Help! New tires bald in 150 miles!!!

[Expidia]

Re: Help! New tires bald in 150 miles!!!

Thaty condition after 150 miles then something is way, way out of alignment.
Your trailer has to be "crabbing" just like the old mini's used to do after a bad subframe repair. Shame you can not still run it and have someone follow you for a visual. You would most likely see your trailer wanting to do the sideways thing.
Good Luck and get it straightened out.

Crabbing, I remember seeing cars doing that. Funny to see a truck or car with their rear wheels following the front wheels about a foot to the right or left!

And I thought crabbing was just something that eminates from my Wife . . . hahahaha

No need to have someone follow me as the tires say it all anyway!

 

[Expidia]

Re: Help! New tires bald in 150 miles!!!

I also think from what another poster mentioned already that the dealer never checked the tightness of the Ubolts that holds the axle to the springs.

When I looked at the axle as I dropped it off yesterday the axle was kicked forward a little and the Ubolts were not perpendicular to the ground. They too were either forward or backwards of center. But as a layman, I don't know where it's supposed to be positioned in the first place?

With 1000 lbs riding on top of the axle . . . it wouldn't take much to throw the whole thing out of whack as I'm trailing it, if any bolts were left untightened.

 

[MikDee]

Re: Help! New tires bald in 150 miles!!!

I can't believe they wore out in 150miles? But they do look like they were overinflated, The tires should have a maximum load rating on them at maximum inflation. If you know what the approx weight of your load is, you should be able to set the tire pressure to match using this as a guide. Wait!, Looking at the Pic, it looks like the Max load is 1015lbs at 80lbs pressure if I'm reading it right. Then if your load is 500lbs per tire (1000lbs total), 40lbs pressure is good for 507.5lbs per tire, so that's all you need to put in them. But, you still have an issue with one side wearing more then the other from the next to last picture? Also from your info here, it appears your toe in, toe out, is actually toed in at the front 1" more then the rear, that don't seem right?

 

[MikDee]

Re: Help! New tires bald in 150 miles!!!

Crabbing, I remember seeing cars doing that. Funny to see a truck or car with their rear wheels following the front wheels about a foot to the right or left!

And I thought crabbing was just something that eminates from my Wife . . . hahahaha

No need to have someone follow me as the tires say it all anyway!

Actually what you are describing is "out of line", crabbing would be like this
(----) wearing out the inside of your tires I don't know if this is your problem also? But, as it is now, it appears your axle is bent back some according to the toe out.

 

[wire2]

Re: Help! New tires bald in 150 miles!!!

I believe the pre-stressed axle installed 90? off is the most viable explanation.

Check the distance between the tires top compared to bottom.

If it's the same, that clinches it, the axle just needs to be rotated 90? to have the curve up.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Help! New tires bald in 150 miles!!!

Have you jacked up the trailer and spun each wheel by hand? If the bearings are set too tight (wheel turns hard) you are essentially "dragging" the tires down the road. Since they seem to be wearing relatively even I doubt its an alignment problem. Even a dog-tracking trailer will not wear tires that fast. If it were a camber issue the wear would be on one side of the tire or the other.

 

[jeeperman]

Re: Help! New tires bald in 150 miles!!!

The tires pictured all appear worn more on the inside.
In the posts made, it is stated three of the tires are from the left side.
Does that mean you have ruined or replaced two rights and three lefts?
Or one right and three lefts?

I am thinking severe toe out as indicated via the dimensions given, by 1 inch.

If it is an equal amount per side, I stick with the clocked axle theory. If it is all on the left side then maybe an impact bend to the spindle or the spindle was not welded onto the axle tube properly.

 

[bassboy1]

Re: Help! New tires bald in 150 miles!!!

I also think from what another poster mentioned already that the dealer never checked the tightness of the Ubolts that holds the axle to the springs.

When I looked at the axle as I dropped it off yesterday the axle was kicked forward a little and the Ubolts were not perpendicular to the ground. They too were either forward or backwards of center. But as a layman, I don't know where it's supposed to be positioned in the first place?

With 1000 lbs riding on top of the axle . . . it wouldn't take much to throw the whole thing out of whack as I'm trailing it, if any bolts were left untightened.

Loose U bolts aren't the cause of this, unless they are loose enough to allow the axle to sway back and forth. But, you would notice this, as the trailer would sway a bit. Even if the looseness did cause the axle to be crooked, it wouldn't wear much extra. It would just pull off to one side, or the other. The thing is, you mentioned that the axle is slightly tilted. And, from the picture, it seems that the leaf spring is tilted a bit more than usual. If your axle has a camber (probably a 2000 pound axle, so it probably will) and is not fully loaded (which it isn't assuming it is a 2000 pound axle, it is nowhere near full) the axle will not bend straight. Then, if tilted toward the back, the tires will be pointed inward. It won't sway like this - in fact tow straighter, but the tires will scrub. Thereby wearing them fairly fast. That may be part of the problem.

 

[Expidia]

Re: Help! New tires bald in 150 miles!!!

The verdict is in. Inspection by the dealer today showed the axle somehow took a whack to the port side which bent the axle.

I guess that's the difference between a $650 trailer and a $1300 trailer.

I don't remember whacking it The only time I remember anything close to hitting something hard enough to bend the axle was one time "at their marina yet" where the trailer dropped into a hole or was behind a rock as I was pulling the boat back out and I do remember having to pull back a few feet and take a running start in order to pull the trailer up and over what ever the obstruction was.

That episode was about 1 month ago which would account for the first set grinding up over the past month and the second set so quickly.

Dealer said a new axle is $159 plus shipping. He'll pull one of another trailer to get me going quicker and re-install the one that's being shipped back on the trailer which he's taking it off from. It's only 4 bolts to move the whole assembly. I know because I already moved the assembly back a set of wholes to get the proper tongue weight 2 months ago. He also wanted $75 per tire and rim, but I said I already had the rims.

I'm picking up 3 Loadstar tires at an RV dealer for $35 each and I'll have them mounted. At least that will save me a few dollars on that end. I'm sure there will be a labor charge for installing the axle too. Probably an hour's worth.

Hopefully I just might be back on the water this weekend.

Thanks to all who responded.

Damn, just started hearing a clicking noise in my right front wheel on my Saab which I tow my boat with. Mechanic said if it's the CV joint he'll have to send the axle out to have it rebuilt (he said it's cheaper than a new CV joint). There goes about another $400!

September is not starting out all that well for me for out of pocket expenses

 

[Expidia]

Re: Help! New tires bald in 150 miles!!!

The tires pictured all appear worn more on the inside.
In the posts made, it is stated three of the tires are from the left side.
Does that mean you have ruined or replaced two rights and three lefts?
Or one right and three lefts?

I am thinking severe toe out as indicated via the dimensions given, by 1 inch.

If it is an equal amount per side, I stick with the clocked axle theory. If it is all on the left side then maybe an impact bend to the spindle or the spindle was not welded onto the axle tube properly.

I think I replaced 3 lefts and 1 right! So that makes sense that I clocked the left side of the axle from todays inspection.

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: Help! New tires bald in 150 miles!!!

Sorry to hear of your misfortunes. Hope everything gets better for you.

 

[Expidia]

Re: Help! New tires bald in 150 miles!!!

Thanks to all who chipped in with my dilemma.

Great site, this Iboats forum. Nice to have so many people post their thoughts.

For those posters that said I probably whacked the axle somehow you'd be correct in your diagnosis. Give your self 2 stars

I didn't remember striking anything over the past month but when thinking back I realized I did get hung up on probably a rock when pulling the trailer out at a launch.

I was glad to see the damage below to the axle because now I know that "I" did it and how I did it. I wanted to rule out that some bolts were left loose when the trailer was assembled throwing it out of alignment or that the trailer was defective.

Have to give credit to Beckley's Boats, Albany NY. I dropped my boat of a day or two ago. When I went to pick up the bald tires to mount the new ones at a tire place across the street they already had my boat inside, up on blocks with the axle off on the ground where I just snapped the pictures below.

This is great customer service! I just might be cruising around shortly again to view the spectacular Adirondack lake's upcoming Fall foliage. Might even have the boat back by tonight!!!

They went to pick up another trailer that they have stored off site and are going to swap the axles out to get me going quicker. They could have forced me to wait for the new one to be shipped in (might take 3 weeks, who knows).

Thanks again to all. All tolled it was a $400 rock that I struck. Too bad Shoreland'r uses such a cheap grade of steel. I didn't really hit all that hard!

 

[PondTunes]

Re: Help! New tires bald in 150 miles!!!

Wow it looks like it did take a pretty good hit there. Glad you've got it figured out!

Regarding rocks and things I've seen several trailers with busted spring mounts due to low water around here lately. People will back em in and when they're pulling em back up they get hung on the bottom of the ramp! If they do manage to drag it back out its usually at the cost of mangling the spring mounts.

 

[jeeperman]

Re: Help! New tires bald in 150 miles!!!

That is a different way to treat the end of the axle tube before transitioning to the spindle. Looks like it goes from square tube to triangle tube.

It is funny tho that with all of us looking at your problem, none of us looked at the last two of your pics on page 1 very close.

Notice the position of tires (left and right) and compare where the fenders are.

 

[Expidia]

Re: Help! New tires bald in 150 miles!!!

That is a different way to treat the end of the axle tube before transitioning to the spindle. Looks like it goes from square tube to triangle tube.

Ya, that's because that's what it looks like after you whack it! The other side does not go into a triangle :redface:. I should have spotted that right off, but since I didn't remember striking anything I never thought to look at the underside of the axle for damage.

 

[Expidia]

Re: Help! New tires bald in 150 miles!!!

Wow it looks like it did take a pretty good hit there. Glad you've got it figured out!

Regarding rocks and things I've seen several trailers with busted spring mounts due to low water around here lately. People will back em in and when they're pulling em back up they get hung on the bottom of the ramp! If they do manage to drag it back out its usually at the cost of mangling the spring mounts.

Thanks Sean, Hey that Kenwood Marine radio I bought from you really sounds great. Wife loves her remote control too!

On rocks, one of my problems is pulling the trailer with a small car like the Saab 9-5. But worse is the size of the tires on the trailer since they are only 5.20 x 12 it causes the trailer to ride low in the water more susceptible to hitting rocks.

5.20 x 12 on the tire size. Remembered that size right off the top of my head, cause in two months I've now bought 7 tires including the two that came on the trailer :redface:

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: Help! New tires bald in 150 miles!!!

Well, at least you found the problem. Hope it all works out from here.