What would cause this tire wear?

[hinkle_e]

While winterizing, I realized that I have unusual wear on 1 tire. It's the left (driver side) rear axle. Its wearing from the middle to the inside edge. All other tires look great and are wearing evenly. Camper is a 2018 Radiance 26BH and she's got about 10,000 miles on 'er.
Any idea what could cause this?
Thanks in advance,
Eric

[Kcoulter]

https://www.etrailer.com/question-37871.html

[hinkle_e]

Thanks. I dont believe it to be an overloading issue so it's probably something with the suspension. Just helped a friend upgrade to a wet bot kit in his 5th wheel that only has 500 miles in it and the bushings were already broken and deformed. I'll take a good look in the spring and already plan a wet bolt and equalizer upgrade, so hopefully that's it.

[5picker]

It 'may' be the angle of your picture but the camber on that axle seems to be negative instead of positive.

It seems your axle is bent or you are severely overloaded.

Again, it's hard to tell from a photo but it would sure explain the tire wear.

[hinkle_e]

Thanks...I'll take a look at the axle/camber. I think it's the angle of the pic/camper, though. What you cant see is I'm parked along a curb on the right so the camper is sloping down to that side.

[TitanMike]

Originally Posted by hinkle_e

Thanks...I'll take a look at the axle/camber. I think it's the angle of the pic/camper, though. What you cant see is I'm parked along a curb on the right so the camper is sloping down to that side.

It may be the angle of the camera or camper however when you couple that with the wear--------

Excessive Negative Camber. If the TT is still under warranty see the Dealer.

If not, get it to a Frame/Axle/Alignment shop. Tube axles are fairly easy to correct. I spent the better part of 15 years in my career teaching people how to do it. The shop can also correct any Toe Angle error the same way.

Overloading can be a cause but when overloaded it most often occurs on both sides. Another possible cause is an extreme bump while loaded. When that happens you'll usually find a "witness mark" on the frame where the axle hit it.

Most common alignment issues on axles are that they were not properly aligned from the factory or ever checked after installation on the frame.

OR-

Replace axle.


Regardless, you are going to need a new tire even if you get the axle aligned soon. The wear pattern will continue until a new tire is installed.


BTW, first thing I noticed was the camber angle and I was looking at in reference to the TT's frame.

[Larry0071]

I had an equipment hauler that wore like that. The axle was bent, that wheel was not pointing the way I was moving, it was pointing slightly outward and it pulled at the rubber on the inside. I had to replace that tire 2 times a season of use. It sucked. I lived like that for about a decade before I put a new tire on, sold the thing and went and bought a new trailer.

[gjarrette]

Your spring hangers are probably bent outward. They all do after about 15 minutes on the road. They are cheap junk and no bracing of any kind. Your bushings are surely gone as they are cheap plastic and are good for about 1500 miles. I replaced all 14 of mine with bronze bushings and wet bolts. Some of the swing straps had oval holes with 3000 miles of use.
The spring hangers are surely bent as they are made to last only 5 miles or less. Be honest with yourself. Travel trailers are junk and pushed out the door. I have done hundreds of dollars of under belly work and immediately tore the plastic cardboard off after my first trip to Bruce Canyon. Went to bed and got up to find mice running rampant. The bottom of forest river travel trailers are full of giant holes. I was surprised racoons were not in. The suspension system is criminaly dangerous. I am working through my 2017 Freedom Express. Everything disintegrating and all parts are cheap Chinese junk. I hope you survive the experience. When you buy a new one you are taking your life in your own hands. How about those wall sockets one pull and out they come. Had to replace all of them. The USB charging socket lasted one month then burned up. Well that was a good start but not half of the list of crap that broke.

[HAMMDOWN]

Originally Posted by hinkle_e

While winterizing, I realized that I have unusual wear on 1 tire. It's the left (driver side) rear axle. Its wearing from the middle to the inside edge. All other tires look great and are wearing evenly. Camper is a 2018 Radiance 26BH and she's got about 10,000 miles on 'er.
Any idea what could cause this?
Thanks in advance,
EricAttachment 217497Attachment 217498

Could also have a bearing going bad. Jack up your axle and check for play.

[TitanMike]

Originally Posted by HAMMDOWN

Could also have a bearing going bad. Jack up your axle and check for play.

Could be but a loose bearing often shows very uneven wear, often called "cupping".

Regardless, the axle is going to need attention.


FWIW, a new axle from e-Trailer with standard spindles can cost as little as $118 This could be half the cost of getting it aligned. (EZ-Lube spindle equipped axles are about $70 more.

An axle change is pretty straight forward and requires no special tools, just a pair of jack stands, a jack, and some wrenches. Don't even have to break the wiring for the brakes if there's enough slack to slip the backing plates off.

[mustardjim]

I had the same it was bent axel, had it straightened and new bushings. Repair guy sait it prob was from pot holes.

[camaraderie]

Titan Mike +1

[hinkle_e]

Swung by the storage yard for a few more pics today. Not sure if theres anything else to see in them for diagnosis, but here they are anyway.

[mxtreme30]

Maybe it's just an optical illusion, but the axle that's not in question looks like the bent one. The first pic on last post shows a hump on farthest axle like it was jacked up from the sticker in second photo. You can clearly see the light gap in second photo is consistent till just past sticker on second axle. Weird! I'd definitely get it to an alignment shop or at least get a 5-6' level/straight edge on the axle tubes and on edges of tires on each side to see if it's obvious which axle is the culprit.

[5picker]

Those center equalizers between the springs sure sits odd on both sides.

Most sit more like this.
Maybe the way you had to park?

[TitanMike]

Originally Posted by mxtreme30

Maybe it's just an optical illusion, but the axle that's not in question looks like the bent one. The first pic on last post shows a hump on farthest axle like it was jacked up from the sticker in second photo. You can clearly see the light gap in second photo is consistent till just past sticker on second axle. Weird! I'd definitely get it to an alignment shop or at least get a 5-6' level/straight edge on the axle tubes and on edges of tires on each side to see if it's obvious which axle is the culprit.

Actually, that "hump" in the front axle is proper. It's added at the factory to add some camber to the unloaded axle so when loaded the "running camber" is closer to zero (straight up and down).

A tip:

If you want to check Camber, don't use a level on the axle. Check it at the wheel. Find two bolts that are exactly the same length (even if you have to file/gind a small amount off the end of the longer one to make them EXACT. Bolts need to be long enough so when they are placed against the rim the end extends out beyond the bulge of the tire at the bottom.

With vehicle parked on the most level surface you can find, take a short level and holding each of the bolts, one in each hand between fingers, grasp the level and hold the other end of the bolts against the rim. Make sure the contact points are exact top and bottom and the same surface on each. (no out on the rolled edge of a steel wheel).

Use the *Vertical Plumg" bubble and note whether wheel is straight up, tilting out (bubble away) or tilting in (bubble closer to you). Go check the other side and see if it reads the same. If the surface is level and reading are vertical or slightly tilted out (but still within the lines) life is good.

Ideally one would check, jack up wheel, rotate 180 and check again, using the average of readings.

If you don't have a level surface make one using one or more pieces of plywood, etc. Lay a straight 2X4 across and check for level. Then place Trailer in these pads.

This is how wheel alignment used to be done in my Dad's day and before they made special gauges.

[hinkle_e]

Thanks for the additional replies. TitanMike - the center hanger looks that way cause I'm parked in a stone lot with lots of divots. It's actually a combination of pea gravel and small RIP rap so one of my tires is in a low point.
5picker- your technique is similar to one I found online. I'll give it a try so I can prepare for the visit to the trailer shop.

[nutdriver]

I have nearly an identical issue with my trailer. I currently have 10,000 miles on the trailer. All the tires are wearing fairly well except for the left rear that I had to replace this fall. I checked alignment using the method outlined in this youtube video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6HEqZoL7pu0

Found that my front left axle position was about .5 cm further to the rear. The Left Rear axle was another 1 cm further after from the center of the left front. Thus my left rear axle is 1.5 cm further to the rear than the right rear. It is causing a toe out of 1 cm. Based on some tech responses on eTrailer, that is too much.

I already had replaced all the bushings with bronze bushings and wet bolts along with the Dexter Ez Flex equalizer.

Really debating now what to do to fix the alignment.

To the OP I would start by measuring the alignment as outlined in the linked Youtube video.

[mxtreme30]

Originally Posted by TitanMike

Actually, that "hump" in the front axle is proper. It's added at the factory to add some camber to the unloaded axle so when loaded the "running camber" is closer to zero (straight up and down).

A tip:

If you want to check Camber, don't use a level on the axle. Check it at the wheel. Find two bolts that are exactly the same length (even if you have to file/gind a small amount off the end of the longer one to make them EXACT. Bolts need to be long enough so when they are placed against the rim the end extends out beyond the bulge of the tire at the bottom.

With vehicle parked on the most level surface you can find, take a short level and holding each of the bolts, one in each hand between fingers, grasp the level and hold the other end of the bolts against the rim. Make sure the contact points are exact top and bottom and the same surface on each. (no out on the rolled edge of a steel wheel).

Use the *Vertical Plumg" bubble and note whether wheel is straight up, tilting out (bubble away) or tilting in (bubble closer to you). Go check the other side and see if it reads the same. If the surface is level and reading are vertical or slightly tilted out (but still within the lines) life is good.

Ideally one would check, jack up wheel, rotate 180 and check again, using the average of readings.

If you don't have a level surface make one using one or more pieces of plywood, etc. Lay a straight 2X4 across and check for level. Then place Trailer in these pads.

This is how wheel alignment used to be done in my Dad's day and before they made special gauges.

Ha! Did not know that! You would think that they would shim the hubs to get proper alignment, but that would be the right thing to do. Just bend the tubes to make it work. Lol. Typical RV mythology. Thx for the insight Mike!

[Brother Les]

Jack the unit and grab the tire and see if there is movement. You may have a bad bearing or loose spindle nut. Are your lug nuts tight?

I don't think it is a weight issue or a bent axle/ leaf springs/ or hangers or bolts.