Troubleshooting Outside Wear on Equipment Trailer

Published 02/09/2019

Question:

I have a 2013 Load Trail equipment trailer, 16, bumper pull, 2-5200 lb. torsion axles. It only hauls one Canam UTV for work purposes, total weight 1,500-2,000 lbs. Trailer capacity is much more than what we need but the trailers travel tens of thousands of miles per year over the highway and also on rough gravel roads and undeveloped roads. We have learned over the years that only 5inch or 6inch channel equipment-type trailers with torsion axles hold up over time on the rough roads. The problem we experience is consistent wear on the outside of all 4 tires. So much so that were replacing tires every 5000-10,000 miles. I havent checked the axles for proper alignment but the problem seems to be getting worse the last couple years. Any thoughts on what is causing this?

asked by: Chad R

Expert Reply:

There are a couple reasons that might be causing the outside tread of your trailer tires to wear down quicker than they should.

The first and easiest fix is that the tires are simply being under-inflated. Most trailer tires are designed to be inflated to the max psi listed on the tire's sidewall. Make sure the tires on your equipment trailer are always inflated to this number, regardless of the type of weight that you are hauling.

Another potential cause, as you alluded to in your question, is an alignment issue with the axles. I recommend taking it up to a local trailer shop to have them inspect the suspension components.

If the tires are fully inflated and the axle components look okay, then the problem might simply be the weight of your UTV relative to the capacity of the axles. Sometimes outside tread wear can be the result of just not putting enough weight on the trailer which can cause the tires to tilt in a bit at the bottom. You may try loading some more weight on the trailer if possible to see if this helps.

If you happen to need some replacement tires I have attached a link that will take you to our complete selection.

expert reply by: Chris R