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Old 06-17-2011, 08:41 AM   #1
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WD hitch and tire wear...

hello

i have a 25ft CCD (double axle) with 1000# equilizer hitch, tow veh is a 2500 silverado...

i kinda had it all dialed in when i first got it about 1 1/2 years ago, did the scales and all, was pretty equal distribution...

now after towing many miles, my rear tires on the truck did wear much more than the front ones... and the REAR tires on the AS are worn more too...

so how much does tire wear tell you about proper or improper setup?

i increased the tension on the bars by moving the brackets up one notch (one bolt hole higher), driving it seems now i have solid wheight on the front tires but it takes A LOT to get the bars on...

also i am confused why the rear tires on the trailer are worn more than the front ones...?

thanks for your help
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Old 06-17-2011, 09:20 AM   #2
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Quote:
Originally Posted by flmgrip View Post
hello

i have a 25ft CCD (double axle) with 1000# equilizer hitch, tow veh is a 2500 silverado...

i kinda had it all dialed in when i first got it about 1 1/2 years ago, did the scales and all, was pretty equal distribution...

now after towing many miles, my rear tires on the truck did wear much more than the front ones... and the REAR tires on the AS are worn more too...

so how much does tire wear tell you about proper or improper setup?

i increased the tension on the bars by moving the brackets up one notch (one bolt hole higher), driving it seems now i have solid wheight on the front tires but it takes A LOT to get the bars on...

also i am confused why the rear tires on the trailer are worn more than the front ones...?

thanks for your help
First of all, your equipped to tow the Queen Mary.

Lighten the bars to 600 pounds, and then pull up some chain links.

Your bars are so heavy that they are not transfering any load.

If you pull up some links on your bars, you will transfer much more road shock to the trailer, which in return will award you with expensive damages.

Lighten the bars, is your only answer.

Andy
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Old 06-17-2011, 09:33 AM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by flmgrip View Post
hello

i have a 25ft CCD (double axle) with 1000# equilizer hitch, tow veh is a 2500 silverado...

i kinda had it all dialed in when i first got it about 1 1/2 years ago, did the scales and all, was pretty equal distribution...

now after towing many miles, my rear tires on the truck did wear much more than the front ones... and the REAR tires on the AS are worn more too...

so how much does tire wear tell you about proper or improper setup?

i increased the tension on the bars by moving the brackets up one notch (one bolt hole higher), driving it seems now i have solid wheight on the front tires but it takes A LOT to get the bars on...

also i am confused why the rear tires on the trailer are worn more than the front ones...?

thanks for your help
Do you rotate your tires?
When you hit the scales was the front axle of the truck on one scale and the rear on another?
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Old 06-17-2011, 11:55 AM   #4
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More wear on the trailer rear axle seems to indicate more weight on that axle. Is the trailer level when hooked up and loaded? Do the truck and trailer get loaded heavy with gear and fluids towards the back?
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Old 06-17-2011, 12:32 PM   #5
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step #1 is to weigh each axle, each vehicle separately and the tongue.
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Old 06-17-2011, 01:23 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by flmgrip View Post
hello

i have a 25ft CCD (double axle) with 1000# equilizer hitch, tow veh is a 2500 silverado...

i kinda had it all dialed in when i first got it about 1 1/2 years ago, did the scales and all, was pretty equal distribution...

now after towing many miles, my rear tires on the truck did wear much more than the front ones... and the REAR tires on the AS are worn more too...

so how much does tire wear tell you about proper or improper setup?

i increased the tension on the bars by moving the brackets up one notch (one bolt hole higher), driving it seems now i have solid wheight on the front tires but it takes A LOT to get the bars on...

also i am confused why the rear tires on the trailer are worn more than the front ones...?

thanks for your help
Another thought, however unpleasant.

Although it should not happen, some rubber rods could have failed in one of the axles.

We have seen that now in two very new model Airstreams.

Andy
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Old 06-17-2011, 02:01 PM   #7
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So much is made here of weight scales here and Equal-I-Zer does not even mention it as part of their setup procedure. Just before and after wheel well measurements to check truck wt distribution, and trailer measurements to ensure it is level. This can be done easily at each hookup with different loads. What does weighing do for adjustment that this procedure cannot do?

doug k
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Old 06-17-2011, 02:05 PM   #8
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Originally Posted by dkottum View Post
So much is made here of weight scales here and Equal-I-Zer does not even mention it as part of their setup procedure. Just before and after wheel well measurements to check truck wt distribution, and trailer measurements to ensure it is level. This can be done easily at each hookup with different loads. What does weighing do for adjustment that this procedure cannot do?

doug k
Knowing the trailer weight, the tow vehicle weight and exact make and model, along with the brand of hitch and it's weight rating, allows a fine tuning of any issues, being them good or bad.

Other than that, it's pure guesswork and assumptions.

Andy
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Old 06-17-2011, 02:06 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dkottum View Post
So much is made here of weight scales here and Equal-I-Zer does not even mention it as part of their setup procedure. Just before and after wheel well measurements to check truck wt distribution, and trailer measurements to ensure it is level. This can be done easily at each hookup with different loads. What does weighing do for adjustment that this procedure cannot do?

doug k
That's because if hitch mfrs. discussed the lengthy process of proper hitching the customer would run away from trailering so fast that they wouldn't sell anything (including trailers!).

Once you get it all down, it aint no big deal.

Scales ARE important! That's why the big trucks have to run over them. Mechanics are a little different, but the principles are the same and the safety component is the same.
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Old 06-17-2011, 02:53 PM   #10
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I won't comment on the trailer tire wear but it is normal for the rear truck tires to wear faster than the front since they are subject to the stress of acceleration. It is also not uncommon for one side to wear more than the other if you don't have alimited slip differential
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Old 06-17-2011, 07:14 PM   #11
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First of all, your equipped to tow the Queen Mary.

Lighten the bars to 600 pounds, and then pull up some chain links.

Your bars are so heavy that they are not transfering any load.

If you pull up some links on your bars, you will transfer much more road shock to the trailer, which in return will award you with expensive damages.

Lighten the bars, is your only answer.

Andy
i think i was told before that the bars are to big, but the 600 bars have a different diameter so i would need to buy an entirely new hitch setup... i was pressed into the 1000# bars

btw i don't have any chain anywhere... so not sure what you are reffering too
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Old 06-17-2011, 07:16 PM   #12
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Do you rotate your tires?
When you hit the scales was the front axle of the truck on one scale and the rear on another?

no i havn't rotated my tires because the rear was wearing more allready...
havn't hit the scales in a long time but when i did yes i did it the right way...
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Old 06-17-2011, 07:17 PM   #13
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More wear on the trailer rear axle seems to indicate more weight on that axle. Is the trailer level when hooked up and loaded? Do the truck and trailer get loaded heavy with gear and fluids towards the back?
it looks very level and measured within 1/2 inch difference between front and back... (measured at the frame)
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Old 06-17-2011, 07:20 PM   #14
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Originally Posted by dznf0g View Post
That's because if hitch mfrs. discussed the lengthy process of proper hitching the customer would run away from trailering so fast that they wouldn't sell anything (including trailers!).

Once you get it all down, it aint no big deal.

Scales ARE important! That's why the big trucks have to run over them. Mechanics are a little different, but the principles are the same and the safety component is the same.
big trucks have to run over them for one reason... to make sure any axel is not overloaded... sorry that has nothing to do with WD for recreational purposes...

i did weight my truck and load properly and it all checked off good, but still no proper tire wear... so real simple and no big deal?
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Old 06-17-2011, 07:21 PM   #15
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I won't comment on the trailer tire wear but it is normal for the rear truck tires to wear faster than the front since they are subject to the stress of acceleration. It is also not uncommon for one side to wear more than the other if you don't have alimited slip differential
it's a BIG difference in tire wear (front to back) side to side is the same, i ain't racing my truck/trailer

to tell you about the wear i would say fron tires have 25k miles left, rear tires have 3k left, never put the rear in the front...
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Old 06-17-2011, 07:26 PM   #16
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sorry for all the replies... but i can't be the only one to tow a "small" trailer with a "big" truck...

do i need a complete new hitch setup?

thanks for all the input
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Old 06-17-2011, 07:55 PM   #17
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hello


now after towing many miles, my rear tires on the truck did wear much more than the front ones... and the REAR tires on the AS are worn more too...

so how much does tire wear tell you about proper or improper setup?

thanks for your help
Nothing,, not until we see how they are wearing.
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Old 06-17-2011, 08:29 PM   #18
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sorry for all the replies... but i can't be the only one to tow a "small" trailer with a "big" truck...

do i need a complete new hitch setup?

thanks for all the input

Maybe, maybe not...

Do you know the tongue weight? You need to know how much weight is available to transfer.

We tow 25' Classic, loaded for camping, 1175 tongue weight, with a 2500 Burb. The Auto-ride is considerably softer than your 2500 p/u. We are using 1000# bars and pass the CAT test, all #'s good and trailer level. (measured at the belt line molding and thru the center of each tire to the edge of the wheelhouse opening)

With your P/U, you should go to a lighter bar, if they aren't available for your hitch, consider a new set-up along with a new set of tires rotated every 6k.
Get a base weight for the TV, get several TV/AS weights at different bar settings. A level rig, (TV & trailer), with the proper weight transferred to the TV str axle is the goal.

Good Luck

Bob
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Old 06-17-2011, 08:47 PM   #19
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Andy makes a useful comment about failed rubber rods in one of the axles. Airstream uses axles of different load rating on different trailers. Would it be worth crawling under there to ensure you have matching axles? Could they make such a mistake?

doug k
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Old 06-17-2011, 08:59 PM   #20
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.... Could they make such a mistake?

doug k
YEAH....our Classic 7300lb GVTW, with two 3500lb axles. We start out 300lb behind.
That's normal folks, Airstream didn't consider that a problem.
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