1 year old and tires worn out

[MTork]

I have a 1 year old Magic Tilt tandem that I pull my 225 WE on. I am having both rear tires replaced as I type. The fronts are in good shape. I understand that the rears are the tires that "scrub" during a turn, but both sides are worn down completely from about 2 inches in from the outboard side. The trailer seems to pull fine in town and on the highway. The trailer appears level - could I have the tongue too high??? Any ideas??

 

[Gofirstclass]

Without seeing a photo of the truck/trailer it's hard to tell if it's too high or not. Have you checked your tongue weight? That's as important as the height of the tongue.

I would ask the tire store what they might suggest you do to stop the problem. I suspect there is an alignment problem causing this, and I'm not sure if "alignment" is the proper term. It could be "camber". It almost sounds like the axle is bent and that's causing the tires on that back axle to not be rolling properly. You might want to have someone drive your truck/trailer with the boat loaded and you follow it down the road to see if the back tires are "perpendicular" to the road surface. It almost sounds like they are leaning out at the top, in at the bottom.

 

[Lazy Daze]

I agree with GFC that there might be an alignment issue. It's not a scrubbing issue. It could be too much weight back there, but I would then expect to see a more even wear pattern. Who set up the trailer for the boat? Can you post a good picture, taken from the side, with it hitched up?

 

[Henry Boyd]

I looked at the Magic Tilt website. It looks like they use torsion bar spring suspensions. Alignment is limited to the centerline between the axles hubs is not perpendicular to the pulling centerline. That kind of misalignment should lead to tread wear, but not sidewall scrubbing.

This type of suspension has almost non existent weight distribution between axles. Sidewall scrubbing suggests to me excessive weight on the axle. Now that could be caused by the boat not being in the right spot in relation to the axles. It might also be that the torsion settings are off on one of the axles allowing too much weight on the rear axle. If the front axle's spring constant is set lower than the rear, then the rear will be carrying too much weight.

Henry


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[MTork]

Just got back from the tire store. We checked the level of the trailer - thought the ball might be too high - nope, nice and level. I pull with a 1500 Chevy, and the trailer only "squats" the truck about 1.2 to 2 inches. My tire guy (and fellow boater) took another look and thought that the boat was too far back on the trailer and I should move it forward a bit and try that. He thought the boat should "squat" the truck a bit more. Long story - his thoughts are to get the weight more forward on the trailer.

Sounds logical to me . . . any thoughts?

Lazy Daze - Here is a photo of the trailer on the truck and the "old" tires

 

[jgarko]

Most definitely you need to move the boat forward. There should be no boat overhang past the main support bunks.

 

[Lazy Daze]

Yes, it should be moved forward (You can check this by measuring your tongue weight on a scale, too). There's too much of the butt-end behind the axles. However, this is in part due to not loading the boat fully onto the trailer. The bow eye should ALWAYS be touching the underside of the winch stand bow roller. It looks like you've got another 6" to go there - and I maybe even try moving the winch stand 6", too. But pull it onto the trailer all the way and measure your tongue weight at that point, first. Do you monitor your air pressure?

 

[johnsross3]

I had the same issue on a smaller single axle boat trailer. It turns out the axle was bent on both ends, which was readily evident once I removed the hubs and checked to see if the axle ends were square (perfectly perpendicular) to the trailer frame. They were both bent backward. New axle and now my tire wear is not even noticeable. I also agree that your boat seems positioned too far back on the trailer. That alone, though, I don't think would cause the uneven wear you're seeing. +1 on Lazy Daze's recommendation, but I'd also suggest pulling those hubs on the rear axle as well and see if the axle ends are both straight.

 

[Lazy Daze]

That alone, though, I don't think would cause the uneven wear you're seeing.

Agree. Like I mentioned above, if it was just a weight issue we'd probably see a more even wear pattern.

 

[Gofirstclass]

As I look at that photo I see a few things that need to be corrected. First of all, that ladder at the bow is either going to have to be moved forward or removed. The winch stand will need to be moved forward, and if it can't be moved forward enough that the boat's transom sits on the bunks then the axles and bunks may have to be moved back.

The area of the boat where the engine is located is where the majority of the weight is. That engine weight and outdrive weight should be over the axles.

Upon further review and after taking a second and third look at the trailer, I think you may need to move to a longer trailer. I'm not sure there's enough room on that trailer to move the boat forward or move the axles back. As it sits, the axles are about as far back as they can go. I'd also guess that you have almost no tongue weight. That should be somewhere around 10% of the total weight of the boat/trailer.

Now I could be wrong on this, but I think the dealer that sold you the boat/trailer package should make this right and swap you out for a longer trailer.

Let me try that photo again so you can see it.

 

[Gofirstclass]

This is about the boat should sit on the trailer, and if it sat there it would be hanging over the tailgate of your truck.

You need a longer trailer.

 

[dvx216]

Axles on trailers are fixed so they can not be aligned like a car but that doesn't mean they can't be adjusted. A good alignment shop that do big trucks and trailers can bend a axle so the tires sit on the street flat plus adjust your tow in so the trailer will pull properly. I had a single axle trailer that would go through a set of tires a season until I had this done.

 

[Woody]

Here's what I see...

First, he shouldn't do anything else until he verifies his tongue weight and adjusts the winch stand if needed. If the tongue weight is right the axles will automatically be in the correct position regardless of how they look. If he can't move the winch stand far enough forward then it's the wrong trailer.

Second, if he can get the tongue weight right and the boats stern is not fully on the bunks then move the bunks back.

Third, do something like dvx216 suggests because the way your tires are worn it likely is indicating a problem different than the distribution of weight on your trailer.

Lazy Daze, I zoomed his pic and it looks like the bow is in the bow roller...looks fine to me. I actually like the fact his winch is pulling a little upward on the boat rather than down like a lot of trailers I've seen....makes for easier cranking.

 

[Lazy Daze]

Woody - look a little closer at the bow eye. It's at least 6", if not more, from touching the underside of the bow roller.

EDIT: Oh, MT, you're getting these tires done at the dealer that sold you the trailer, right? Or, at least, you have contacted the dealer? If you're not at the dealer, keep the tires so you can show them when you talk to them.

 

[MTork]

Thanks LD - I have contacted the dealer, waiting on a call back. The new tires are from a local tire store - too far to go to the dealer (175 mi). Had to change them, didn't feel safe to pull with the old ones

 

[MTork]

I will check the TW. I do feel that it is too light, doesn't squat the truck and sometimes hopps the truck. I can move the winch stand forward about a foot with he ladder in place, as much as 2' with the latter removed. Ill check the TW first.

 

[Woody]

Woody - look a little closer at the bow eye. It's at least 6", if not more, from touching the underside of the bow roller.

He has a high bow roller, the bow looks like it's in against the roller to me.:huh:

 

[Lazy Daze]

He has a high bow roller, the bow looks like it's in against the roller to me.:huh:

The bow is, but I'm referring to the bow eye. The bow eye NEEDS to be snugged up against the bottom side of the roller for safety (although, of course, this will move the boat forward, as well). It will probably snug up against there just the way it is - if not, the winch/roller can be lowered.

 

[Woody]

The bow is, but I'm referring to the bow eye. The bow eye NEEDS to be snugged up against the bottom side of the roller for safety (although, of course, this will move the boat forward, as well). It will probably snug up against there just the way it is - if not, the winch/roller can be lowered.

Why?

 

[Lazy Daze]

There's a couple reasons. It keeps the boat from sliding forward during a hard stop or accident, which can only make things worse. It also keeps the bow from bouncing around during normal trailering. It "locks" the bow into place.

Edit: Got bumped off... As talked about above, there's also the tongue weight issue to worry about.