2012 Keystone Passport tire wear problem (with pics)....

[molardog]

Hi ryone....thought I'd ask everyone's opinions on this tire wear issue....back axle tires are balding on the inner tread stripe with approx 15k miles on them. Search function tells me this can result from overloading, not towing level, or alignment issues. Unsure as to which applies to our situation....aside from about the last 8k miles towing with 4 bike rack at rear of camper (I no longer run with them back there for various reasons)? Is it possible that the bikes caused enough overload to wear both back tires like this? See pics:

Dr side


Passenger side


Is the axle bent?


Tires are the PowerKing's that came with it new btw.

Do these tires still have useful life left? I am considering rotating the fronts to the back as a test to se if the wear happens again (now that we aren't carrying bikes on the back) vs just out right replacing them and risking premature wear on a brand new pair! Any suggestions/tips are much appreciated!

[Slownsy]

Any load on rear defnetly affects handling, more so on a long trailer.
Frank.

[molardog]

colliehauler wrote:
Do you tow level or is the front a little high? If a little high it could overload the rear axle. Like Ivylog it is normal for axles to come with a upward bend for preload.

It is slightly low if anything. I will re-measure to double check.

[molardog]

Ivylog wrote:
Not sure about posters that do not know axles come with a upward bend in them. Assuming it's the outside of the left tire and inside of the right I'd check that the two axles are parallel.
Bikes on the back should not affect handling or tire wear.

Its the inside of both tires.

[ianmac23]

I had the same problem. Call dexter the axles are to small and they know it. The will replace the axles for free. I tried to tell them they need to do a recall and they told me that not enough people tow their trailers. They replaced my tires too

[colliehauler]

Do you tow level or is the front a little high? If a little high it could overload the rear axle. Like Ivylog it is normal for axles to come with a upward bend for preload.

[Ivylog]

Not sure about posters that do not know axles come with a upward bend in them. Assuming it's the outside of the left tire and inside of the right I'd check that the two axles are parallel.
Bikes on the back should not affect handling or tire wear.

[Old-Biscuit]

molardog wrote:


Wear did show up after bikes began riding on the back. Sway was the big reason I stopped carrying them back there, amongst other structural concerns discussed in my previous thread.

Front axle seems to have less bow to it.

Wouldn't an upward bend cause outer edge wear vs inner? If so, I am inclined to think the bikes caused it....of course, toe-out may be in play too?

Axles leave factory with an upward bow.........so that when trailer is properly loaded the tires sit level.

Rear axle bow more/different than front axle......rear axle has been bent.

It would be better to change out both axles and springs to 4400# vs attempts to correct rear axle.

[harley4275]

Like GaryWT said , you have the 3500# axles and need 4400# axles.Probably could use the 2200#springs that go with those axles. That is what Crossroads did for me when mine straightened out and wore 3 tires in my first year. Their new trailers are all getting 4400# axles.hhmmm.

[soren]

As others have noted, the axle leaves the factory with and upward bow. I've been through this situation three times over the last fifteen years. In each case it was the rear axle and it was damaged, (as in bent out of alignment) by striking something, pot hole, road debris, etc.....

There are some here who claim that alignment shops, trailer repair places, etc... can repair and or realign it. In two of my three, they were under warranty and both manufacturers claimed that the only solution is the new axle that they paid for. In the third case I took it to a truck suspension shop who claimed that they could repair it. They looked at the tire wear and told me that the axle needed to be replaced. hope you find a cheaper, better solution, but having been down this road a few times, so far I haven't been so lucky.

[molardog]

Old-Biscuit wrote:
Axles have a upward bend (bow) in center to set camber when loaded.
Your axle appears to have a curved bend vs a 'bow'
How does it compare to front axle bow?

Bikes were on back......did tire wear show up afterwards?
Bikes were on back and you had sway issues

Excessive wear on inside is an alignment/camber issue which can be caused by overloading or bent axle
Identify cause/fix before new tires

Wear did show up after bikes began riding on the back. Sway was the big reason I stopped carrying them back there, amongst other structural concerns discussed in my previous thread.

Front axle seems to have less bow to it.

Wouldn't an upward bend cause outer edge wear vs inner? If so, I am inclined to think the bikes caused it....of course, toe-out may be in play too?

[Old-Biscuit]

Axles have a upward bend (bow) in center to set camber when loaded.
Your axle appears to have a curved bend vs a 'bow'
How does it compare to front axle bow?

Bikes were on back......did tire wear show up afterwards?
Bikes were on back and you had sway issues

Excessive wear on inside is an alignment/camber issue which can be caused by overloading or bent axle
Identify cause/fix before new tires

[molardog]

Lynnmor wrote:
It is normal for an axle to be bowed up in the center. It looks like you may have an excessive amount of bow, but that would cause the outer edge to wear more. Did someone place a jack under the axle center?

If you have a good level surface, and level the trailer perfectly, you can get a rough idea of wheel alignment by using a good level and a straight edge. A heavy duty truck service shop can do an alignment.

To my eye that bend does look slightly up, and would cause an outer edge wear instead of an inner one like you say.

Sounds like I need to find a shop to check it, fix it, THEN replace the back tires....

As far as I know, the axle has never been lifted at the center.

[Lynnmor]

It is normal for an axle to be bowed up in the center. It looks like you may have an excessive amount of bow, but that would cause the outer edge to wear more. Did someone place a jack under the axle center?

If you have a good level surface, and level the trailer perfectly, you can get a rough idea of wheel alignment by using a good level and a straight edge. A heavy duty truck service shop can do an alignment.

[GaryWT]

The axle does look bent. You have the smaller axles that a lot of people have had trouble with. Trailer are too heavy for then and that is the overloading. My previous trailer has these axles and I will not get a trailer again without better axles. Good luck in taking care of it.

[molardog]

phenrichs wrote:
The photo may be deceptive but I would put a level or some other straight edge on that axle. Looks like a curve in it to me. But again it could be a photo deception and not actually bent. Pictures are not always perfect.

It looks that way to my eye from a specific angle too. Do they send campers out of the factory with bent axles?