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Odd Travel Trailer Tire Wear
by Tracy
(Palmdale CA)
How to Prevent RV Tire Wear
I own a 2008 Fleetwood Mallard 180CK Travel Trailer; its tires are wearing odd to me.
The tires are wearing on the inside and outside edges faster than the middle of the tread ........
Is this due to the axles being out of alignment or is it simply air pressure ....... I'm running them at 50 PSI as indicated on the side of the coach.
Thank you
Tracy
ANSWER: Hi Tracy, the most common cause of the tire wear that you are describing is that the tires are under-inflated. Even though you state that you are filling your tires to the recommended PSI written on the placard on your RV, you may actually be under-inflating your tires.
Unless you have owned this travel trailer since it was new, you cannot be sure if the previous owner has replaced the tires with a different brand of tire that requires a different air pressure to carry your trailer's weight. To be safe, I would first look at the maximum tire pressure rating for your tire listed on the tire sidewall. The maximum load rating will also be listed on the sidewall of the tire. You can also visit the tire manufacturer's website and see their recommendations for PSI based on your Travel Trailer's loaded weight.
If you depend on an air pressure gauge at a service station to give you an accurate reading, you may also be under-inflating the tires as these gauges are not always accurate. I would strongly suggest that you purchase a good quality tire pressure gauge and a portable air compressor to ensure that you are getting proper air pressure readings.
Another more serious cause of the tire wear you are seeing could be a result of your exceeding your Travel Trailer's weight limitations. Even a properly inflated tire will have the wear pattern you have described if it carries more weight than it is designed to carry.
When your trailer is fully loaded, you should take it to a weigh station and have it weighed, and once you have its actual weight, you need to compare it to the maximum weight rating recommended by the manufacturer.
I urge you to read the article Trailer and RV Weight Demystified to get further information on the importance of not exceeding your trailer's weight ratings.
You might want to look at the video below, which describes the causes of other odd tire wear patterns.
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