Trailer Tires "Feathering"

[ArmySFCRet]

Replaced the Dexter axle on the car hauler due to bent axle. Now after another 1200 miles on the original tires, one run with a Hudson Hornet on board, I found that one side was feathering or cupping the tire on the inboard side and the other was doing the same on the outboard side.
This could mean an alignment problem but how do you correct alignment with a dual axle spring suspension such as this one?


Is something too tight? I have now replaced all four tires and hopefully can get this right before I wear out another set. The untouched front axle is doing fine now that I have a good progressive brake controller.

[ArmySFCRet]

da.bees wrote:
A common mistake is welding spring saddles in wrong position. Axles have an arch bent into them. The saddles must be welded so that arch is on topside of axle. You can see how it is possiable to wind up with arch positioned on bottom,foward,backside and anywhere in between.

Dexter has designed their axles with a pin that will allow them to only be mounted in the correct position. The pin sits in a hollow in the spring mount.

[da_bees]

A common mistake is welding spring saddles in wrong position. Axles have an arch bent into them. The saddles must be welded so that arch is on topside of axle. You can see how it is possiable to wind up with arch positioned on bottom,foward,backside and anywhere in between.

[ArmySFCRet]

Ok, checked both sides of trailer with straight edge. Contact on all four tire "bumps" on both sides with no gaps. I have been checking the tires after each trip and there doesn't appear to be any problem at this time. Could the worn OEM tires have just gotten to a point where they were just bad and continued to wear unevenly without any alignment issues? These were the same tires that were on there before I replaced the bent axle.

[B_O__Plenty]

dbbls wrote:
Correct Track is a new product to correctly align the axles on a trailer like yours. It is a bolt on system that will raise your trailer about 2 inches and allow you to move the axles forward in 1/8 inch increments for a total of about 1/2 inch to align them. Trailer Life magazine had an article about the system a few months back. Some trailers now come with this system factory installed on the suspension. Go to their web site (correct tract) and there will be instructions on how to check the alignment.

But it won't change camber or toe settings which are more likely to cause problems. A good heavy duty alignment shop can correct this for probably less money and you will get a complete alignment.

B.O.

[flyinjake]

I had an incident a few years back where I hit an animal and it bent both axles on the travel trailer. Had them replaced at a local trailer shop.

The day I picked it up I knew something was not right or should I say different. The TT never felt secure behind the tow vehicle. I played around with tongue heights, weight distribution and how I loaded the trailer. Nothing helped.

Several months later after a long trip I noticed that one of the tires demonstrated severe wear on the inside of one of the wheels. The other tires showed feathering.

Without going into the long drawn out details my Dad and I started measuring wheel, axle alignment and the frame. We determined that the left rear wheel was out of alignment. Severly!

Time for another axle. Took it to a different trailer shop where they agreed and replaced the bent axle.

In my mind I know I have not hit anything since the axles had been replaced and knowing that the trailer did not feel right from the time I picked it up after the first replacement axles gives me an indication that the axle was manufactured incorrectly.

Bottom line is you need to check the alignemnt again. I was lucky that I had two long pieces of square tubing that I could use to take measurements off of. Good tutorials online that show how to check the alignment. Make sure you find a good level spot to do it.

[BurbMan]

"centavos"....

[Dave_H_M]

Unless your are really into diy trailer wheel alignment stuff, I would take it to a reputable trailer shop and have them fix it.

Just my two centagos.

get er fixed and have fun out there.

[dbbls]

Correct Track is a new product to correctly align the axles on a trailer like yours. It is a bolt on system that will raise your trailer about 2 inches and allow you to move the axles forward in 1/8 inch increments for a total of about 1/2 inch to align them. Trailer Life magazine had an article about the system a few months back. Some trailers now come with this system factory installed on the suspension. Go to their web site (correct tract) and there will be instructions on how to check the alignment.

[Dog_Folks]

Don't know for sure a TT, but cupping on a regular car is almost always bad shocks, causing the tires to "bounce."