Raptor Tire Wear

[sportsman_500]

Pictured below is the left rear tire off my 2005 Raptor 3018.The excessive wear is on the outside edge of the tire. The right rear tire shows outside edge wear as well but not as severe. These are off of the rear axle. I would suspect a bent axle but think I would see inside edge wear, not outside edge. Any thoughts or recommendations?

[lincster]

Glad you found it.
I hope you upgraded to better bushings.
I know the stock stuff on Warrior was junk.
I upgraded to Dexter's kit and it come with bronze bushings and not that junk plastic.

[sportsman_500]

Thanks for the input everyone. I got the trailer in the shop today and once I cut the u-bolts and took the load off the suspension I found the problem. All of the suspension bushings were worn out. Some worse then others. I ended up replacing both rear springs, all 4 equalizers, bushings, shackles and bolts. The alignment came right back in where it should checking with a straight edge and center measurements axle to axle.

[RUFFSTUFF]

kofire wrote:
Looks fairly normal to me for a three axle trailer. The rear tires take a serious beating. Also how much weight are you putting in the trailer? Those axles are gonna have an upward bend in them that levels with a load. Obviously there could be something else wrong but all of my triple axles have prematurely work the rear tires.

Especially if the trailer is nose high...

[kofire]

Looks fairly normal to me for a three axle trailer. The rear tires take a serious beating. Also how much weight are you putting in the trailer? Those axles are gonna have an upward bend in them that levels with a load. Obviously there could be something else wrong but all of my triple axles have prematurely work the rear tires.

[Wild_Card]

Scrubbing....especially being its a tri axel

[sportsman_500]

I finally got a chance to get a look at things concerning the tire wear. I found that the rear axle is out of alignment. The left rear is toed out a little more then 1/2" and the right rear is toed in. I am going to order a set of "U" bolts and take it apart. I am hoping to find a broken center pin on the left rear which would be an easy fix. I will post my findings as I am hoping to look at it this weekend if the weather will cooperate.

[tinner12002]

tinner12002 wrote:

Mmaxed wrote:
My tandem axle was doing this when the hangers and bushings were getting worn.

Good idea!! When I checked my 06 the plastic bushings were almost non-existing so that would definitely be a place to start, even installing a wet bolt kit while you have it apart.

[tinner12002]

Mmaxed wrote:
My tandem axle was doing this when the hangers and bushings were getting worn.

Good idea! When I checked my 06 the plastic bushings were almost non-existing so that would definitely be a place to start, even installing a wet bolt kit while you have it apart.

[sportsman_500]

Mmaxed wrote:
My tandem axle was doing this when the hangers and bushings were getting worn.

Good point. I will definitely take a closer look at those before I condemn the axle.

[Mmaxed]

My tandem axle was doing this when the hangers and bushings were getting worn.

[sportsman_500]

fj12ryder wrote:
Were these tires new before you put them on the trailer? If not, could the wear have something to do with changing them from one trailer to the new one? Changing sides perhaps.

Did you inspect the tires that came off the trailer when you bought it? If the axle is bent perhaps it happened before you took possession of it and the old tires were affected but you didn't notice it at that point.

As for tire scrub, do you have a sharp turn that you have to make very frequently? Seems unlikely but you never know.

The tires were in good shape before I left for our Utah trip. No signs of uneven wear.
The tires I removed when I purchased the trailer were in good shape, no uneven wear. I changed them to jump to a load range E and because I wanted the Maxxis over the Carlisles. My present tires I purchased new.
I also understand the whole scrub deal. I was seeing more wear on the rear tires vs. the front and center axle but that wear is straight across edge to edge. Maybe a couple 32nd difference if checked with a tread depth gauge.

[DutchmenSport]

MWJones wrote:
Everyone will tell you it is a bent axle, even the manufacture will.
But I say from experience - maybe NOT.
I had a tire do that on outside enough that it was SLICK on outside.
Put on new tire and never wore uneven again!!!! Just saying......

I had the same happen to me. I figured it was just the cheapest of the 4 original tirew. So far, new Carlile and no uneven signs of wear on any of them. Sometimes it's just a combination of skid and a junk tire.

[fj12ryder]

Were these tires new before you put them on the trailer? If not, could the wear have something to do with changing them from one trailer to the new one? Changing sides perhaps.

Did you inspect the tires that came off the trailer when you bought it? If the axle is bent perhaps it happened before you took possession of it and the old tires were affected but you didn't notice it at that point.

As for tire scrub, do you have a sharp turn that you have to make very frequently? Seems unlikely but you never know.

[sportsman_500]

tinner12002 wrote:
I'd say with that mileage I'd put on a new set of 4 and travel on!

It's actually 6 and the others are in nice shape.