Tire Wearing Issue

[douglasks]

Hello,
I have a 2019 25' Globetrotter. My very back right-side tire is wearing heavy on the outside of the tire. The other tires are wearing the same. I'm assuming I can take my AS to a tire ailment shop and get an ailment on that wheel. Wanted to check to see if my assumption is correct and if anyone has had experience with getting an AS ailment. Thanks much, Doug

[SSquared]

Alignment for trailers is quite different from alignment for automobiles. Automotive tire and repair shops usually cannot align trailers. Look for a a good RV dealer or trailer dealer/repair shop, maybe one that does a lot of business with horse trailers or similar size trailers.

[jeffmc306]

Doug, you might want to contact Dexter and ask if they have any ideas or can recommend a shop that can check the alignment. Any chance that tire was under inflated? That could cause the excessive wear as well.

I just rotated the tires on our 27’ Globetrotter in the driveway and found the left rear worn 1/32” more than the rest but evenly across the tread. I must make more turns one direction and scuff that tire.

[n2916s]

Actually, alignment of your trailer axles is not that simple. They are dialed in by physically bending the axles themselves so your standard issue alignment shop probably won’t have that capability.

I would start by calling whatever dealer you use for servicing and ask for advice. If they can’t help, I’d call Jackson Center and see who they recommend in your area.

[Gene]

You could have an axle problem or a wheel bearing problem. Less likely would be a tire issue. A suspension shop that understands Airstreams might be best.

Jack up the wheel and see how much play there is in that wheel. It should have some, but if it is a lot, wheel bearings could be the culprit. If you are not familiar with normal play for wheel bearings, I find it hard to explain. You can pull off the dust over and see if the castellated nut holding on the wheel is loose. It should have a cotter pin in it. The nut should be a bit less than tight (another vague statement). There are many wheel bearing threads that may explain how much play there should be in the wheel and the nut. You will also find plenty of info in internet videos.

If the wheel is wobbly, you should not be pulling the trailer. It can eat the threads at the end of the axle, screw up the bearings, washer, nut, and hub (also called wheel or brake drum) and eventually the wheel goes rolling down the road without a trailer.

[Gene]

Originally Posted by douglasks

Hello,
I have a 2019 25' Globetrotter. My very back right-side tire is wearing heavy on the outside of the tire. The other tires are wearing the same. I'm assuming I can take my AS to a tire ailment shop and get an ailment on that wheel. Wanted to check to see if my assumption is correct and if anyone has had experience with getting an AS ailment. Thanks much, Doug

Also, I assumed that you mean the “other tires are wearing the same” as they should, not the same as the rear right one.

[tjdonahoe]

Some times a tire will wear different than the others..so it is advisable to rotate them every 6-10,000 miles ..X them ..before it’s too late

[aftermath]

I have one tire, back curbside that wears like this. It is feathered on the outside edge. I have 27,000 miles on this set and they turned 5 years old last August. I am going to replace them this spring.
I talked to the Airstream dealer here in town and he informed me that there was no shop in Eastern Washington that can align an Airstream axle. He suggested that I simply replace my tires because of their age and mileage. He went on to say that you can replace your tires, replalce your axles, or you can go to a shop that was able to align them but that was it.
I will replace the tires and make sure they get rotated. Because they are radials, I believe you can only exchange them from front to rear. You can't switch sides. Am I right about this?

[douglasks]

correct. The other tires are wearing normally. Thanks!

[ROBERT CROSS]

I thought I had bent an axle, went to JC for replacement and upgrade to 4k.

Turned out to be the rubber 'spring' had failed and worn the inside edge of the front curbside tire.🤔

Bob
🇺🇸

[IB Streamin]

I had similar wearing issue on the RR tire of 2017 26U with approx 22k mi. I had rotated with spare which wore similarly as original RR. Called JC and Dexter for local alignment recommendation and neither had confident responses. Dexter engineer did tell me that axels were align able and not to be misled. My calls to local shops revealed a fear to work on airstreams (liability cost as they had damaged others) and claims you have to replace axels as they cannot be aligned.

So made an appointment with JC (Aug 2021) and planned a new adventure around a 4500 mi round trip up to Michigan and back. Stopped at JC and they aligned both axles and did a few other tasks ($300). They gave me pre and post alignment numbers to show results of their efforts. Turned out the lead JC tech had aligned axles as part of the axle mfg process in his earlier days.

Upon returning home after a fun trip, I had 4 new Endurance tires installed which I had pre-purchased along with metal valve stems. Only 2200 mi on the new tires so too soon to judge results but looking good so far.

JC is not perfect but they're my best option for anything I cannot do myself. Good luck with whatever you choose.

Mark

[Gene]

Originally Posted by aftermath

Because they are radials, I believe you can only exchange them from front to rear. You can't switch sides. Am I right about this?

Long ago when radicals came out and most of us were young, you were only supposed to run radials in one direction. I don't believe that has been true for decades. I have switched them all around and never had a problem. However, I do not have a solution to not being young anymore and you may notice tires are a lot heavier than they used to be.

[SlowPokePete]

Originally Posted by Gene

Long ago when radicals came out and most of us were young, you were only supposed to run radials in one direction. I don't believe that has been true for decades. I have switched them all around and never had a problem. However, I do not have a solution to not being young anymore and you may notice tires are a lot heavier than they used to be.

Good info.

and well played

SPP

[Gene]

Originally Posted by SlowPokePete

Good info.

and well played

SPP

Even about "radicals" vs. "radials"?

[SlowPokePete]

Originally Posted by Gene

Even about "radicals" vs. "radials"?

yup I saw that too

SPP

[majorairhead]

I can't guarantee the following list is up to date, though I do know Gaumer in Pennsylvania has done, and last I talked to them, will do, axle alignments.

Trailer Wheel Alignment Facilities.

ARIZONA
Oasis RV Center
2111 East Benson Hwy
Tucson, AZ 85714
Phone: 520-889-6361
Fax: 520-741-1568

CALIFORNIA
C&G Trailer Service
9241 Sonrisa St.
Bellflower, CA 90706
Phone: 562-634-6286
Fax: 562-634-2672

DELAWARE
Parkview
5511 Dupont Parkway-North
Smyrna, DE 19977
Phone: 302-653-6619

FLORIDA
American Frame & Axle
5710 Causeway Blvd
Tampa, FL
Phone: 813-247-5981

Safe-Way Wheel Service
1235 Geo. Jenkins Blvd.
Lakeland, FL 33815
Phone: 863-688-2333

Josam Truck Frame & Alignment
8849 Exchange Drive
Orlando, FL 32809
Phone: 407-438-7020

IOWA
Ace Fogdall
5424 University Avenue
Cedar Falls, IA 50613
Phone: 319-277-7390

KANSAS

Axle & Wheel
126 N Washington St.
Wichita, KS 67202
Phone: 316-263-0213

MICHIGAN

Grapewood Frame and Axle Inc.
1800 Wyoming Ave SW
Wyoming, MI 49519
Phone: 616-534-4917 – Contact Bill

MONTANA

Jim & Tracy Alignment
2203 1st South Ave
Billings, MT 59101
Phone: 888-525-2866

OHIO
Airstream, Inc
419 Pike St.
Jackson Center, OH 45334
Phone: 937-596-6111

OREGON

Kaiser Brake & Alignment
265 Taylor St
Eugene, OR 97402
Phone: 541-344-5887

Henderson’s Line-Up
417 S. W. Henderson Lane
Grants Pass, OR 97527
Phone: 541-479-2882
800-245-8309 ext 1


PENNSYLVANIA

Gaumer Chassis Engineering
785 S. Main St
Chambersburg, PA 17201
Phone: 717-263-1882

TEXAS

North Dallas RV Inc.
2630 I-35 E North
Carrollton, TX 75006
Phone: 972-242-0404
Fax: 972-242-8330

WASHINGTON

Kimball’s Alignment
10105 Pacific Ave South
Tacoma, WA 98444
Phone: 253-537-0330

CANADA

Can-Am Trailers
HWY 4, Box 370
Lambeth, Ontario
CAN N0L 1S0
Phone: 519-652-3284

[CapriRacer]

Originally Posted by aftermath

.... Because they are radials, I believe you can only exchange them from front to rear. You can't switch sides. Am I right about this?

No.

Gene had it mostly right. The key is "Steel Belted Radials". The earliest steel belts had rubber to steel adhesion problems. It was traced back to a chemical everyone was using that - when in the presence of water - turned into an acid and attacked the steel. It turns out that water vapor can permeate through rubber.

The solution was a change in rubber chemistry that eliminated that chemical. Firestone was the last to figure it out and the result was the Firestone 500 recall in the late 1970's.

At the time, it was noticed that the separation was only on one side of the steel cord and the thought was that by preventing rotation in the opposite direction, you can slow the growth of the separation down to a liveable level. I never bought into that.

Today, the rubber to steel adhesion chemistry is very good, but this odd notion that rotating tires can affect separation resistance still lingers 40+ years later.

[Lucky Dog]

I had similar problem on our 2014 Flying Cloud 25FBT. Gaumer’s in Chambersburg PA was the cure. For those in this neck of the woods, they are the go-to. They know Airstreams.

[ROBERT CROSS]

I was schooled by the JC tech.

If the spindle/axle is bent you would know in 90% of the cases, just when & where it happened...it takes a BIG hit to bend it.
Irrespective of it being a road 'gator hitting the axle or the wheel whacking a pot hole.

Bob
🇺🇸

[Gene]

Originally Posted by CapriRacer

Gene had it mostly right.

Glad I still got my mojo, "mostly". I never could understand why running a tire in one direction meant you couldn't run it the other way. Thanks for the explanation which explains it better.

It is a testimony how wrong answers can last for decades despite being proven wrong. There are plenty of old men's tales that get repeated over and over here. Skepticism is a good idea on the internet.