Inside of Tires are Balding on Rear Axle of Tandem Axle Trailer

Updated 09/12/2017 | Published 09/10/2017

Question:

Hello I have a tandem trailer with torsion axles and the rear tires are bald on the inside and the fronts are fine. The trailer is only three years old and would guess it has a thousand miles on it. Thanks

asked by: Don

Expert Reply:

It is odd that only the rear tires are balding on the inside and it isn't just one side or the other. From what you described it sounds like your rear axle, spindles, or wheels have been damaged. This could be the result of driving too fast over a good sized pothole or overloading the rear of your trailer enough that it maxed out the weight capacity of the rear axle.

If you let me know the tire size and bolt pattern of your wheel I can make a recommendation for replacements, but I would definitely take your trailer to a shop and have them inspect the rear axle for any signs that the integrity has been compromised.

If damage was the result of an improperly loaded trailer I have attached a helpful article that talks about the proper Tongue Weight (TW) for a trailer and how it should be 10-15% of the loaded trailer weight.

expert reply by: Jon G