Why Do the Tires on a Dual Axle Trailer Wear Differently

Updated 06/12/2013 | Published 06/09/2013

Question:

Why do the rear axle tires wear out more than the front ones. Also, if im only toeing 2,200 plus the trailer weight, what should the tire pressure be.

asked by: Des

Expert Reply:

If the rear axle trailer tires are supporting more of the weight of the trailer then they would wear out faster. There are couple of adjustments that could be made to try to even out the load on the trailer. The first would be to more evenly distribute the weight on the trailer, and secondly make sure that the trailer is being towed in a level position.

The first adjustment that you could make would be to redistribute the weight on your trailer. Ideally you would want to move some of the weight to the front of the trailer, near the tongue of the trailer, you can try to put heavier cargo in the front of the trailer, ahead of the trailers axle. When your trailer is hooked up this will help in evenly distributing the load of the weight on the trailer between the axles.

If the weight is too far back on the trailer it can act as leverage by angling the trailer tongue up. With this additional leverage, it maybe distributing more of the load on the rear tires, and that might be why the rear tires are wearing faster than the front tires.

Secondly, you would want to make sure that you are towing your trailer in a level position. If the trailer coupler is too high this can also place additional leverage on the rear axles, as opposed to evenly distributed on the axles. If you can check and make sure that you are towing the trailer in a level position this will help. You may need to lower the ball mount on your vehicle, and this can be done by using a drop style ball mount. I have included a link to a helpful article regarding measuring for the appropriate ball mount for your trailer.

For the best ride with the trailer, optimize mileage, and to reduce sway when using your trailer the tires should be always be inflated to the maximum pressure rating. For the Karrier ST205/75R15 Radial Trailer Tire that would be 50 psi. I have also linked a helpful article that explains tire pressures.

expert reply by: Rachael H