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I have an Aliner R12 that has significantly?more wear on the inner and outer treads of each tire. Normally this is indicative of low pressure, but this is not the case here. I check and confirm frequently that the pressure is the?max psi as printed on the tire sidewall - 50 lbs. I am on the 3rd set of tires; the original as supplied with the unit new were LoadStar bias ply. Presently I am on Carlisle radial. The wear is identical. I have also measured and confirmed?that the axle is square to the frame to within 1/8".
Suggestions / Comments?
Larry?
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To start I'd get a new tire gauge.? Some gauges do register wrong.? I doubt that's it though, but have to rule that out.
?
Another unlikely but have to rule it out possibility:? are the tires rubbing inside the wheel well?
?
You have a torsion axle, right?? Something in that may have come loose allowing the tires to rock from side to side.? I'd take it to a repair place and have them check it.? You may need a new axle.
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In your subject, you use the word "sway". Is your load balance
off? As you travel down the road, is your camper tracking right
behind you, or is it rocking from side to side, even if ever so
slightly?
Hubert Paulson
On 10/10/2024 1:46 PM, Steve T wrote:
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To start I'd get a new tire gauge.? Some gauges do register
wrong.? I doubt that's it though, but have to rule that out.
?
Another unlikely but have to rule it out possibility:? are
the tires rubbing inside the wheel well?
?
You have a torsion axle, right?? Something in that may have
come loose allowing the tires to rock from side to side.? I'd
take it to a repair place and have them check it.? You may need
a new axle.
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That's good question. I have never measured my load balance, although I am cognizant of where the weight is placed. I would expect, though, that an imbalance?would cause higher wear on one tire. When travelling in a straight line, on a flat, level roadway I do not observe or feel any sway. I can, of course, induce sway by a slight l-r movement of the steering wheel. This is almost constant -minor correcting inputs- while driving, especially when rounding a turn. I suggest this is normal?
About the tire gauge, I have compared?several and all are within 1 - 2 psi or each other. I think the pressure is good. It is a torsion axle. I have recently inspected the bearings and all are ok.
Larry
On Fri, Oct 11, 2024 at 2:39?PM Hubert Paulson Jr via <hubertp= [email protected]> wrote:
In your subject, you use the word "sway". Is your load balance
off? As you travel down the road, is your camper tracking right
behind you, or is it rocking from side to side, even if ever so
slightly?
Hubert Paulson
On 10/10/2024 1:46 PM, Steve T wrote:
To start I'd get a new tire gauge.? Some gauges do register
wrong.? I doubt that's it though, but have to rule that out.
?
Another unlikely but have to rule it out possibility:? are
the tires rubbing inside the wheel well?
?
You have a torsion axle, right?? Something in that may have
come loose allowing the tires to rock from side to side.? I'd
take it to a repair place and have them check it.? You may need
a new axle.
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I guy came up to me at a gas station and told me my trailer was tracking squirrely.? I didn't notice any problem on a flat road.? I couldn't see any squirrely behavior watching my trailer in the rear view mirror.? The only time I noticed something wrong was when I traveled on a section of highway where the roadway was dished in the tire tracks since the asphalt softened in the heat.
?
Eventually I figured out that when I replaced a tire due to road hazard damage, the new tire was bigger and caused minor handling problems, but only when the new tire was on the back.? I had to buy 3 more new tires.? So check the tires on your vehicle.
?
Another thing to check is measure the distance from the tongue ball to the axle at the wheel on each side. ?If those measurements are different then the axle is not square to the direction of travel, and the trailer will sway back and forth.
?
I would also have someone tow your trailer down the road, and follow it in another vehicle, and check how it tows.? The problem I had could only be seen from another vehicle.? Axle misalignment might be similar.
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At my first AOC rally in 2009 someone pointed out that my tires were not wearing correctly on the 2005 Aliner.? It turned out that the distance from the lugnut to the exact front of the tongue was 1/4" different.? This meant the trailer was going down the highway slightly sideways.? It wore the tires off quickly and the lack of balancing also seriously affected the tires.
After aligning the axle via the use of a "D" ring taped to the end of a tape measure to get the distances precise, I have never had any tire wear issues.? I wonder how many folks have ever checked this distance to ensure the factory attached the axle to the trailer frame with precision?
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Do you have a photo of what the tires looked like? I'd like to compare...
Larry
On Fri, Oct 11, 2024 at 6:28?PM Brian Hovander via <brianhovander= [email protected]> wrote: At my first AOC rally in 2009 someone pointed out that my tires were not wearing correctly on the 2005 Aliner.? It turned out that the distance from the lugnut to the exact front of the tongue was 1/4" different.? This meant the trailer was going down the highway slightly sideways.? It wore the tires off quickly and the lack of balancing also seriously affected the tires.
After aligning the axle via the use of a "D" ring taped to the end of a tape measure to get the distances precise, I have never had any tire wear issues.? I wonder how many folks have ever checked this distance to ensure the factory attached the axle to the trailer frame with precision?
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From what I have seen on my 2009 Aliner Classic, there is no available adjustment of the axle to the frame.? The holes are just large enough to accommodate the bolts.? That said, I have never had tire wear issues. -- Don DeRyke Sunrise, Florida 2009 Classic, 2020 Ford Escape, 2.0 liter EcoBoost, AWD.? Previous TV 2015 Ford Escape 1.6 liter EcoBoost engine.
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I have measured the "squareness" of my axle-to-frame using the diagonal method and it is within 1/8". I think that qualifies as "square", so that is not the source of the tire wear I'm experiencing. I've owned this R12 since 2017 and I am the original owner. Every set of tires (3 so far) have exhibited the same wear pattern. Replacement has always been due to tread wear beyond limit at the edges with lots left in the centre. See attached photo. Both tire are similar.
Larry
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My 2008 Classic has uneven tire wear. Wears on the inside of each tire faster. I’ve haven’t tried to fix it as I was thinking I would have to find someone reputable who could bend it as a fix. Not sure if that’s correct or not.? I think I’m on my third set of tires since buying it used in 2014.
Hap? Wilmington, NC
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On Oct 12, 2024, at 10:28?AM, Larry Horlick via groups.io <llhorlick@...> wrote:
? I have measured the "squareness" of my axle-to-frame using the diagonal method and it is within 1/8". I think that qualifies as "square", so that is not the source of the tire wear I'm experiencing. I've owned this R12 since 2017 and I am the original owner. Every set of tires (3 so far) have exhibited the same wear pattern. Replacement has always been due to tread wear beyond limit at the edges with lots left in the centre. See attached photo. Both tire are similar.
Larry <IMG_0563.jpeg>
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I'm starting to think it could be defective wheels? -- Don DeRyke Sunrise, Florida 2009 Classic, 2020 Ford Escape, 2.0 liter EcoBoost, AWD.? Previous TV 2015 Ford Escape 1.6 liter EcoBoost engine.
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Wheels? As in rims? Defective in what way?
lh
I'm starting to think it could be defective wheels?
--
Don DeRyke
Sunrise, Florida
2009 Classic, 2020 Ford Escape, 2.0 liter EcoBoost, AWD.?
Previous TV 2015 Ford Escape 1.6 liter EcoBoost engine.
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That's what I was thinking.? Warped perhaps.? Unlikely, but maybe? -- Don DeRyke Sunrise, Florida 2009 Classic, 2020 Ford Escape, 2.0 liter EcoBoost, AWD.? Previous TV 2015 Ford Escape 1.6 liter EcoBoost engine.
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If so, then all 3 are warped identically...
lh
That's what I was thinking.? Warped perhaps.? Unlikely, but maybe?
--
Don DeRyke
Sunrise, Florida
2009 Classic, 2020 Ford Escape, 2.0 liter EcoBoost, AWD.?
Previous TV 2015 Ford Escape 1.6 liter EcoBoost engine.
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A thought or two.
Jack the wheels off the ground and check run-out on both wheels.
You're looking for spindles not true on both ends
of the axle (not likely),
or
rims not true.
It's like using a dial indicator on a lathe, set a
fixed stick or something next to the edge of each tire and watch
for "wobble" as you slowly turn the wheel by hand.
?
If the wear on both tires is identical then it would be rare for
both rims to be bent the same
but
If they were welded up at the factory on the same jig that was
slightly off, then there would be a long production run of slightly
off rims shipped out of the factory. I saw this on an entire
collection of two-wheel carts at Harbor Freight. Every one had
wheels that wobbled almost a full inch because the center plate of
the rim was tilted out of square with the rim itself.
It's a long shot but worth checking.
On 10/12/2024 9:28 AM, Larry Horlick
wrote:
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Show quoted text
I have
measured the "squareness" of my axle-to-frame using the
diagonal method and it is within 1/8". I think that
qualifies as "square", so that is not the source of the tire
wear I'm experiencing. I've owned this R12 since 2017 and I
am the original owner. Every set of tires (3 so far) have
exhibited the same wear pattern. Replacement has always been
due to tread wear beyond limit at the edges with lots left
in the centre. See attached photo. Both tire are similar.
Larry
--
2007 Expedition Highwall
2019 Jeep JL (Wrangler)
West suburban Chicago
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Great idea on checking the run-out. I had a front end vibration on my 4Runner. The tire store wasn’t sure of the problem. Took it to my mechanic who put the truck up on the lift and put the gauge on the tire. Turned the engine on, put it in drive and we stood there and watched the out-of-round tire move the gauge arm back and forth! I took the 4R back to the tire store and they put a new tire on. Jim
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On Oct 12, 2024, at 11:29?AM, John Burch <jrb.subs@...> wrote:
A thought or two.
Jack the wheels off the ground and check run-out on both wheels.
You're looking for spindles not true on both ends
of the axle (not likely),
or
rims not true.
It's like using a dial indicator on a lathe, set a
fixed stick or something next to the edge of each tire and watch
for "wobble" as you slowly turn the wheel by hand.
?
If the wear on both tires is identical then it would be rare for
both rims to be bent the same
but
If they were welded up at the factory on the same jig that was
slightly off, then there would be a long production run of slightly
off rims shipped out of the factory. I saw this on an entire
collection of two-wheel carts at Harbor Freight. Every one had
wheels that wobbled almost a full inch because the center plate of
the rim was tilted out of square with the rim itself.
It's a long shot but worth checking.
On 10/12/2024 9:28 AM, Larry Horlick
wrote:
I have
measured the "squareness" of my axle-to-frame using the
diagonal method and it is within 1/8". I think that
qualifies as "square", so that is not the source of the tire
wear I'm experiencing. I've owned this R12 since 2017 and I
am the original owner. Every set of tires (3 so far) have
exhibited the same wear pattern. Replacement has always been
due to tread wear beyond limit at the edges with lots left
in the centre. See attached photo. Both tire are similar.
Larry
-- 2007 Expedition Highwall 2019 Jeep JL (Wrangler) West suburban Chicago
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I did as you suggest. I leveled the trailer l-r and f-b with both?wheels off the ground. Initially I used a laser level, just to see if there was any gross defect. The width of the beam plays a role but I could not detect by eye any runout in the rim. I did the same with the beam slightly off axis to look for wobble. Again, by eye maybe 1 mm. The 2nd setup was a fine tipped carbide punch strapped to a piece of wood. I looked for wobble and runout...again maybe 1 mm, just barely detectable by eye. There was a slight bump in the tire but they've sitting for 4 days at 10 C so likely haven't regained full shape yet...I'm beginning to think this wear is normal.
lh
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I'm on my second set of Carlisle tires. the first had 17K miles on them and looked new. I sold them with full age disclosure to a lawn service for $60. -- Don DeRyke Sunrise, Florida 2009 Classic, 2020 Ford Escape, 2.0 liter EcoBoost, AWD.? Previous TV 2015 Ford Escape 1.6 liter EcoBoost engine.
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If you are having sway, perhaps the tire are toe out. Mine were severely toe in and had absolutely no sway. ?I compared the distance between the front edge of the tires to the distance between the rear edge of the tires. Forget exactly but mine was about 5/8 inch of toe in. Supposed to be 1/32 toe in.
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My sport was built October 2005. Welded wrong, had skid marks inside the wheel wells. Had to shift axle to prevent skid marks and make it straight to hitch. ?After fixing those things, took 5 years before I found the toe in problem. Seems like the axle was build with the curve of the axle to the rear rather than upward. ?
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These have approximately the same, 30k km or about 18k miles. Thinking about this some more, I'm puzzled why the wear?edge is so defined. If the tires were rolling laterally due to sway wouldn't the pattern be more "feathered"? I'm measuring about 2/32nds wear compared to the centre of the tire.
lh
I'm on my second set of Carlisle tires. the first had 17K miles on them and looked new. I sold them with full age disclosure to a lawn service for $60.
--
Don DeRyke
Sunrise, Florida
2009 Classic, 2020 Ford Escape, 2.0 liter EcoBoost, AWD.?
Previous TV 2015 Ford Escape 1.6 liter EcoBoost engine.
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Brian Hovander
Don DeRyke
James Van Hoy