Troubleshooting Tire Wear on One Side Only

Published 06/11/2018

Question:

How much weight should be hauled on two 3500 axels and is their a heaver axel that can be put on my boat trailer thanks

asked by: Jerry L

Helpful Expert Reply:

Wear on one tire like that can be due to a bent spindle or a heavier load on that one location. For instance having a slide out at that location will cause that tire to wear faster than others, so rotating your trailer tires is beneficial especially in that case. Another possibility is improper inflation as trailer tires are designed to be run at their max PSI when filled cold which is far different than automotive tires. I've attached a frequently asked questions article on tires to further assist.

If you have a bent spindle there is really not a better solution than replacing the spindle or the axle. If the reason you replaced the axle was this same tire wear issue, then it most likely isn't the case you have a bent spindle. Another possibility is the axle is out of alignment but that would cause wear on the opposite tire as well but not as prominently so may not draw your eye in the same way.

If you want to replace your tire, I recommend the Provider ST215/75R14 Radial Trailer Tire - Load Range D # TTWTRTM2157514D. This tire is rated for 2,200 lbs at 65 psi and speeds up to 81 mph. It also comes with a 2 year warranty. I recommend changing both tires on the same axle and making sure all 4 tires are the same size and load range.

expert reply by: Jason S

Jerry

6/8/2018

Thanks for your reply original axels were bad due to rust how is the correct way to check to see if spendable are bent? Would having a Bias tire running in front of a radial tire cause this problem , thanks for the help

Jason S.

6/8/2018

The easiest way to determine if you have a bent spindle is to take a straight edge that is longer than the tire and lay it across the tire parallel with your trailer frame and then measure the distance from the frame to the straight edge in front and back of the tire. If the distance is the same then the spindle isn't bent. This is an extremely basic option and spindles are very precise so I suggest taking the trailer to someone qualified in trailer repair to have them check the spindle alignment. The bent spindle would require a lot of force for example just that one tire hitting a deep pothole when fully loaded. Having a bias tire running in front of a radial wouldn't cause tire wear, but they would absolutely wear differently as the construction of the tire is different. The radials have belts running at 90 degrees where bias tires run at a diagonal so they have less flex. I do recommend running either all bias tires or all radials for best traction and even wear.

Jerry

6/11/2018

How much weight should be hauled on two 3500 axels and is their a heaver axel that can be put on my boat trailer thanks

Jason S.

6/11/2018

You should not haul more than 7,000 lbs on two 3,500 lb axles. You also need to determine the weakest component in your system as that will be the limiting factor. If it is the axles, you can absolutely upgrade to larger axles. We have 5,200 lb axles, 6,000 lb axles, and 7,000 lb axles available. I've linked the page to assist. If there is not a through axle that fits your desired specifications, the Timbren Axle-Less Systems are made for that purpose and utilize an integrated suspension instead of leaf springs or torsion springs. Let me know if you need further assistance.