Tires tilted (camber) outward on 274DBH

[deltwalrus]

So I went out to an empty parking lot this morning to practice backing my trailer into spaces, and I noticed something very, very troubling. If you have a gander at the attached photos, when I turn the trailer, the trailer wheels tilt/camber outwards. This was when I was stopped, trying to back the trailer to my right (as I look forward in my truck). Pictures are of both sides.

Is this normal? Do I need to just tighten the lugs to 100 lb-ft and see if that helps? Are the axels FUBAR?

Any advice is appreciated. This is my first trailer, and it's still under warranty, so if I had to drag it back to get it repaired, no big deal, but I figured I'd ask the community here first for their take. Thanks!

[deltwalrus]

Sorry they're upside-down... not sure what happened there, but you can still see the problem... just inverted.

[OldCoot]

If after you turn, pull forward and backward without turning and they will straighten out.

[deltwalrus]

Yes, OldCoot, they do straighten back out when I straighten out the trailer. But I'm worried that they even do that in the first place... is that normal?

[OldCoot]

Very normal. To make a turn, tandem axle trailers have to slide or attempt to slide all 4 tires. The front tires slide under on one side and out on the other and the rear tires slide out on one side and under on the other. It is perfectly normal.

[Happy Vibe]

Yes it is normal. When you turn in a tight circle you put a huge amount of stress on the axles. One set has to slide across the pavement so something is going to twist. Remember your axle is held on by a spring that will move when you put force on it.

[Tireman9]

may be perfectly "Normal" but definitely bad for the tires. This sliding is what imparts 24% higher internal structural forces (Interply Shear) that is trying and too often succeeding in separating the steel belts from the tire carcass.

RV companies know this, or should know this if they had real automotive suspension engineers on payroll, but since they are never held accountable for their design decisions why should they care?

[Brother Les]

What gives the tires the 'twist/tilt' look is the leaf shackles pulling on one side and relaxing on the other, this helps 'turn' the unit with out putting a massive amount of strain on 'locked in place' axles/tires. A massive amount of pressure is put on the outside hub bearings when turning. Watch for wear at all shackles. Any sharp turning will slam the outside hub bearing into the castle nut and potentially cause the carter key to snap/fail. I would advise replacing the thin carter key that is used with a thicker one.

[MattyC]

I also have a 274DBH. It does the same thing. They straighten out after the trailer straightens out. Perfectly normal. I was worried at first till I read about it.
Love my 274DBH!
Thanks for the advice Brother Les, I will replace the carter keys with bigger ones. My drive is a very sharp back in every time I come home. Did not realize the pressure that is put on the pins. Time for some bigger ones.

[SuicideSaints]

This is normal, the outside has to spin faster and since there is no differential with spider gears there is no compensation so the tilt is a byproduct of this. Similar thing happens on 4x4s with lockers, you get a "hop" or "skid".

[OldCoot]

Originally Posted by Brother Les

... Any sharp turning will slam the outside hub bearing into the castle nut and potentially cause the carter key to snap/fail. I would advise replacing the thin carter key that is used with a thicker one.

The threads in the castellated nut takes all the load from the side thrust of the bearings, all the COTTER pin does is keep the castellated nut from loosening. No need to change the cotter pins.

[Brother Les]

Originally Posted by OldCoot

The threads in the castellated nut takes all the load from the side thrust of the bearings, all the COTTER pin does is keep the castellated nut from loosening. No need to change the cotter pins.

Love many of your posts and advise. Some of your advice works well for you and not for others. The carter key on MY unit are too small and bends with the movement of the castle nut. I choose to go with a fatter key, what others do is their business.

[OldCoot]

Originally Posted by Brother Les

Love many of your posts and advise. Some of your advice works well for you and not for others. The carter key on MY unit are too small and bends with the movement of the castle nut. I choose to go with a fatter key, what others do is their business.

Sorry to disagree with you, but if the castellated nut is trying to turn, you have something else going on. The flat washer should shield the rotational motion from the nut. As I stated before, the cotter pin is to keep the nut from loosening. The cotter pin should fill the hole in the spindle. If it doesn't, someone used the wrong size.

[Brother Les]

Originally Posted by OldCoot

Sorry to disagree with you, but if the castellated nut is trying to turn, you have something else going on. The flat washer should shield the rotational motion from the nut. As I stated before, the cotter pin is to keep the nut from loosening. The cotter pin should fill the hole in the spindle. If it doesn't, someone used the wrong size.

You really are not disagreeing with me. (imo)

The flat washer rotates with the outer bearing from the pressure from turning the unit.

Rotating flat washer (some have flat areas to keep from rotating, mine do not) puts pressure on the castle nut, creating a forward or backward force.

This force is transferred to the carter key, the key is in place to stop the movement of the castle nut.

Why am I putting a larger key in the hole??? (caugh) Because the factory installed too small keys on the spindle aaannndd... (drum roll) there is movement and binding on the key and it (they) are bending. (one broke)

ie. the factory, installed cheap keys that will not hold under massive stress usages.

(I will take your advice and put (keep) the larger key on the spindle, that the factory should have done in the first place)

Blessing OC

Brother Les

[OldCoot]

Bottom line, the factory installed the wrong cotter pins. BTW, there is minimal torsional action on the nut.

[TURBS]

Originally Posted by deltwalrus

Sorry they're upside-down... not sure what happened there, but you can still see the problem... just inverted.

When you use a cell phone to take pics for this forum you must turn the phone sideways "landscape" and the bottom of the phone must be in your right hand.
If you forget and hold the phone upright "portrait" you have to go in your gallery and select the photo then crop it just a bit then your pictures will have the right orientation.

TURBS
08 duramax tuned n modded
2011 32bhok Sabre
2015 camping "11 nights"

[TURBS]

TURBS
08 duramax tuned n modded
2011 32bhok Sabre
2015 camping "11 nights"

[clicker1944]

If they stay that way after you are nice and straight you have a bent axle.

[hillsdaletc]

This is why it is imperative that you purchase " trailer tires " when replacing tires on towable RVs. The narrow tread is there for the purpose of less sideways drag when maneuvering the RV.