Forum Discussion

porknbeanr's avatar
porknbeanr
Explorer
Dec 03, 2013

Rear Axle True?

I am having trouble with the inside of my tires wearing hard on the rear axle only. Lost the right side three weeks ago and the left side this past Sunday. The center and outside of the tires show very little wear. It is a triple axle Cyclone fifth Wheel. Just to get it out of the way, the tires are 235/85 16 Chinese and are properly inflated religiously. I am thinking the rear axle alignment is to blame. Any thoughts on this?
Toy Haulers
  • donn0128's avatar
    donn0128
    Explorer II
    Dec 03, 2013
    Yes, you have a bent or overloaded axle. It is also possible that you have worn suspension components causing the problem on that axle.
  • Phils's avatar
    Phils
    Explorer
    Dec 03, 2013
    Do the easy things first:

    Follow your trailer while it's being towed. Behind, behind to the right, behind to the left.

    Watch how it appears to be tracking. This is easier with a two-axle trailer, but it'd be the first thing I'd look at before attempting to apply a fix.

    Then, after doing that, you might find the cause one thing (like the whole trailer going dog-legged down the road), and the resulting wear on that third axle a result of the problem but not the cause.

    Phil
  • mpierce's avatar
    mpierce
    Explorer
    Dec 04, 2013
    Take it to a semi trailer tire shop that does alignments. Most will also align RV's. They know what to do.
  • racedrvr's avatar
    racedrvr
    Explorer
    Dec 04, 2013
    donn0128 wrote:
    Yes, you have a bent or overloaded axle. It is also possible that you have worn suspension components causing the problem on that axle.


    X2
  • big_buford's avatar
    big_buford
    Explorer
    Dec 04, 2013
    If mine, I would load it up as you normally travel and get individual axle weights and go from there.
  • Doughboy12's avatar
    Doughboy12
    Explorer
    Dec 04, 2013
    mpierce wrote:
    Take it to a semi trailer tire shop that does alignments. Most will also align RV's. They know what to do.

    The only sound advice you have so far...
  • mapguy's avatar
    mapguy
    Explorer
    Dec 05, 2013
    big buford wrote:
    If mine, I would load it up as you normally travel and get individual axle weights and go from there.


    For sure and is the trailer frame level (parallel) to ground when hitched up? Nose high trailer setup will cause this type tire wear pattern as will axle alignment issues.
  • SoCalDesertRid1's avatar
    SoCalDesertRid1
    Explorer
    Dec 05, 2013
    racedrvr wrote:
    donn0128 wrote:
    Yes, you have a bent or overloaded axle. It is also possible that you have worn suspension components causing the problem on that axle.
    X2
    X3

    Tires on both sides of the same axle wearing excessively on the outter edges is a sign of too much negative camber in the axle. This is most commonly caused by overloading the axle, which takes out the normal upward bow of the axle tube and instead bows it down, which changes the camber angle of the hubs.

    Check the trailer for front/rear level when hooked up. Sounds to me like the hitch is too high and rear axle is taking too much load.

    Other possibility is too much weight is loaded behind the axles, overloading the rear axle.

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