M
Mike Kruger
Guest
Is it a problem if trailer wheels are not evenly spaced?
I purchased a used two-wheel two-child trailer at a garage sale a few months
ago. It's a Winchester brand. My children are older; I just use it for
errands.
The tires (20 inch / 406, taking 50 psi) are badly worn -- down to the cord.
This seems surprising for a trailer. The wheels are not "square" in two
ways:
1. The wheels are farther apart at the ground than they are at the top of
the wheel. I suppose this was to provide stability. As a result, though, the
tires wear on one edge. This part I understand. (In fact, not having any 406
tires handy on a Sunday night, I just reversed the tire as a short-term fix.
2. The wheels are farther apart at the front of the trailer than at the
rear. It's hard to measure with the trailer frame in the way, but this seems
to be maybe 3/8" on each side for a total of about 3/4". I'm thinking that
this means the contact point of the tires must move a bit closer together as
the trailer moves forward, and this would result in rapid tire wear (and
slow down a trailer that's no speed demon already).
I do know that if you have a metal generator wheel on a tire generator and
don't get the generator aligned directly on a radius, it moves a bit during
the contact time and this can result in substantial sidewall wear. I'm
thinking that the trailer would work similarly.
There's no evidence this was the result of accident, since the distance is
symmetric on both sides of the trailer. I think it was designed this way,
and before I consider trying to "fix" it I'm wondering if this is a common
thing in trailers -- and, if so, why.
Mike Kruger
I purchased a used two-wheel two-child trailer at a garage sale a few months
ago. It's a Winchester brand. My children are older; I just use it for
errands.
The tires (20 inch / 406, taking 50 psi) are badly worn -- down to the cord.
This seems surprising for a trailer. The wheels are not "square" in two
ways:
1. The wheels are farther apart at the ground than they are at the top of
the wheel. I suppose this was to provide stability. As a result, though, the
tires wear on one edge. This part I understand. (In fact, not having any 406
tires handy on a Sunday night, I just reversed the tire as a short-term fix.
2. The wheels are farther apart at the front of the trailer than at the
rear. It's hard to measure with the trailer frame in the way, but this seems
to be maybe 3/8" on each side for a total of about 3/4". I'm thinking that
this means the contact point of the tires must move a bit closer together as
the trailer moves forward, and this would result in rapid tire wear (and
slow down a trailer that's no speed demon already).
I do know that if you have a metal generator wheel on a tire generator and
don't get the generator aligned directly on a radius, it moves a bit during
the contact time and this can result in substantial sidewall wear. I'm
thinking that the trailer would work similarly.
There's no evidence this was the result of accident, since the distance is
symmetric on both sides of the trailer. I think it was designed this way,
and before I consider trying to "fix" it I'm wondering if this is a common
thing in trailers -- and, if so, why.
Mike Kruger