Trailer Tire Wear

Repair or modification of Boston Whaler boats, their engines, trailers, and gear
wild bill
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Trailer Tire Wear

Postby wild bill » Mon Mar 23, 2020 7:38 am

I have a 2016 MONTAUK [of no specified length but later was clarified to be a 210 MONTAUK] with a KARAVAN trailer that was purchased new in 2016. The trailer tire wear has been a problem since day one.

The left front tire inside tread wears down in short order, compared to the rest of the tire. Karavan replaced the axle, hubs, wheels and tires at no cost. But after about 1,500-miles the left front tire is showing signs of excessive wear on the inside. I keep the air pressure correct before using the trailer.

What is [a remedy for the tire wear]?
2016 Montauck with 200hp Pro XS Mercury, Karavan tandem axle trailer.

jimh
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Re: Trailer Tire Wear

Postby jimh » Mon Mar 23, 2020 10:14 am

Uneven tire wear is usually related to the trailer axle not being aligned properly.

Check the alignment of the trailer axle. Measure the distance from the trailer hitch coupler to the right and left wheel hubs. The distance should be exactly the same. If the distance is not exactly the same, adjust the axle position to make it square. If the axle spring hanger brackets are not adjustable, that is, if they are welded to the trailer frame, contact the manufacturer. Otherwise, you should be able to move the axle spring hanger brackets to correct any misalignment. Of course, any work like this on a trailer is much easier to perform if the boat is not loaded on the trailer.

Also, perhaps some aerodynamic loading (wind drag) or uneven weight loading is causing the trailer to tow at an angle. Check the boat position on the trailer. If the boat has been loaded asymmetrically on the trailer, the air drag of the boat may be causing the trailer to tow out of line, or the boat weight may be unevenly distributed on the wheels.

What type tires are being used? I have towed my (much larger) boat for perhaps 80,000-miles and have used radial tires. I have not experienced unusual tire wear. My trailer has Carlisle trailer radial tires, and in the past it had Goodyear Marathon radial tires.

biggiefl
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Re: Trailer Tire Wear

Postby biggiefl » Mon Mar 23, 2020 11:50 am

Single or tandem axle trailer? If single it should be easy to fix. If tandem it can be more complicated as not sure how just one out of 4 tires would wear funny if not something obvious. Like Jim mentioned it towing crooked, if that was the case I would assume more than one tire would be uneven.
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wild bill
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Re: Trailer Tire Wear

Postby wild bill » Wed Mar 25, 2020 7:10 am

Thanks for the input. I am baffled because if the left front shows abnormal wear the right front should also. Remember the axle has been replaced and the new one does the same as the old. It has torsion axles so no adjustable spring mounts and it is a tandem trailer.
2016 Montauck with 200hp Pro XS Mercury, Karavan tandem axle trailer.

jimh
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Re: Trailer Tire Wear

Postby jimh » Wed Mar 25, 2020 7:19 am

Again, measure the distances of each hub from the center of the hitch. This will determine if the axle positions are square to the trailer frame.

Your post never mentions the particular model of Boston Whaler boat being towed. Please give us that information.

When towing the boat on the highway, what is the typical speed?

wild bill
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Re: Trailer Tire Wear

Postby wild bill » Thu Mar 26, 2020 8:23 am

Mine is a Montauck 210. Highway speeds range from 55 to 65.
2016 Montauck with 200hp Pro XS Mercury, Karavan tandem axle trailer.

dtmackey
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Re: Trailer Tire Wear

Postby dtmackey » Thu Mar 26, 2020 10:08 am

I lean toward the cause of the unusual tire wear being due to a bent axle more than an axle that shifted on the trailer.

This link details how to identify the [unusual tire wear caused by axle misalignment].

https://www.centrevilletrailer.com/how-tos/trailer-axle-alignment-trailer-tire-wear/

I've had trailers with a crooked axle that exhibited no unusual tire wear, but the one I had with a bent axle would wear tires quickly. Make sure you check everything.

D-

wild bill
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Re: Trailer Tire Wear

Postby wild bill » Fri Mar 27, 2020 4:43 pm

Thanks for the info. As I stated in the first post, Karavan replaced the axle. With the new axle I'm getting the same [abnormal tire wear].
2016 Montauck with 200hp Pro XS Mercury, Karavan tandem axle trailer.

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Phil T
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Re: Trailer Tire Wear

Postby Phil T » Fri Mar 27, 2020 5:00 pm

Photos showing the wear would help.

Remind us, is the axle bolted on to welded points or does it use the compression U brackets?

If they replaced the axle and all the bits and the same problem reoccurred, check the frame with a builders square and string to see if it is square. It could be out of spec.

Just to be safe - Look at the tire make, model, size, date stamp etc and do a search to see if there were defects in the lot.
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jimh
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Re: Trailer Tire Wear

Postby jimh » Fri Mar 27, 2020 5:25 pm

Thanks for the clarification that the boat under discussion in this thread is a 210 MONTAUK. When you just say "Montauk" most readers will think you are talking about a 17-foot boat. Since we are not mind readers, be sure to clearly identify the boat model in full. A 210 MONTAUK is a much bigger boat to tow than a 170 MONTAUK.

Regarding towing speeds, I think your speed range of 55 to 65-MPH is very appropriate. Most of my towing is at those speeds, and in that range more to the lower half. When I get passed by crazy drivers towing big boats at 75 to 80-MPH, I wonder how long their trailer tires last. Also, most trailer tires are not rated for high speed, and 55-MPH is much safer than 80-MPH for the tires.

It seems unlikely that two axles would both be defective or bent or become bent. You need to check the permanent mounting points on the trailer. If they are welded-on points, check their location. If they are bolt-on points using permanent holes in the trailer frame, check their location.

Since the wheel and tires were also replaced, neither of them seems likely to contain the exact same defect as the originals and repeat the same failure.

So, again, third time, go measure the distance of the wheel hubs to the hitch for the axle that has the bad tire wear.