Wheel Bearing, Tire Wear...

[Mr_Scrogg]

I've noticed a bit of inner tire wear on one tire. I jacked up the trailer and noticed some play when rocking the wheel back and forth. Would this be the culprit of my tire wear? Would a bad wheel bearing be the cause of this? The other side has some nice even wear on the tire, no grease out of the back seal, and no play in the back and forth of the wheel.

The previous owner did replace the hub in question. Its different than the other. And the extra hub he gave me is the same as the one Im questioning.

I spun both wheels when jacked up. Both sounded the same. No gritty, no unsual sounds.

Thoughts?

[Wayne P.]

It's possible. Take the cap off and tighten the axle nut to remove the play, then see what it feels/sounds like.

[Mr_Scrogg]

Should I swap sides on tires to put the better one on that side?

[Mr_Scrogg]

How would I check for a bent axle on this trailer?

[slonezp]

Looks bent to me

[Mr_Scrogg]

Shut it slo n ez p. lol

[slonezp]

Is there a caster/camber adjustment like a car would have?

[Mr_Scrogg]

I dont think so. I snugged up the hub nut to take the play out. Put the cotter pin back in, then backed the nut off a little. So its snug, but still spins well. No play. Im going to double check both pressures, then keep an eye on it.

Dont really know what else to do other than a trailer/axle shop

[Wayne P.]

Most bent axle problems occur at the spindle, typically hitting curbs or pot holes. The right side is the most likely for that to happen.

You would have to straighten the spindle to fix it or replace that side or the whole axle assembly.

 

http://www.easternmarine.com/Trailer-Axle-Spindles/

[Mr_Scrogg]

Ok, I got ya.

Ill definately be keeping an eye on it since I snugged it down.

Thanks for all the info and help. I now know the mechanics and what Im looking at.

[Fishing Rhino]

Put the boat on a level area like a concrete garage floor.   Then use a carpenter's level to make sure the wheels are plumb.  Do not put the level on the sidewalls of the tires.  They will bulge out at the bottom making for a reading that is not accurate.

 

Cut a piece of wood to a length that will span the diameter of the wheel.  Hold the wood against the wheel (not the tire), then hold the level against the wood spacer.  The bubble in the level should be in the center.  Check the wheels on both sides of the trailer.  The bubble should be in the center, or reasonably close to center on both sides.  This will show if the wheel is plumb (vertical). 

 

Inner tire wear indicates a wheel that leans inward at the top, or is toed out.  It could be a bent axle, or, it could be excessive play in the wheel bearings.

 

A wheel that is toed out would also cause a tire to wear on the inside.  When a wheel is toed out, it will scrub the leading edge of the tire, which would be the inside edge.  If it were to be toed in, it would scrub the outer edge.

 

Your best bet is to take it to a reliable shop that services axles.  Usually, a shop that repairs truck springs also does alignment work on trailer axles.

[grizzly1654]

Check the tire sizes. I just replaced the tires on my trailer his year because of uneven wear. When I pulled the tires off to put in the back of my truck they looked different.

I had a 185 on one side and a 175 on the other and it came like that from the factory lol.