only apparent as the tyre gets more worn.
Tracking isn't a big deal as a two wheel trailer will just tow misaligned and even out the wear.

 

[lw395]

Is the wheel vertical? Sounds like positive camber (top leaning outwards). Stub axles are easy to bend, clipping a kerb may do it. It may be long standing damage, but the wear is only apparent as the tyre gets more worn.
Tracking isn't a big deal as a two wheel trailer will just tow misaligned and even out the wear.

Mate of mine used to have a trailer that towed to one side, then skipped central or beyond if it hit a bump.
Scary in the wet.
I would suspect the alignment, only other answer is the tyre is faulty or shot way from sunlight, or there is a lot more weight on one side of the trailer.
I assume tyre is same size and type/brand as the other side?

 

[Clarky]

Thanks to all, I think it must be the stub axle, tyres and bearings checked and fine.

 

[Avocet]

Although positive camber can cause outer edge wear, so can running excessively toed-in. That said, neither would seem logical on a trailer. Presumably, if the camber WAS OK, it's hard to see what could have made it go positive. Similarly, if it was the inside edge, I could understand it, but outside edge seems odd (unless it has reversed into something quite hard)?

 

[Lakesailor]

Banging a kerb could induce positive camber. Toe-in on one wheel won't overly effect one wheel on a trailer as it will balance the wear out by towing crab-wise. Yes it will be a bit more on one ( the "steering" ) wheel, but it will show on the other side as well.

 

[Avocet]

Banging a kerb could induce positive camber. Toe-in on one wheel won't overly effect one wheel on a trailer as it will balance the wear out by towing crab-wise. Yes it will be a bit more on one ( the "steering" ) wheel, but it will show on the other side as well.

Can't think of a way it could cause positive camber? I'm picturing some sort of rubber trailing arm suspension unit though. Would have thought any kind of whack would bend the stub axle so as to cause negative camber?

Mind you, your comment about crabbing has got me thinking. I wonder if the damage is to the OTHER side and is causing the thing to crab, wearing the tyre on the opposite side?

 

[halcyon]

I have a Roller coaster 1 trailer and the offside tyre is wearing quickly on the outside edge. Pressure is correct as is alignment, is this most likely to be the suspension unit being quite old and worn.
The trailer has short axles located in the suspension units, it has just started doing it and the trailer has never had any knocks or anything like that.

When you say as is alignment how and what have you checked.

Brian

 

[Clarky]

I've just checked it visually, but thinking about it, it must be out of alignment with the other wheel or there wouldn't be uneven wear on the outside edge of the offside tyre.

 

[halcyon]

I've just checked it visually, but thinking about it, it must be out of alignment with the other wheel or there wouldn't be uneven wear on the outside edge of the offside tyre.

Check wheel alignment to coupling as well, get someone to follow / tow and see if trailer is central to car.

Brian

 

[Lakesailor]

If it tows off-centre the wear would be distributed to both tyres as they will both be running some slip angle. The wear would show some feathering or scrub. If it's camber the wear will be smooth and only effect the wheel that is wrong.

 

[halcyon]

If it tows off-centre the wear would be distributed to both tyres as they will both be running some slip angle. The wear would show some feathering or scrub. If it's camber the wear will be smooth and only effect the wheel that is wrong.

It will tow with one wheel inline to ball, and scrub the other tyre, same as a car it crabs.

Brian

 

[Lakesailor]

I don't think that is correct.

We need to know more about the tyre wear.....

 

[halcyon]

I don't think that is correct.

We need to know more about the tyre wear.....

It was only reminder that you need to check tow ball as well as wheel / tyre misalignment.

For my sins in the 60's and 70's I spent nearly 15 designing trailer under gear for the major UK manufacturer.

Brian

 

[Clarky]

Thanks again to both, the tyre wear is rapid shoulder wear, ie the shoulder wore from full depth to the limit in 600 miles, but just over one inch is worn on the outside edge.

 

[Avocet]

Thanks again to both, the tyre wear is rapid shoulder wear, ie the shoulder wore from full depth to the limit in 600 miles, but just over one inch is worn on the outside edge.

Wow! that's some serious tyre wear! Still, at least it probably mans the fault should be easy to find. If you have two known straight edges (bits of steel box section or planks) can you get someone to hold one against each tyre, horizontally, so they're both more-or-less centred on the wheel at hub centre height each side, and then get someone to run a tape measure between the two planks as far ahead and behind the wheels as possible so that you can see if they're both parallel? If not, try to measure from each end of each plank to the centreline of the trailer chassis and see if it becomes obvious whether one wheel is toeing in or out.

 

[Lakesailor]

I still can't see it being toe.
It's camber.

 

[Avocet]

I still can't see it being toe.
It's camber.

I'm inclined to agree, BUT to get it down to the limit in 600 miles, you ought to be able to SEE the camber as you walk past it!

 

[Lakesailor]

It does seem quick. Perhaps under-inflated as well, or heavy load.