Trailer tires

[Vmax4]

I run the tires until they are no longer on the rim......... no police to check them out here in the mountains.........

 

[THKSNOW]

Last fall the tires on my 2001 Floe looked exactly like that. Talked to a Floe rep/dealer at the Snow-Show in November. He said on the older trailers (at least mine anyway) they used a 2200 lb axle. Now days with heavier sleds that axle is not big enough. He said the axle is bent. My buddy riding in a truck behind my trailer said the tires are going down the road on an angle. Either the axle is bent or, it's bending with the sleds loaded. Floe dealer told me they could replace it with a 3,500 axle and I'd be all good again. They said $400 and change, parts and labor. It's on the list for this spring...

 

[Redbeard]

Last fall the tires on my 2001 Floe looked exactly like that. Talked to a Floe rep/dealer at the Snow-Show in November. He said on the older trailers (at least mine anyway) they used a 2200 lb axle. Now days with heavier sleds that axle is not big enough. He said the axle is bent. My buddy riding in a truck behind my trailer said the tires are going down the road on an angle. Either the axle is bent or, it's bending with the sleds loaded. Floe dealer told me they could replace it with a 3,500 axle and I'd be all good again. They said $400 and change, parts and labor. It's on the list for this spring...

Better jump on it. That sounds like a good price.

 

[Millinocket Rocket]

Last fall the tires on my 2001 Floe looked exactly like that. Talked to a Floe rep/dealer at the Snow-Show in November. He said on the older trailers (at least mine anyway) they used a 2200 lb axle. Now days with heavier sleds that axle is not big enough. He said the axle is bent. My buddy riding in a truck behind my trailer said the tires are going down the road on an angle. Either the axle is bent or, it's bending with the sleds loaded. Floe dealer told me they could replace it with a 3,500 axle and I'd be all good again. They said $400 and change, parts and labor. It's on the list for this spring...

THKSNOW, that's what I'm leaning towards now too. I bet after all these years with the sleds sitting in the trailer(summer too) and going to 4-strokes, it's starting to squat and it's just time for a new axle. I'm thinking new heavy axle, bearings, tires, maybe rims because these rims are looking pretty crunchy, new hubs..maybe not needed but the lug nut studs are way rusty. I don't know if I can upgrade to a bigger rim/tire size, as these are 20.5x8x10 which looks to be the biggest size for this style of trailer wheel. Other than that the rest of the trailer is in great shape! LOL besides a few dents from baseballs...

 

[maim]

when you buy a 3500lb axle, they usually come with the hubs and bearings and are the same bolt pattern if yours had 5 bolt pattern. sell them at work all the time.

 

[Rich Kay]

My 95 trition started doing that a few years back.....checked everything mentioned above. Called dexter axle ordered a new one SLIGHTLY upgraded the load rating and problem was gone. (tortion itself is wore out) Be very careful when jumping up any rating on trailers as you can trash your frame from the heavyier axle. Guys think this is a good thing being able to load more weight cause they have a new heavyier axle but the frame is not made for it! Mine was only upped like 350lbs.
Rich.

 

[smokingcrater]

My 95 trition started doing that a few years back.....checked everything mentioned above. Called dexter axle ordered a new one SLIGHTLY upgraded the load rating and problem was gone. (tortion itself is wore out) Be very careful when jumping up any rating on trailers as you can trash your frame from the heavyier axle. Guys think this is a good thing being able to load more weight cause they have a new heavyier axle but the frame is not made for it! Mine was only upped like 350lbs.
Rich.

With a torsion axle, you also lose your suspension if you oversize the axle. 1500 pounds on a 3500 pound axle means you are barely touching the suspension when you hit a bump, which translates into high stresses in the trailer frame.

 

[Mighty]

I had the exact same issue and replaced my axle last weekend because of it. My issue was the tire (Driver side) did not ride flat and was at a camber. I suppose I hit a pothole or something happened to the rubber in the axle itself. Now both tires ride perfectly flat. With your trailer loaded, get a ways behind it and look at the tires and make sure they are perfectly parallel to the road.

 

[Millinocket Rocket]

I wonder if jacking it up in the summer so the weight is off the wheels would help too? Put two jackstands under the axle just inside where it's bolted to the frame...

 

[Rich Kay]

My 95 trition started doing that a few years back.....checked everything mentioned above. Called dexter axle ordered a new one SLIGHTLY upgraded the load rating and problem was gone. (tortion itself is wore out) Be very careful when jumping up any rating on trailers as you can trash your frame from the heavyier axle. Guys think this is a good thing being able to load more weight cause they have a new heavyier axle but the frame is not made for it! Mine was only upped like 350lbs.
Rich.

With a torsion axle, you also lose your suspension if you oversize the axle. 1500 pounds on a 3500 pound axle means you are barely touching the suspension when you hit a bump, which translates into high stresses in the trailer frame.

Thats my point!

 

[Rich Kay]

I wonder if jacking it up in the summer so the weight is off the wheels would help too? Put two jackstands under the axle just inside where it's bolted to the frame...

YES ..it will help the life of the axle....Dexter axle claims it will. I did that to mine every off season.

 

[Irv]

I wonder if jacking it up in the summer so the weight is off the wheels would help too? Put two jackstands under the axle just inside where it's bolted to the frame...

That is a good idea but be careful as the trailer will become severly unbalanced!

Trust me, I know.

Mine is an 07 Sno-Pro and although I haven't seen the issues like your's, it hasn't seen many miles either but it is something that I will now be keeping an eye on.
I also replaced my bearings before the start of this season, it was more of a preventative thing but my right side one was weeping black goo so I figured the bearing was shot but it wasn't. (Probably incompatibel greases?)

 

[Millinocket Rocket]

I wonder if jacking it up in the summer so the weight is off the wheels would help too? Put two jackstands under the axle just inside where it's bolted to the frame...

That is a good idea but be careful as the trailer will become severly unbalanced!

Trust me, I know.

Mine is an 07 Sno-Pro and although I haven't seen the issues like your's, it hasn't seen many miles either but it is something that I will now be keeping an eye on.
I also replaced my bearings before the start of this season, it was more of a preventative thing but my right side one was weeping black goo so I figured the bearing was shot but it wasn't. (Probably incompatibel greases?)

Irv, by unbalanced you mean teetering from front to back? Ya I'd have to put some kind of kickstand under the back of the trailer.

 

[Irv]

I wonder if jacking it up in the summer so the weight is off the wheels would help too? Put two jackstands under the axle just inside where it's bolted to the frame...

That is a good idea but be careful as the trailer will become severly unbalanced!

Trust me, I know.

Mine is an 07 Sno-Pro and although I haven't seen the issues like your's, it hasn't seen many miles either but it is something that I will now be keeping an eye on.
I also replaced my bearings before the start of this season, it was more of a preventative thing but my right side one was weeping black goo so I figured the bearing was shot but it wasn't. (Probably incompatibel greases?)

Irv, by unbalanced you mean teetering from front to back? Ya I'd have to put some kind of kickstand under the back of the trailer.

Exactly what I mean and exactly what I had to do as well.

I had to get into the trailer for something I forgot and when I went to lift the lid/step in, it came backwards right quick!
I had it tight up against the back wall of a garage and it scared the crap out of me! Figured with my sled in there that most of the weigth would be at the front but with the trailer up on blocks under the axle, it wasn't the case.

 

[Vmax4]

Waste of Money

It would be a total waste of money to replace bearings ever year.........