Seeing some uneven wear patterns on TT tires...I assume there must be a way to align the tires, and somehow on our unit it's gotten out of whack...1.) there is, right? an alignment adjustment on a typical travel trailer? (tandem axle/2011 model/~5000 lbs loaded)2.) if it can be adjusted, can this be done at a tire/alignment place? or only at an RV-specialist dealer or shop>Thanks!

trailernovice wrote:Seeing some uneven wear patterns on TT tires...I assume there must be a way to align the tires, and somehow on our unit it's gotten out of whack...1.) there is, right? an alignment adjustment on a typical travel trailer? (tandem axle/2011 model/~5000 lbs loaded)2.) if it can be adjusted, can this be done at a tire/alignment place? or only at an RV-specialist dealer or shop>Thanks!First off there is no such thing as alignment on a TT...At least not like on a automobile, which has adjustments for that purpose. On a TT the alignment is set when the TT is built. Welding the axle hangers on in the proper location sets the alignment. Sometimes the factory gets it wrong. If this is the case you have three options. 1. As is often suggested, a alignment shop can "bend" the axles to compensate for the improperly mounted hangers. 2. Have the hangers removed and reinstalled in the proper location. 3. There is a kit recently introduced that will lift a TT a little bit. Maybe 2 inches or so. A side benefit is that it also allows for axle tracking alignment adjustment.(It will not however fix caster or camber if that is needed) Can't remember the name of it, but it has been posted here before. I am not a fan of option one. Anytime you "bend" metal, it starts the fatigue process and becomes weaker. But the worst part is that this approach doesn't fix the real problem. If you were to damage a bent by alignment axle on the road to the point that it needed replacing.. (this can have many causes, a accident, a spun bearing destroying the spindle etc.) The replacement axle would need to be custom bent by a alignment shop to match the old axle. If you fix it using option 2, all you would need to do is unbolt the old one and bolt in a new one and it's fixed. You could do it on the side of the road if need be. Option 3 is a viable option if a lift is OK, and you know how to set the alignment. And if tracking is the only adjustment needed. The other reason alignment can be off is from road damage such as hitting a pothole or curbing a tire. This happens a lot as many TTs are built "under axled". This coupled with maybe a overloaded TT makes for easily damaged axles. Once again the same options can be used to fix it. But option 2 is not the same as it doesn't apply as the spring hangers installed properly. So another option 4. is the best one. replace the bent axles with heavier ones better suited for the job. Axles are surprisingly cheap. If you can do it yourself, then it is likely the cheapest way to go as well as the best. Labor can add to it, but it isn't the most challenging mechanical job, so some shopping around may find a reasonable rate.The key is to determine just why the alignment is off. Was it due to the hangers being installed wrong?Or was it due to the axles being bent while in service due to a impact etc? And if so, was that situation more likely due to the axles being on the light side for the unit? (If this is the reason, then it can happen again if the same axle is Bent to fix it.)Answer these questions correctly and then decide what path to take to fix it. A silver lining in all this is that you may not need to do anything. Unless your tires are grinding away at a fast rate, uneven wear is not necessarily a problem that needs fixing. Most TT tires will need replacing due to age long before the tread is worn out. And sometimes the cost of fixing it will never be recouped over the cost of replacing a tire or two over the time you will own it.

It can be done almost anywhere with a mobile lazar alignment… machine what is required is to bend the axles to point the trailer wheels the right way…

Uneven wear patterns may not be the result of out of aligned axles. ST tires are notorious for full or partial tread belt separation. This can set up odd wear patterns around and across the tread. Also worn suspension parts and loose wheel bearings can cause odd wear patterns in a tire on a trailer. I've found big rig trailer repair shops can easily handle alignment of RV axles or suspension repair of any type. I've had many equipment trailers that were dragged side scrubbing over curbs/etc/etc with 3500 lb axle on up to 10k axles rebent with no issues. Shops like these will tell you what you what is needed.

The method of aligning wheels usually involves bending axles or axle mounts and is best left to a good machine shop or alignment / frame shop of someplace that does quite a bit of it. I've used a local machine shop who does a lot of alignment for various RV dealers in our area. Good luck / Skip

alignment on travel trailer wheels | Good Sam Community

25 Replies

skipnchar
Explorer
Oct 14, 2013
The method of aligning wheels usually involves bending axles or axle mounts and is best left to a good machine shop or alignment / frame shop of someplace that does quite a bit of it. I've used a local machine shop who does a lot of alignment for various RV dealers in our area. Good luck / Skip
JIMNLIN
Explorer III
Oct 14, 2013
Uneven wear patterns may not be the result of out of aligned axles. ST tires are notorious for full or partial tread belt separation. This can set up odd wear patterns around and across the tread.

Also worn suspension parts and loose wheel bearings can cause odd wear patterns in a tire on a trailer.

I've found big rig trailer repair shops can easily handle alignment of RV axles or suspension repair of any type. I've had many equipment trailers that were dragged side scrubbing over curbs/etc/etc with 3500 lb axle on up to 10k axles rebent with no issues. Shops like these will tell you what you what is needed.
Huntindog
Explorer
Oct 14, 2013
Double post, sorry.
JJBIRISH
Explorer
Oct 14, 2013
It can be done almost anywhere with a mobile lazar alignment… machine what is required is to bend the axles to point the trailer wheels the right way…
Huntindog
Explorer
Oct 14, 2013
trailernovice wrote:
Seeing some uneven wear patterns on TT tires...I assume there must be a way to align the tires, and somehow on our unit it's gotten out of whack...

1.) there is, right? an alignment adjustment on a typical travel trailer? (tandem axle/2011 model/~5000 lbs loaded)
2.) if it can be adjusted, can this be done at a tire/alignment place? or only at an RV-specialist dealer or shop>
Thanks!

First off there is no such thing as alignment on a TT...At least not like on a automobile, which has adjustments for that purpose.

On a TT the alignment is set when the TT is built. Welding the axle hangers on in the proper location sets the alignment.
Sometimes the factory gets it wrong. If this is the case you have three options. 1. As is often suggested, a alignment shop can "bend" the axles to compensate for the improperly mounted hangers.
2. Have the hangers removed and reinstalled in the proper location.
3. There is a kit recently introduced that will lift a TT a little bit. Maybe 2 inches or so. A side benefit is that it also allows for axle tracking alignment adjustment.(It will not however fix caster or camber if that is needed) Can't remember the name of it, but it has been posted here before.

I am not a fan of option one. Anytime you "bend" metal, it starts the fatigue process and becomes weaker. But the worst part is that this approach doesn't fix the real problem. If you were to damage a bent by alignment axle on the road to the point that it needed replacing.. (this can have many causes, a accident, a spun bearing destroying the spindle etc.) The replacement axle would need to be custom bent by a alignment shop to match the old axle.
If you fix it using option 2, all you would need to do is unbolt the old one and bolt in a new one
and it's fixed. You could do it on the side of the road if need be.

Option 3 is a viable option if a lift is OK, and you know how to set the alignment. And if tracking is the only adjustment needed.

The other reason alignment can be off is from road damage such as hitting a pothole or curbing a tire. This happens a lot as many TTs are built "under axled". This coupled with maybe a overloaded TT makes for easily damaged axles.
Once again the same options can be used to fix it. But option 2 is not the same as it doesn't apply as the spring hangers installed properly.
So another option 4. is the best one. replace the bent axles with heavier ones better suited for the job. Axles are surprisingly cheap. If you can do it yourself, then it is likely the cheapest way to go as well as the best. Labor can add to it, but it isn't the most challenging mechanical job, so some shopping around may find a reasonable rate.

The key is to determine just why the alignment is off.
Was it due to the hangers being installed wrong?
Or was it due to the axles being bent while in service due to a impact etc? And if so, was that situation more likely due to the axles being on the light side for the unit? (If this is the reason, then it can happen again if the same axle is Bent to fix it.)

Answer these questions correctly and then decide what path to take to fix it.

A silver lining in all this is that you may not need to do anything. Unless your tires are grinding away at a fast rate, uneven wear is not necessarily a problem that needs fixing. Most TT tires will need replacing due to age long before the tread is worn out.
And sometimes the cost of fixing it will never be recouped over the cost of replacing a tire or two over the time you will own it.

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alignment on travel trailer wheels

25 Replies

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