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  1. #1
    Seasoned Camper acadiaforever's Avatar
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    Tire wear after 18,128 miles

    I just repacked my bearings and took a critical look at my tires after 18K miles (thanks to Ford for tracking trailer mileage!). I was surprised that the outside was wearing faster than the center, even though I'm pretty vigilant about maintaining cold pressures of 110#. I'd be interested if anyone thinks this is normal and can say why.

    I was also interested that there were fine fiber-like threads being chafed from the rubber on the outside edges (picture below). Has anyone else seen this, or can anyone posit a cause for it? Alignment? I'm right at GVW (15K).

    Thoughts?
    -Al

    Click image for larger version. 

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    The stuff that looks like small cracks in the outer tread are actually the shadows of small threads of rubber.

    Click image for larger version. 

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    I didn't succeed in getting a pic clearly showing the outside wearing faster than the center treads.
    Al and Kathe
    House: Bass Harbor, Maine
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  2. #2
    Rolling Along kevinpo's Avatar
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    Hi Al,
    Do you think it might be (the threads) scrubbing from turning tightly?

    Regards,
    Kevin
    2015 Ram Laramie 3500 4x4 LB Dually Crew Cab
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  3. #3
    Seasoned Camper acadiaforever's Avatar
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    Thanks, Kevin. It may be from that. This is my first dual axle vehicle, so although I intellectually know the forces involved in turning, I've never actually seen the effects on the components involved.
    -Al
    Al and Kathe
    House: Bass Harbor, Maine
    Home: Wherever we're parked
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
    Highlighted states are those we have camped in for at least one night in our Solitude.
    2018 Solitude 310GK 110463 (Rhett) / 2018 F350 CC DRW 4x4 Lariat (Scarlett)
    Follow us: http://lobstersontheloose.com

  4. #4
    Site Team WhittleBurner's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by acadiaforever View Post
    I just repacked my bearings and took a critical look at my tires after 18K miles (thanks to Ford for tracking trailer mileage!). I was surprised that the outside was wearing faster than the center, even though I'm pretty vigilant about maintaining cold pressures of 110#. I'd be interested if anyone thinks this is normal and can say why.

    I was also interested that there were fine fiber-like threads being chafed from the rubber on the outside edges (picture below). Has anyone else seen this, or can anyone posit a cause for it? Alignment? I'm right at GVW (15K).

    Thoughts?
    -Al

    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	20190722_085004_1564019913158_resized.jpg 
Views:	29 
Size:	94.0 KB 
ID:	21686

    The stuff that looks like small cracks in the outer tread are actually the shadows of small threads of rubber.

    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	20190719_100311_1564019924660_resized.jpg 
Views:	24 
Size:	98.9 KB 
ID:	21687

    I didn't succeed in getting a pic clearly showing the outside wearing faster than the center treads.
    Tires wearing on both of the outside edge's of one tire is normally from tires being underinflated. You maintain 110 psi though so that doesn't make sense. The sharp edges on the tires sounds like a out of toe condition of the alignment of the tires. What that means is that the tires are not running straight down the road the tire would be turned a little bit in or out causing the tires to be scuffing as you are going down the road. I don't believe there is any adjustment to be made to fix this. You may have gotten the trailer with this problem or it could be a bent spindle allowing the tire to turn. Just thought of one other thing that could cause the alignment problem which is bad wheel bearings. The problem with that is if those bearings were bad enough to cause your problem they would have failed before you saw the wear on the tires. Souns like you need to take the trailer to someone capable of doing alignments on a trailer so they can hook it up to an alignment rack to see just what is going on.
    Marcy & Gary
    2014 Grand Design - Reflection 303RLS
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  5. #5
    Left The Driveway
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    We had wear on both edges on one tire. Determined that after the bearings had been re-packed at the dealership, the spindle nut wasn't properly tightened. After elevating the one tire off the ground, I could move the tire edge in and out about 1/4". The wheel would have been wabbling as we drove and causing wear on both inner and outer edges. Now I always check each wheel for smooth spinning and no sideways movement after bearing re-packing.

  6. #6
    Seasoned Camper acadiaforever's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by DrSmart View Post
    We had wear on both edges on one tire. Determined that after the bearings had been re-packed at the dealership, the spindle nut wasn't properly tightened. After elevating the one tire off the ground, I could move the tire edge in and out about 1/4". The wheel would have been wobbling as we drove and causing wear on both inner and outer edges. Now I always check each wheel for smooth spinning and no sideways movement after bearing re-packing.
    Thanks, DrSmart

    A quarter inch! Wow...

    I don't think that this is it because I torque the axle nuts to 50#' while slowly rotating the tire to seat the bearings, then stop rotating and back it off and bring it to just finger tight. There is no noticeable play in the wheel at all. Thanks, though!

    Keep those ideas coming!
    -Al
    Al and Kathe
    House: Bass Harbor, Maine
    Home: Wherever we're parked
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
    Highlighted states are those we have camped in for at least one night in our Solitude.
    2018 Solitude 310GK 110463 (Rhett) / 2018 F350 CC DRW 4x4 Lariat (Scarlett)
    Follow us: http://lobstersontheloose.com

  7. #7
    Seasoned Camper acadiaforever's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by WhittleBurner View Post
    Tires wearing on both of the outside edge's of one tire is normally from tires being underinflated. You maintain 110 psi though so that doesn't make sense. The sharp edges on the tires sounds like a out of toe condition of the alignment of the tires. What that means is that the tires are not running straight down the road the tire would be turned a little bit in or out causing the tires to be scuffing as you are going down the road. I don't believe there is any adjustment to be made to fix this. You may have gotten the trailer with this problem or it could be a bent spindle allowing the tire to turn. Just thought of one other thing that could cause the alignment problem which is bad wheel bearings. The problem with that is if those bearings were bad enough to cause your problem they would have failed before you saw the wear on the tires. Souns like you need to take the trailer to someone capable of doing alignments on a trailer so they can hook it up to an alignment rack to see just what is going on.
    Thanks! I've also gotten a PM suggesting an alignment check. We'll be in Middlebury, IN in Sept so we'll probably see if we can get LCI to check it.
    -Al
    Al and Kathe
    House: Bass Harbor, Maine
    Home: Wherever we're parked
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
    Highlighted states are those we have camped in for at least one night in our Solitude.
    2018 Solitude 310GK 110463 (Rhett) / 2018 F350 CC DRW 4x4 Lariat (Scarlett)
    Follow us: http://lobstersontheloose.com

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