? for those with older trailers
 

My last set of tires wore away completely on the insides long before
the rest of the tread was gone. I was talking to one of my buddies
and he had the same problem. I'm thinking the axle develops a bow in
it. So earlier this spring I left the floor jack under the middle of
it with it jacked up some. Too early to tell if the new tires are
wearing the same or not. Can't measure the distance between them at
the top and bottom cause the street and the boat are in the way so I
don't know if the camber is ok now or not. Anyone else have this
problem and do any investigating?

? for those with older trailers
 

"jamesgangnc" wrote in message
...
My last set of tires wore away completely on the insides long before
the rest of the tread was gone. I was talking to one of my buddies
and he had the same problem. I'm thinking the axle develops a bow in
it. So earlier this spring I left the floor jack under the middle of
it with it jacked up some. Too early to tell if the new tires are
wearing the same or not. Can't measure the distance between them at
the top and bottom cause the street and the boat are in the way so I
don't know if the camber is ok now or not. Anyone else have this
problem and do any investigating?

4 things to check

1 tires- Carlisles are junk. Goodyear Marathons seem to be pretty good
2 camber- Slight negative camber is good (slight upward bend in axle)
3 toe- A little toe in is good. Toe out scrubbs inside of tires and may
cause wandering.
4 tracking- axle is perpendicular to direction of travel

You can measure or observe all of these conditions.

? for those with older trailers
 

"jamesgangnc" wrote in message
...
My last set of tires wore away completely on the insides long before
the rest of the tread was gone. I was talking to one of my buddies
and he had the same problem. I'm thinking the axle develops a bow in
it. So earlier this spring I left the floor jack under the middle of
it with it jacked up some. Too early to tell if the new tires are
wearing the same or not. Can't measure the distance between them at
the top and bottom cause the street and the boat are in the way so I
don't know if the camber is ok now or not. Anyone else have this
problem and do any investigating?


your on the right track, but it might be time for a new axel.

http://www.easternmarine.com/3500-lb...Trailer-Axles/

? for those with older trailers
 

On Jul 6, 1:44*pm, "Harold" wrote:
"jamesgangnc" wrote in message

...

My last set of tires wore away completely on the insides long before
the rest of the tread was gone. *I was talking to one of my buddies
and he had the same problem. *I'm thinking the axle develops a bow in
it. *So earlier this spring I left the floor jack under the middle of
it with it jacked up some. *Too early to tell if the new tires are
wearing the same or not. *Can't measure the distance between them at
the top and bottom cause the street and the boat are in the way so I
don't know if the camber is ok now or not. *Anyone else have this
problem and do any investigating?

4 things to check

1 tires- Carlisles are junk. Goodyear Marathons seem to be pretty good
2 camber- Slight negative camber is good (slight upward bend in axle)
3 toe- A little toe in is good. Toe out scrubbs inside of tires and may
cause wandering.
4 tracking- axle is perpendicular to direction of travel

You can measure or observe all of these conditions.

I'm thinking my wear pattern rules out 1 and 4. Both sides wore out
on the inside. But more importantly I have a 2" square tube axle so
how do I change 2 or 3 if that might be my problem? And I can't say
that I have been bothered by any wandering.

? for those with older trailers
 

"jamesgangnc" wrote in message
...
My last set of tires wore away completely on the insides long before
the rest of the tread was gone. I was talking to one of my buddies
and he had the same problem. I'm thinking the axle develops a bow in
it. So earlier this spring I left the floor jack under the middle of
it with it jacked up some. Too early to tell if the new tires are
wearing the same or not. Can't measure the distance between them at
the top and bottom cause the street and the boat are in the way so I
don't know if the camber is ok now or not. Anyone else have this
problem and do any investigating?

and you could rotate the axle upside down for more camber if its bowing the
wrong way.

? for those with older trailers
 

In article 9f5590b4-0343-4def-b38e-
, says...

On Jul 6, 1:44*pm, "Harold" wrote:
"jamesgangnc" wrote in message

...

My last set of tires wore away completely on the insides long before
the rest of the tread was gone. *I was talking to one of my buddies
and he had the same problem. *I'm thinking the axle develops a bow in
it. *So earlier this spring I left the floor jack under the middle of
it with it jacked up some. *Too early to tell if the new tires are
wearing the same or not. *Can't measure the distance between them at
the top and bottom cause the street and the boat are in the way so I
don't know if the camber is ok now or not. *Anyone else have this
problem and do any investigating?

4 things to check

1 tires- Carlisles are junk. Goodyear Marathons seem to be pretty good
2 camber- Slight negative camber is good (slight upward bend in axle)
3 toe- A little toe in is good. Toe out scrubbs inside of tires and may
cause wandering.
4 tracking- axle is perpendicular to direction of travel

You can measure or observe all of these conditions.

I'm thinking my wear pattern rules out 1 and 4. Both sides wore out
on the inside. But more importantly I have a 2" square tube axle so
how do I change 2 or 3 if that might be my problem? And I can't say
that I have been bothered by any wandering.

Well, my buds trailer has a pretty good positive camber and from what he
said, it's by design, could be the case with you. As to "suspension"
it's really more about how it performes really. If you have no tracking
or wandering/control problems with the rig, leave it alone, maybe switch
the tires around if they are not directional. Unless you find it's
waaaaay out of spec for some reason, I would consider the price of tires
every few years, a cheap price to pay for a rig you can trust behind
your hauler... Just my .02

--
Rowdy Mouse Racing - We race for cheese!

? for those with older trailers
 

"jamesgangnc" wrote in message
...
On Jul 6, 1:44 pm, "Harold" wrote:
"jamesgangnc" wrote in message

...

My last set of tires wore away completely on the insides long before
the rest of the tread was gone. I was talking to one of my buddies
and he had the same problem. I'm thinking the axle develops a bow in
it. So earlier this spring I left the floor jack under the middle of
it with it jacked up some. Too early to tell if the new tires are
wearing the same or not. Can't measure the distance between them at
the top and bottom cause the street and the boat are in the way so I
don't know if the camber is ok now or not. Anyone else have this
problem and do any investigating?

4 things to check

1 tires- Carlisles are junk. Goodyear Marathons seem to be pretty good
2 camber- Slight negative camber is good (slight upward bend in axle)
3 toe- A little toe in is good. Toe out scrubbs inside of tires and may
cause wandering.
4 tracking- axle is perpendicular to direction of travel

You can measure or observe all of these conditions.

I'm thinking my wear pattern rules out 1 and 4. Both sides wore out
on the inside. But more importantly I have a 2" square tube axle so
how do I change 2 or 3 if that might be my problem? And I can't say
that I have been bothered by any wandering.

Camber and toe in are best adjusted by an axle shop. It requires bending the
axle.
You can check by raising the tires off the ground spin the tires and make a
scribe mark on the treads all the way around. The scribe must be stationary
while you are doing this.

Measure the distance between marks top and bottom. The difference is camber.
Measure the distance between marks front and back. The distance is toe.
0 to 1/4in is good for toe in. I'm not exactly sure about camber but there
should be some negative camber.

? for those with older trailers
 

On Jul 6, 2:06*pm, "Happy" wrote:
"jamesgangnc" wrote in message

...

My last set of tires wore away completely on the insides long before
the rest of the tread was gone. *I was talking to one of my buddies
and he had the same problem. *I'm thinking the axle develops a bow in
it. *So earlier this spring I left the floor jack under the middle of
it with it jacked up some. *Too early to tell if the new tires are
wearing the same or not. *Can't measure the distance between them at
the top and bottom cause the street and the boat are in the way so I
don't know if the camber is ok now or not. *Anyone else have this
problem and do any investigating?

and you could rotate the axle upside down for more camber if its bowing the
wrong way.

Unfortunately my axle is not symetrical, the spindles are welded on
top of it. I wish it was though, I first thought the same thing!

? for those with older trailers
 

On Jul 6, 2:30*pm, "Harold" wrote:
"jamesgangnc" wrote in message

...
On Jul 6, 1:44 pm, "Harold" wrote:





"jamesgangnc" wrote in message

....

My last set of tires wore away completely on the insides long before
the rest of the tread was gone. I was talking to one of my buddies
and he had the same problem. I'm thinking the axle develops a bow in
it. So earlier this spring I left the floor jack under the middle of
it with it jacked up some. Too early to tell if the new tires are
wearing the same or not. Can't measure the distance between them at
the top and bottom cause the street and the boat are in the way so I
don't know if the camber is ok now or not. Anyone else have this
problem and do any investigating?

4 things to check

1 tires- Carlisles are junk. Goodyear Marathons seem to be pretty good
2 camber- Slight negative camber is good (slight upward bend in axle)
3 toe- A little toe in is good. Toe out scrubbs inside of tires and may
cause wandering.
4 tracking- axle is perpendicular to direction of travel

You can measure or observe all of these conditions.

I'm thinking my wear pattern rules out 1 and 4. *Both sides wore out
on the inside. *But more importantly I have a 2" square tube axle so
how do I change 2 or 3 if that might be my problem? *And I can't say
that I have been bothered by any wandering.

Camber and toe in are best adjusted by an axle shop. It requires bending the
axle.
You can check by raising the tires off the ground spin the tires and make a
scribe mark on the treads all the way around. The scribe must be stationary
while you are doing this.

Measure the distance between marks top and bottom. The difference is camber.
Measure the distance between marks front and back. The distance is toe.
0 to 1/4in is good for toe in. I'm not exactly sure about camber but there
should be some negative camber.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

How do they "bend" an axle?

? for those with older trailers
 

"jamesgangnc" wrote in message
...
On Jul 6, 2:06 pm, "Happy" wrote:
"jamesgangnc" wrote in message

...

My last set of tires wore away completely on the insides long before
the rest of the tread was gone. I was talking to one of my buddies
and he had the same problem. I'm thinking the axle develops a bow in
it. So earlier this spring I left the floor jack under the middle of
it with it jacked up some. Too early to tell if the new tires are
wearing the same or not. Can't measure the distance between them at
the top and bottom cause the street and the boat are in the way so I
don't know if the camber is ok now or not. Anyone else have this
problem and do any investigating?

and you could rotate the axle upside down for more camber if its bowing
the
wrong way.

Unfortunately my axle is not symetrical, the spindles are welded on
top of it. I wish it was though, I first thought the same thing!

Lay a straight edge across the top of the axle. A 4' level should do. You
ought to be able to tell if it's bowed up a little.