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Uneven tire wear

Spud_Monkey

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Have a odd tire wear I can't figure out on tandem dual wheel trailer. Two tires on the right side front axle have inside shoulder wear so bad to point I changed a tire out and within 1000 miles it was worn down on the same shoulder and on rear axle it's the opposite wearing on outside shoulder and not as so fast but is prevalent.
All 4 tires on left side have no premature wear. This is with a unloaded trailer all springs are good, no brakes dragging and I'm not doing donuts in the parking lot with it.
There is a bolt right by the spring perch pad that looks to be an alignment adjustment if no one knows what I am talking about I will get a picture of it later, but what gets me is if the alignment was off on one side it would be for the other side. Bearings weren't ate up either, slight pitting on one yes but I have all 4 hubs off and all the bearings pulled everything felt tight.
Lastly for replacing the brakes on each axle is $400 per a side, so figure $800 per axle then add in price of new bearings almost cheaper to buy new axles.
 

Delmer

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I'm to old to try to picture what's happening based on a description. First thing I'd do is set up a string line on both sides, about 1/4" from the outside of the tires at axle level, from the front of the trailer to the back. Like a 2x4 in a T stuck out the sides and weighted down with spare tires, and then a nail or screw to run the string off of. Then measure it up and it should show you what's happening.
 

Truck Shop

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It can show more wear on one side than the other. If one side has shifted and the other just rotated on the spring perch, the side that shifted usually {I say usually} shows more wear
on the inside tire. The trailer needs to be aligned off the center of hitch pivot or king pin. That's how the pros do it, set the front axle then set rear axle to match front. Providing there
is not a bent spindle or axle.
 

Delmer

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That's the part I overlooked, the hitch. So you could set up a batter board for the front of the stringlines, and measure to the center of the hitch to see how that lines up with your rims. Eyeball the clearance to the tires, but measure to the rims I figure.
 

Spud_Monkey

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Not going to be easy since it's a 40' deck trailer with no flat ground, but I will give it a try when I get the brakes and bearings in, in couple weeks due to Covid-19, holidays and any weather conditions happening.
 

Spud_Monkey

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Does the trailer seem to track straight behind the truck? Take note of that.
Yes it does as that's what I'm constantly looking at when driving, not for straight tracking but to see if anything came loose and can't help to look to see if it's off any.
I can understand if all 4 tires on one side were rubbed smooth on same shoulder, but not on opposite shoulders.
 

Spud_Monkey

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In my opinion as I can't prove this but I think when the person loading up the Peterbilt on my trailer and dropped it 6 ft in the air onto the opposite side of the trailer that has the tire problem is what did it. Frame looks fine and so does the decking.
 

Spud_Monkey

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If you have the hubs off, even better. measure those bare axles against each other and diagonally to the hitch or a measured point in the middle of the frame rails front and back.
Sure thing, let me lift it up on the rear to let them freely hang since I doubt they are sitting evenly due to uneven ground. Yeah they are down to the spindles. When I do something I go all in or don't at all, none of this replace one at a time I replace in sets.
 

DMiller

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At one shop we made a slip over Ring to hang on the kingpin just light steel but key holed so would stay in place, 50' tape to front axle spindles, set front then set rear to front axle. were rolling six Fruehauf 53 foot vans thru a night including re-aligns. if just checking and setting back outside no align was in and out in thirty minutes. One guy pulling caps, the other setting up measuring, did not pull tires, had Propar Axles with Fruehauf supplied axle extension tubes that screwed on the residual threads beyond the axle nut.
 

Delmer

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I think I'd prefer to set the axle blocking level and the trailer level front to back, but leave the springs to do their thing with the axles blocked level. Rather than let the axles hang from a level trailer.
DMiller, I assume you did those trailer sitting flat, did you worry much about a perfectly level concrete slab?
 

Spud_Monkey

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According to doing it with trailer uneven or twisted with axles hanging in the air freely or secured on blocks I have came out to half inch to quarter of a inch off on back axle.
Measuring from back axle spindle center on the side with worn tires to king pin show a half inch measurement less than what was measured on other side of the good tires.
Measuring from spindle to spindle center on side with worn tires it came out to quarter of inch less distance than side with non worn tires. So how would I correct that much difference, btw there is slipper springs on the rear axle too. Hate to try and do this with bottle jacks and chain.
 
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