DickWells
02-24-2014, 10:20
One of the first lessons that Jean and I learned, back about 14 years ago, was to look very closely at tire and axle specs on trailers, though in reality, we found that most, if not all, were marginal with their original equipment.
I've talked a lot on TDP about my tire woes, and have tried to eliminate that problem, and succeeded to a great extent. But. Our Keystone Montana Mountaineer TT has 5250 lb axles x2, and is rated to gross 11,300 lbs. We usually gross right around 11,000 when we're on the road. Ask a dealer, or Keystone about the margin, and you'll always get the stock answer. "You have to deduct the tongue weight, sir." We'll, yes, of course, but where's the margin?!
Here's the story and the reason for the post: In 07, with nearly new LR-E tires all around (stock tires were LR-D), I found huge toe-out on the rear axle, and huge negative camber (wear on the inside of tread). Was in St. George, Utah at the time, and a guy named Dave Smith did a fine job of aligning our trailer. I asked him what I had hit, and he told me "nothing, it was like that from the factory. Ninety + percent of trailers are delivered, needing a line-up." The tire wear stopped, for a while, then, in 09, having up-graded to 16" cast aluminum wheels and BFG Commercial TA's, I had the alignment checked immediately, in Washington State, since my rear tires had been wearing rapidly on the inside again. Negative camber - again!
Now, after a couple of years without any noticeable wear to speak of, I find that I have wear occurring on the inside tread on the rear axle again. What I get from this, and correct me if I'm wrong, is, that I'm probably overloaded for my axles. I do have a lot of rear overhang, and I do have a lot of weight back there. Our BR closet is full width at the very rear (and clothes really count up), with outside storage under that, and I do carry my three-piece aluminum loading ramps mounted on the outside, above the bumper. They weigh ~100+ lbs. all told. Then, inside, above the closet, there's probably another 80 lbs., or so of stored junk, plus the weight of the bed slide, W-storage underneath, both inside and outside, and, the whole weight of the bureau at the foot of the bed and cabinet storage above that. ALL of this weight is behind the rear axle center-line, too. And yet, I'm not over the 11,300 lbs. My best guess is that I'm bending the rear axle at some random time, what with all that weight back there. This could occur inboard of the spring perch, or, more likely, outboard, where the spindle may be just weak enough to bend upward under sudden impact. ????
Thinking about possible solutions, I'm in a sort of dilemma, because - 1: I don't think that higher capacity axles are available with a 6 bolt pattern. Am I right? If they are, that would be the best answer
2: I'm 74 years old, and I don't know how many more years I will be doing this --- if tires last me 3 years before replacement, then new axles (and maybe another full set of very expensive wheels to boot) don't make much sense.
3: The only real "given" here, is that I have no intention of trading trailers. Got too much tied up in this one. We love the floor plan. I've replaced almost every fastener with SS. There's the aforementioned aluminum wheels (with Smart Tire sensors, BTW). Acrylic awnings everywhere. And, it's "home".
Any advise, input, etc. will be appreciated.
DW
I've talked a lot on TDP about my tire woes, and have tried to eliminate that problem, and succeeded to a great extent. But. Our Keystone Montana Mountaineer TT has 5250 lb axles x2, and is rated to gross 11,300 lbs. We usually gross right around 11,000 when we're on the road. Ask a dealer, or Keystone about the margin, and you'll always get the stock answer. "You have to deduct the tongue weight, sir." We'll, yes, of course, but where's the margin?!
Here's the story and the reason for the post: In 07, with nearly new LR-E tires all around (stock tires were LR-D), I found huge toe-out on the rear axle, and huge negative camber (wear on the inside of tread). Was in St. George, Utah at the time, and a guy named Dave Smith did a fine job of aligning our trailer. I asked him what I had hit, and he told me "nothing, it was like that from the factory. Ninety + percent of trailers are delivered, needing a line-up." The tire wear stopped, for a while, then, in 09, having up-graded to 16" cast aluminum wheels and BFG Commercial TA's, I had the alignment checked immediately, in Washington State, since my rear tires had been wearing rapidly on the inside again. Negative camber - again!
Now, after a couple of years without any noticeable wear to speak of, I find that I have wear occurring on the inside tread on the rear axle again. What I get from this, and correct me if I'm wrong, is, that I'm probably overloaded for my axles. I do have a lot of rear overhang, and I do have a lot of weight back there. Our BR closet is full width at the very rear (and clothes really count up), with outside storage under that, and I do carry my three-piece aluminum loading ramps mounted on the outside, above the bumper. They weigh ~100+ lbs. all told. Then, inside, above the closet, there's probably another 80 lbs., or so of stored junk, plus the weight of the bed slide, W-storage underneath, both inside and outside, and, the whole weight of the bureau at the foot of the bed and cabinet storage above that. ALL of this weight is behind the rear axle center-line, too. And yet, I'm not over the 11,300 lbs. My best guess is that I'm bending the rear axle at some random time, what with all that weight back there. This could occur inboard of the spring perch, or, more likely, outboard, where the spindle may be just weak enough to bend upward under sudden impact. ????
Thinking about possible solutions, I'm in a sort of dilemma, because - 1: I don't think that higher capacity axles are available with a 6 bolt pattern. Am I right? If they are, that would be the best answer
2: I'm 74 years old, and I don't know how many more years I will be doing this --- if tires last me 3 years before replacement, then new axles (and maybe another full set of very expensive wheels to boot) don't make much sense.
3: The only real "given" here, is that I have no intention of trading trailers. Got too much tied up in this one. We love the floor plan. I've replaced almost every fastener with SS. There's the aforementioned aluminum wheels (with Smart Tire sensors, BTW). Acrylic awnings everywhere. And, it's "home".
Any advise, input, etc. will be appreciated.
DW