Argh!! Axle Alignment, Worn Tires.

[richardtc17]

If I may ask, what did your alignment cost? I know you are in Oregon, but just trying to get comparative info. Around here (North of Denver) all the shops and dealers recommend a heavy truck service center (Trans West). When I called in 2018 they wanted $560 for an alignment on a dual axle RV trailer. "More if they have to spend a lot of time on it.". Seams high and a little open ended to me, but maybe I am just out of touch.

Thank you

Chris

We had an inside wear problem a few years ago in a single axle trailer. We were just outside of Rapid City, SD. The local Camping World referred us to the respected trailer alignment specialist in Rapid City that they use. He ended up adjusting the negative chamber in our moderately loaded trailer. He said the factories often set the camber in unloaded trailers as they come off the line. When loaded and certainly over loaded the cambers go negative. He fixed us up for $125. We have not had a problem since.

[CoChris]

We had an inside wear problem a few years ago in a single axle trailer. We were just outside of Rapid City, SD. The local Camping World referred us to the respected trailer alignment specialist in Rapid City that they use. He ended up adjusting the negative chamber in our moderately loaded trailer. He said the factories often set the camber in unloaded trailers as they come off the line. When loaded and certainly over loaded the cambers go negative. He fixed us up for $125. We have not had a problem since.

Thank you. That is more inline with what I was thinking ($250~$300) for a dual axle. If I could have gotten it for under $300 I probably would have done and alignment. Now, after ~12,000 miles and the tire wear looking great (nice and even, no feathering or cupping, etc.), I feel the alignment is at least "good enough".

Chris

[huntindog]

We had an inside wear problem a few years ago in a single axle trailer. We were just outside of Rapid City, SD. The local Camping World referred us to the respected trailer alignment specialist in Rapid City that they use. He ended up adjusting the negative chamber in our moderately loaded trailer. He said the factories often set the camber in unloaded trailers as they come off the line. When loaded and certainly over loaded the cambers go negative. He fixed us up for $125. We have not had a problem since.

I almost spit up my coffee. Factories DO NOT set the camber as they come off the line!!
Camber is set as the axle is manufactured. Unless it is damaged before it is installed,(which usually happens before the manufacturer even recieves it as most buy axles and frames as an assembled unit) then it should be good..... However, transport drivers and rough roads, coupled with the light weight axles that manufacturers like to use,,,, means all bets are off.

[goducks14]

Axles can be speced with different tube wall thicknesses.
somtimes referred to as light, medium , or heavy walled tubes. There is a dramatic difference in the weight and strength of the 3 different class tubes.. I doubt that the steel in your axles was actually soft, more likely it was just a light tube. Regardless, overbending to "compensate" for a soft or weak (light) tube is not a proper fix. Getting a stronger axle is. Good thing you don't use that tech anymore

My guess is that the axle walls were 3/16" thick as opposed to 1/4" Still light duty. I don't know how many of what size axles the tech guy did so maybe he wasn't used to a thin walled axle tube.
I have never found any RV axles of a certain diameter that have different wall thicknesses. My 3" 4400# axles only come in 3/16" as do my 3" 5200# axles. IIRC you can't get .250-1/4" until you jump up to a 6000#.

I know you can get different diameters in different axle ratings. Like 3" 8000# and 3.5" 8000# axles.

[goducks14]

My 1st re-alignment cost $195 total. That was two axles.
My 2nd was more than $195 but less than $300. Don't remember exactly.
For $560 I'd buy new axles.

[huntindog]

My guess is that the axle walls were 3/16" thick as opposed to 1/4" Still light duty. I don't know how many of what size axles the tech guy did so maybe he wasn't used to a thin walled axle tube.
I have never found any RV axles of a certain diameter that have different wall thicknesses. My 3" 4400# axles only come in 3/16" as do my 3" 5200# axles. IIRC you can't get .250-1/4" until you jump up to a 6000#.

I know you can get different diameters in different axle ratings. Like 3" 8000# and 3.5" 8000# axles.

I found out the hard way that they will build pretty much anything you want. My 2nd TT spun a bearing and needed a new axle. It turns out that it was a one off. Not a standard build. 3500# axles with a 3" tube and a unsual hub face measurement. It wasn't a problem price wise, as I got it for about 125.00. I just had to wait for them to make it. I bought that TT new, and that was the original axle.

[CoChris]

My 1st re-alignment cost $195 total. That was two axles.
My 2nd was more than $195 but less than $300. Don't remember exactly.
For $560 I'd buy new axles.

Thank you. That is very helpful to me. I called TransWest again the other day. Now $700 to check the alignment on a dual axle "plus the time to correct any alignment". He would not even give me a hourly rate nor an estimate on adjustment cost. He would only say "they (RV) all need alignment". I do not think they really want the business.

If anyone has a recommendation for a good shop to check/adjust alignment in Northern Colorado or Southern Wyoming, please let me know. Until I have a problem I will probably just let it go. As I said, the tires are wearing very evenly after 12,000 miles.

Chris

[rwise61910]

Transwest in Colorado straightened two axles on my travel trailer. I had severe tire wear on new tires that had to be corrected. Price was about $600.

Bob

[rjnava]

I found out the hard way that they will build pretty much anything you want. My 2nd TT spun a bearing and needed a new axle. It turns out that it was a one off. Not a standard build. 3500# axles with a 3" tube and a unsual hub face measurement. It wasn't a problem price wise, as I got it for about 125.00. I just had to wait for them to make it. I bought that TT new, and that was the original axle.

Before we bought our GD Imagine TT, our previous TT was a 26 ft Winnebago. The two axles in the Winnebago were installed in such a way that Harbor Freight rubber chucks fit nicely between the tires on one side, but not at all on the other side. If I remember correctly, the tires were 1.5 inches closer together on one side than the other.

The dealer did the measurements required by Winnebago and they said they were "within Winnebago specs" so they were not adjusted. We had that unit for about 5 years, and although we did not notice significant or unusual tire wear, we always wondered if it would hurt the tires.

[screamineagle]

I discovered the other day that the inside tread of both front axel tires is worn down to the 'time to replace' wear marker. Probably less than 14,000 miles. Not sure if these will have to be replaced. Just made an appointment with an alignment shop for next week.

My relationship with tires is not the best. Truck is going need new ones too before I leave in March for the 2021 trek. At least I got 50,00 miles out of those.

Can I ask what kind of tires you got 50K miles out of? And what are you towing with.