I'm a truck driver I've pulled many rv in my time. Check the level of your 5th wheel once you are hooked up, my bet is you are putting pressure on the rear axle due to front axle being higher your truck may be a bit to high. Good luck love your videos. 5:28
@@svbeccahow do you address this. I have a similar issue with my truck and 5th wheel. I can’t lower the hitch and pin box any more. I can’t seam to find a place that can adjust the suspension height or any safe DIY ways to do it either.
@@trevorshiffermiller2412 depending on your rig you can install a lower height fifth. But what you may need to do is lower your truck if you have raised it. Sorry 🫤
Ok.short and to the point. Lifted truck is raising the nose of the camper in turns throws to much weight on the rear axle. And your front tire wear on the truck is from towing a load all the time with torsion bar suspension.i should know.lol hope this helps.
Love following y'all. We are about to pull our fifth wheel first time to Kentucky from Alabama. Never pulled a camper this far but watching y'all learned to break up our trip instead going straight there in one day. Keep sharing your tips. ✌
Don't disconnect on the scale. The way to do this is to disconnect in a parking space, weigh the truck alone, then reconnect to weigh the truck and trailer combined. The re-weigh is cheap, and this lets you get other important information, like making sure the truck and it's axles are not overloaded. Trailer weight is the combined weight minus the weight of the truck. Hitch weight is the weight of the two truck axles with the trailer attached minus the weight of the truck.
I love you guys! Thank you for showing me what not to do! As a retired engineer I want to improve your RV life buy increasing tire life, decreasing wear and and tear on the fifth wheel and truck. Put on the big boy pants and get rid of the lift kit, oversize tires, and offset rims. Ask your all of your followers if anyone thinks the lift, tires, and wheels are causing long term problems.
The first year we owned our 2020 Keystone Alpine, I hit a curb and learned the next year that I had bent the axle, as the tire was prematurely worn out. I found a trailer and frame shop near where I live, and they were able to straighten the axle while I waited. Took about 3 hours. Afterward, we put on Sailun 12 ply G-rated tires and they still look new after three years of traveling on them. Point is, a bent axle doesn't necessarily have to be replaced. Keep up with the great videos! Thanks.
I think the starting point for figuring out your tire wear problems is a CAT scale. It is time to go deep into the weight calculations and make sure that your numbers look good before investing in new tires and alignments and axel adjustments. Figure out if your truck payload, GVWR, and rear axel ratings are within range. And, make sure your rig is within the GVWR. It is time. Do the math!
100% here Hanks.....you really need to figure how much weight you have on each axle to make sure you are not overloading one of them. CAT scales are a good thing. Hopefully you can get all of this sorted out.
What @jvogel431 says. You've been chasing a problem for a long time now without starting at the first step, and the first step is the easiest. Stop by the nearest truck stop. They all have scales. There is a small charge, but then you will absolutely know what your trailer weight is. With as much stuff as I've seen you pack into your cabinets, closets, and storage spaces, and the modifications you've made over the years, I'm just about guaranteeing that you are overweight, and not just a little. I'd love to be wrong this one time, but there is only one way to tell. Get to a set of scales. Please! 🙂 Actually, it is almost impossible to full time RV and not run overweight. They only give you 2000 to maybe 2500 lbs, depending on your exact model, and that has to include your water, and the liquids in your other tanks. With all the clothes, food, accessories, and other items you need or accumulate over the years, almost no full timers run at or below weight.
Agree with everyone above. BUT, I'll add one more thing. With the "nose high" issue that is due to your truck being lifted (primarily), I think your rear axle is carrying a higher percentage of your weight. Your abnormal tire wear on the inside of each tire is indicating this. Weigh each axle separately to prove, or disprove this. If you find the rear axle IS overloaded like I'm near certain that it is, then you've got to level the trailer----- or get rid of some serious weight. Lastly, thanks for the great videos!! ❤
@@dnrsvpagree with weight thing except they don't haul water. They are at RV parks most of the time and dump tanks traveling. Mostly. Having said that, we definitely don't realize how much weight all of our junk is adding.
I just had my axels replaced this summer at MorRyde with their independent suspension system with disk brakes. What a difference it made! We decided that our RV will be the last so the investment was made. Each tire can be aligned individually at any time and I had 8K suspensions installed replacing the 6k axels. I know it's not cheap but if you plan to keep the RV for any period of time it may be worth it... not to mention the increased load capability. MoreRyde also adds lifts to the suspension to get you running level not nose up.... PS: The independent suspension has a model that bolts on in the hangers of the leaf suspension instead of welding it on. It is not available for every RV make or model so you would have to check if this type would be available for your RV --- Nice thing about that is that you can move it to another RV if you traded it in.
I feel that this would be a good investment for the Hanks, because of being on the road full time. I have had two or three guys in one of the Hitch Hiker clubs added the MorRyde to their fifth wheels and all were very pleased with it.
We did the same (MorRyde IS plus disc brakes). Couldn't believe the difference. After that we put in a Hensley TrailerSaver air ride hitch. The rig just floated down the road. For as much traveling as you do, it would be a great investment. We pulled with a 2011 Ram 3500 crew cab, long bed, 4x2. I put on air bags and we were adamant to always be level. No issues whatsoever.
We also installed the MorRyde IS. We purchased the 8k axels with Kodiak 250 disc breaks. Installing the IS reduced the coach damage (loose trim, screws backing out). IS also allows for each tire to be aligned. We were camped down the row from you guys at Hi Valley Rv Park in Boise. While there we installed new wheels and tires. Alcoa 19.5 wheels and Continental super single tires HTL2. I changed wheels because of known issues with OEM wheels having cracks. So far this setup has been great.
Its simple MorRyde is the best system you can get. The ride is amazing our tires wear better now. We also switched over to a MorRyde pin box. Will never go back to axles again. Oh by the way MorRyde has a long waiting list to get in. If you can get in on the cancelation list you will get in faster. Or I have heard getting it done in the off season is better to.
I use a flow meter and monitor the amount of water that I put into the black tanks when I am flushing them. I have 40 gallon black tanks, and I put 25 to 30 gallons in while I am flushing them. Once they are clean, I put 5 gallons of water into the black tank to mix with my chemicals that I put into the tank. That would save you having to use the bucket and toting it into the trailer.
Rv tech here. You need to have your trailer weighed on a scale. Get the weights for each axle as well as each tire position while connected to the truck. Make sure you aren't overweight. Also, have your axles measured for equal distances on each side. If it isn't the same when measured in an x pattern and the distance between the tires on each side are different, it's out of alignment. You will keep getting tire wear.
That’s an excellent idea when I was a truck driver I checked my load on a scale every single night the only way you know that you’re in the rigs otherwise the cops can say whatever way you are anytime not that I was ever stopped. I went 55 played the game got home on time every day for five years, I miss my old company, but I’m happy that I’m retired
Thanks for typing that & saving my thumbs from doing it. Only thing to add and what I do is while the trailer is on LEVEL ground I start with a plumb Bob on the king pin hanging down towards the ground. I then measure fro. That point to the face of the leading axle tires. Then measure from the point of the plumbbob to the left and then right front spring bolt and record. The measurements should match left to right. Then I continue measurements off of the front axle to the rear axle including tire to tire then axle spring eye bolt to bolt. I also use an angle finder to check the camber angle to see if an axle is bent. Also check toe, which it should have about or a little less than 1/8" . If all the bolt locations measurements match but you still find measurements off detecting a bent axle, I then straighten the axle using chain & a Porta-Power hydraulic cylinder. I've do e quite a few including my own 2007 5er (just sold this year) and I've only put tires on it once when I finished the alignment. Most guys won't do it because they'd rather sell you a complete axle instead. A one trailer I had found the spring mounts were welded 3/8" off on the passenger side. If I didn't correct that, it would of continued to chew the tires up like it was. Also during the time of the Wildcat we every year ran the coast from Maine to Florida to Tennessee. Alot of miles and the tread on the LT235/85r16 tires were like new when we sold it.
I upgraded from a 7k leaf spring system to an 8k Lippert Independent suspension with disk brakes. It can be alined and I think it can also be adjusted to accommodate the height of your truck. As a full timer it was the best decision.
@@franknaiman5219Also FYI they don’t do any welding. They use the existing spring brackets to attach the independent suspension, system to the RV frame.
That noise would be your black tank sprayer. When done dumping just close the valve and let the water run into the tank for a minute or 2 no need to add buckets of water.
I agree with both statements and was going to leave the same comment. And if you really want to know how much water you are adding to the black tank with the flush use a water flow meter. I usually ad 4 gallons after tank is empty.
I had the same exact thought when I saw you carry buckets of water into your toilet. Just close black tank valve and leave water running in to your black tank sprinkler for about 30 sec and your good! And that noise could be coming from a vent pipe in the wall if there is one in there. Mine echos when I run my black tank sprinkler
The noise is a vacuum breaker. To protect your fresh water source from contaminants. When you are using the freshwater to flush the black water tank, the contaminants are flowing out through the tank. Once you stop the flow of water, however, there could be pressure that wants to push the contaminated water back up through the flushing system and into the freshwater source. The black tank flush is actually very low pressure, and the noise is normal and not really anything to worry about.
Put your tires on the opposite side and check for wear on the inside. If they wear hard, then you know that the problem is still there w/o buying new tires and ruining them. Take it across the scale and if you are overloaded, fix that problem.
@@alanremple4621 Not rotate. That will still put the inside to the inside. Rubber off rim, flip, then install. Run it for a few months, if there is still hard wear, there is another problem other than tires. Find out w/o ruining a new set of tires and ending up buying 8 instead of 4. I am guessing that the fact that they tow with a lifted truck is most of the problem. Notice the trouble is mostly on the rear axle because they have 70% of the trailer weight on the rear axle probably why it failed. Dont know if there is any such thing as a drop hitch for a 5th wheel. Maybe convert to a gooseneck and cut to fit if you can get enough. Or un-lift the truck and tow level.
@20:45… I have that noise too.. I was told it was the whirly thing that sprays the sides in the black tank. It makes that noise. Also @ 23:56 instead of hauling water.. get a $10 water meter connect it to the flush valve and when your done flushing just run the water using the meter and put in 3 gal.. easy peasy. “ let -er-rip”
A little further into the video... I'm sure you have a black tank rinse when you are done dumping... I use a water flow meter for a garden hose. that way I shut the black water valve and keep the hose running until I put 5 gallons back in the tank. Just fyi... Love you guys!
We do exactly the same. I haven’t dumped buckets of water in toilet for years since I got the flow meter to see how much I have put in the tank rinse port.
Wanting to know what you thought of Bar Harbor!? One of my favorite places. We live in CT and just love the Northeast region. After I went to visit my son in Oregon, i have another great region. But, Acadia is just an amazing place to visit.
We bought a new fifth wheel where one of the axles had a brake backing plate welded on incorrectly. Meaning the entire wheel was slightly tilted inward at the top causing excess wear on the inside of the tire . Techs check the axels but don’t look at the actual wheel angle as this axle assembly mistake is much less common. The area I’m trying to describe is where the round pipe of the axel meets the plate holding the wheel assembly this angle needs to be 90 degrees so the wheel and tire runs true . The fix for this problem is a new axle . You can check for this visually by comparing the one wheel to the other from directly behind or from the front. if it’s messed up you can see it. In our case you were able to see it . Good luck.
You can get your fifth wheel aligned. Not too may places do it but you can also do it yourself. You need to make sure the distance from the king pin is the same for each axle. Check you haven't had any shackle problems with your springs. Once we did an alignment after we got new tires, it cured our uneven wear problem. Going to a Cat scale will take the guess work out of being too heavy but you know that. Just make sure you do the weight checks like others have mentioned below to see how much weight is on that back axle. Good luck.
I still love how you show the good, the bad and the ugly of running full time RV. Every time you show a problem like this its more of an education for people like me who are just now thinking of going full-time. Maybe I just need to let-er-rip?
I would think it is more that the nose of the trailer being higher is putting extra pressure on the on the rear axel and the is probably the reason that axel had to be replaced.
Here we go with the Finnegan pins again. I love how people say stuff with Authority and are completely wrong . Yes you can align axels, it’s not like a car alignment, but you definitely can align them to make sure they are installed straight
I am wondering how. It's bolted into place and no adjustment on any of the campers I have had or seen, which is somewhat meaningless to others. But how.....is the question. ..thanks !!!
@@franknaiman5219 they bend the axles in the direction required to achieve proper toe and camber. It’s pretty neat to watch. Have had it done to my previous 3 trailers. Brand new right out of the factory they can be bad
Then, that does not fit the definition of a tire alignment. If a trailer "alignment" involves bending the axle or spindle, that is a modification. The axle fits in the pin of the springs; once it is there, it can't be moved forward or backward.
If you want an easier way to add water back into your black tank after dumping, just use your hose on the black tank flush after shutting the dump valve. Purchase an inexpensive water meter off of Temu to measure how much water your putting into the black tank, and voilà, super simple (no need for collapsible buckets and hand water transfers). Easy peasey lemon squeezy (no extra equipment or steps involved).
I am professional truck driver for ten years, and have seen hundreds of trailers like this before. Since you have blown out tire, and replaced new axle, I would guess axle mount bent. Secure bolts fixing axle mount attached to frame, suspect connection between axle and its mount. I remember you added grease. and drove with misplaced axle position for a while? I think it caused mechanical damage on axle mount, and it is not connected properly anymore. My company probably trades this kind of trailer, because too much maintenance cost, and better get new trailer. Most trailers will be traded in 5 yrs. You guys go through Alaska, and unpaved campground to park. It can damage alot.
There's a place in Mesa AZ that has a business that specializes in RV alignment. They mount these lasers on your wheels and can tell of they are running straight, if not straight then they can address what is causing the wheel is not straight and fix that problem. When I had my rv done there it drove like a whole new RV. It cost $600 for my class A MH. Straight Line 4460 E Main St Mesa, AZ 85205 United States
an idea,...restore the truck to its original ride height, with the proper wheels and tires. you should be able to sell the lift kit, and the aftermarket wheels and tires to re-coop some of the cost. Enjoy your website !!
There is such a thing as a trailer alignment. I had the same tire wear issue and took the 5th Wheel to Josam Truck and Trailer in Orlando Florida where they did an alignment on the rear axle. That fixed the inner wear problem on the tire.
So for the miles you are putting on. Get rid of those axles and put a independent suspension on. Like Morryde. Big game changer. You will love the ride. Less tire problems. And you can get wheel alignments. Plus you can up the weight on your IS System to a higher weight rating. We switched our on our Reflection big game changer.
dont forget when u r dumping either one of the holding tanks u r getting rid of water volume so its gonna involve a suction of air back into tanks either thru the vent stack or someplace else so if you have a one way valve on vent it could be air coming back into tank
You can get an alignment on a trailer. I've done it several times. It sort of brute Force they bend your axle mechanically but it does work and I've had great results and it was far cheaper than replacing axles.
I had our Axles Aligned to Factory Specs at a Frame/Axle/Springs shop. Straightened (Bent) and shifted back into position. Fixed my tire problem. Had caught a curb and ran up over it. Pulled axle back on that side. Towed easy again after that fix! 😊
I agree with a lot of your comments you received. Definitely weigh your axles individually. If you find that the rear axle is weighing more than the front, you probably need a lift kit on your trailer to level out your trailer. Until then, swap your tires inside out so that the Fresh tread is on the inside, and the wear is on the outside. You'll get more mileage out of it that way, just my thoughts.Thank you, I enjoy your channel. Dexter is great.
We had the same issue and the simplest confirmation of the alignment is a straight bar across both tires and it will show you, toe in or toe out. We ended upgrading to MORyde Independent Suspension and disc brakes.
Hey Kyle, just an idea for y’all. Hit a cat scale you know how the scales are split in 3 sections. Pull up so you get your front trailer axle and your back trailer axle on separate sections. You don’t need the truck on the scales. Having you 2 trailer axles on separate sections of the scale would give you the individual weights each axle is carrying. Might help you understand if one is under and the other is over weight and how much.
Lifted trucks cause issues. You need to tow level and it’s obvious nose high so you’re putting more load on that rear axle. New truck or the major expense to lower the truck back to stock. I suspect your hitch is adjusted as low as it can go. Tire recommendation is Goodyear G614 lt235/85/16 Load range G
In my opinion With the raised truck you are lifting the front of the of the rig thus causing more weight on the rear axle which will cause more wear also that is putting more weight on the axel may cause it to bow causing the excessive wear on the inside of the tire.
Tire tip…if you can make it to your next RV park just setup as usual then use a jack to remove your tire or tires and just take the wheel/tire to the tire shop to have the new tire installed. Much easier than taking your whole rig 😊
Time to do a video on using the CAT scales app! And yes, you can align the axles on the trailer, although it may require some welding. The Trailersmith has a great video that shows how he checks alignment and describes many of the problems that can cause misalignment.
Yes, you are correct, lifted truck with over-sized tires. With the nose of the trailer high, it places a lot of weight on the rear axle. Tandem wheel axles are always hard on tires, but an over-weight axle can increase tire wear. If you cannot level out your trailer, maybe better weight distribution can help? Good luck. We love your show, and we watch it every week. Maybe an "old man" truck without a lift kit and oversized tires? 😃
This combination sets your tires up for more flats and blow outs. You don;t want to go down the road with 40% weight on front tires and 60% on the rear tires. Your rear tires would be over their weight limit.
Hey guys just a suggestion for your black tank. Mix pine sol , Calgon beads and water in a gal. jug then after each dumping of the tank add some solution and water. I've been doing this season with it and seems help keep the tank cleaner and no odor.
We went through the whole bent axle gig last year. I had the same concerns as you, as far as the tires are concerned. From what I saw on your video, your tires are chafing some but are not to the replacement stage yet. (Cord not showing) What I did, was swap the tires from the front axle to the rear. This allowed me to see whether the new axle was the cure. In our case, it was. No chafing showed on the rear after 1200 miles. We then bought new tires all around and haven’t had a problem since.
As others have said, get it weighed. If you dont, you will wish you did... So, just do it to know if you are within tolerance. Then, take it to a place that can see if your axle mounts (frame) is bent. You might have a bent axle or a good axle, but if the mounts are bent (out of alignment), neither will work long term. There are places that can measure (typically using light lazors) and then strap your frame down and straighten it using hydraulic presses, I'm just not familiar w/ anything in Tx. Have you looked into your options of lowering your hitch mount/hitch to level it out? In any case, get it to a place that can do custom work.
Connect your outdoor shower hose directly to your black tank flush .with a water meter to fill your black tank with the needed water after the “let ur rip” cycle Saves so much time
Check out the MorRyde’s independent suspension. It will give you a much smoother ride, disk brakes, when turning you will not be dragging the inside tire and you should get even tire wear. I’m getting mine installed just before the National Rally next August.
Kyle yes you can align the axles on a trailer. Also with a lifted truck you are putting a lot more pressure on the rear axle. I had a lifted truck at one time and had tire ware on the outside edges. After getting a new truck and new tires on the fifth wheel haven’t had that issue and more. I was also a little over weight at the time we also got the weight issue down. So it could be a lot of things to cause that issue. Take it to a cat scale and weigh the truck and Rv then just weight the truck.
Hi relative to wheel alignment, you can shim your backplate that the brake assembly bolts to, when you have an alignment problem to correct your problem providing you have a electric brake assembly.
We had 8k added to our F/W. I had two axles go bad from Dexter. We added disk along with the 8k Performance Braking from OK. City. Now we added Morryde IS Suspension. Another thing I'd get rid of those China Bomb Westlakes before another tire goes down. Its a known fact if the RV is nose high it will cause issues.
Yes you can check the alignment of your back axle. Measure from the front spring bolt which is welded to the frame. To the back axle center pin in your spring bolt. If you show a difference from side to side it’s in your spring shackles and Bolts wearing. Especially check the center rocker shackles. If one side has more wear than the other it will let the back axle tack off.
Not exactly an alignment but rather simply replacing worn parts which a person should check and do anyway. The issue I believe they are experiencing is one of a combination of possibly worn parts including even spring shackles and tires that were worn incorrectly with the old axle. They aren’t going to correct themselves. Also, having a truck with a lift they can’t get the camper to ride level thus transferring more weight to that back axle and changing the camber of the axle beyond what’s deemed normal. Getting the camper to ride level is very important. I don’t believe replacing those tires are important. At most they could be dismounted and turned and remounted so they’ll burn in on the opposite edge.
That is correct you cannot align trailer wheels, but manufacture can make the trailer a little off so that it might be dog tracking a little. one thing you can do if you know how to read a tape measure is to measure from the tongue or center point in front of trailer to the front of each wheel or axle where it mounts to frame right side and left side It’s important to measure the exact spot on each side. And also pull the same tension on the tape measure so the sag in the tape is the same. (if on one side, your tape measure sags to the ground. It will give you a longer measurement than the other side where the tape measure is tight and no sagging) That will tell you if your axle was mounted to the frame a little off. Measurements reading to the exact fraction of an inch is crucial
Yes. You're on the right track thinking the wear was already started. Like any tires on any vehicle at any position, once a wear pattern is started it's almost impossible to correct the wear on said tire. For instance, if you were to dismount and have it mounted again with the worn inside on the outside it would make you think that the you now have an issue with the outside. Hope that makes sense and keep on keeping on. 🤜🤛
I had uneven tire wear on my Montana 3121rl. I took it to accurate alignment in appleton wisconsin ,they checked and adjusted the alignment. They put it on an alignment machine and accomplished the alignment in about 3 hours. Its a very common issue that they take care of. Love your channel, good luck with the repair.
If you have solid axles and leaf springs I would love to know what they did to adjust the alignment. Only option i know of is cutting the spring hangers off the frame and moving them. There is no "adjustments " i thought
Hi Brandon, It looks brutal but they use chain and a porta power and yes, bend the axle. There are a couple youtube videos showing how its done. They provided a before and after printout of camber and toe readings before and after adjustment. This place has the specialized alignment machine required. Cost was about the same as two new "G" rated tires mounted and balanced.
Go to MORide and get independent suspension axles installed. You can even upgrade to disk brakes. Great people and service. Unbelievable difference in axles. I’d send you a picture of the comparison if I could.
Hey Kyle, I might have a suggestion for you on towing nose high which may be affecting your rear tire wear. It looks like there is a lot of clearance between your truck bed rail and the underside of your fifth wheel. You typically need about 5 1/2” clearance from top of bed rail to underside of fifth wheel. Just watching your latest video, it looks like it’s much more than that. You may be able to drop down your 5th wheel hitch within the mounting bracket in the bed of your truck to level out the RV a bit more thus evening out the load between front and rear Rv tires. Best of luck. Steve
Looking as the guy got under your trailer, overloaded doesn't appear to be the issue. The axle has a good arch in it. I believe you are having radial wear. Once it starts, it doesn't stop. Probably started with the old axle but carried the tires over to the new one. New tires should take care of it. Next time you buy all 4 go to 235/85R16-14. Just a touch tallerthat will help with your angle.
There is a lot of good advice on here. There's not much I could add on here that hasn't already been said. However, I would like to add something a feel is a little more important than the tire issues. Just watched another couple that are tubers like you two. And it made me think of the two of you and this trip to Maine. You both look stressed. I to know the feeling of things keep piling on with no relief in sight. I can see how much you want to enjoy this trip. I and many are enjoying watching you. But you have a right to a breather. Take a step back and rest. Slow down and take your time. Don't worry, we'll be waiting. The couple is: Kels and Jay, "Why everyone is quitting UA-cam." She had some good advice on the stages of being a contact creator and the stresses of it and everday life. Give it a watch. They are bus/Van/RV builders and travelers. P.S. Also, when it comes to purging. Don't blame the wash/dry combo. You both deserve that. Purge some clothes first. Those things weigh a lot. Then go from there. It's good to do it once or twice every couple of years. Be safe and HappyHanks.
Electric over hydraulic disk brake install is a phenomenal upgrade and not terribly complicated. We did the upgrade ourselves -videos coming soon-the improvement over factory electric drum brakes is incredible. With your lifted truck, consider lifting blocks on the trailer to level your 5er relative to the truck to take some load off the rear axle.
Also, this is why I carry some jack stands. I can remove the tires, take them to the tire shop, and have them put the new tire on the rim. Did that with six new Westlakes in Montana last summer.
Putting it on the cat scale while hooked to the trailer and split weigh the trailer axles to determine how much pressure difference between the two axles. That will confirm if the nose high is the problem with the wear.
You can do a couple of things to find and resolve the issue(s) that you're experiencing. It is hard to diagnose from afar, but you can run over a CAT certified scale to get all individual axle weights, but if you can find an RV scaling company they would also be able to not only give you axle weights, but individual wheel weights, as well, which would be much more beneficial for you as you have been having a tire wear issue for awhile... You mentioned that your truck has a lift kit and that you're towing your trailer, "Nose High"; how high has your truck been lifted? Towing a nose high trailer can cause the weight to transfer from the front axle more to the rear axle, which would tend to cause some issues. So, how to resolve a level towing issue...you can, "Flip the Axles", meaning that you can move the axle from below the leaf springs and instead placing the axle above the leaf springs, which should raise your trailer approximately 5". If you need to raise it further then you could also add lift blocks; similar to how your truck was raised. You want a level trailer when towing 🙂 Also inspect all of your trailer suspension hardware; bolts, bushing, spring links, springs, etc. Axle pivot bolts and bushings can wear slightly given the number of miles traveled and are rarely ever lubricated... One way yo find a "mis-alignment" issue is with a tape measure. Measure from a fixed point to each axle component. the measurements should match from side to side and in between the axles, as well. If you find a slight discrepancy, then you can start to pin-point the issue. I hope this helps or at least gives you food for thought 🙂 Enjoy The Adventure 🙂
On the backflow preventer valve, the plastic ones make that noice when you use them to back flush. They prevent the water from going backwards in that process. The metal version you can buy and install does not make that sound. It needs to be placed at least 6 inches above the water entrance pipe as an fyi.
My family has been saying Let r Rip for a long long time. My Dad was a car dealer from the 30s to mid 60s and also a great mechanic. They were great days.
I have from the factory 8000 pound axels. They have “correct track” which is how the alignment of my axels is done. I put disc breaks on my trailer 5 years ago and would never own a fifth wheel without them. A friend put the MORryde independent suspension and disc breaks on his last year and he just loves it. MORryde would be the answer all your suspension problems.
We change tires ourselves. Make sure they are balanced before bringing them to RV. Lift one side of RV with the landing gear legs, put Jack or blocks underneath in case of a fall…..Take tires off, put on new tires. Simple and much less expensive.
Regarding flushing tanks, I have never been embarrassed about flushing tanks. I learned my lesson on the poop pyramid in winter. I got that flush valve that hooks between the connect and sewer hose. You hook your hose to it to rinse through that end. You find them at Walmart for about $25. No more poop pyramid. I got the external valve because I noticed a little fluid leaking through on travel days. Also, I recently found these disposable work gloves at Sam’s club for about $10 a pack. I find they are great for getting a better grip on stuff around the RV. Nothing like disconnecting the water hose first then trying to disconnect other stuff.
You NEED an alignment. Get your trailer to an alignment shop, one that tells you that that's a service they provide, not a Firestone store, not a tire shop, etc. If a shop can align a class 8 over-the-road truck, they will likely be able to align your trailer. Also, not all trailer axles can be bent; But I have DEXTER 5K axles under my Arctic Fox, and I had my trailer aligned after seeing wear that looked just like yours. Dexter axles can be bent, but other brands may NOT be bent. Many people buy trailer tires but I always use LT-type tires. If you go to LT-type tires, make sure they have enough weight-carrying capacity to handle YOUR LOAD. That may require an upsize on the tire you choose.
I had the compete suspension replaced on my triple axle 5th wheel. I found two broken springs while replacing 4 of the 6 tires. The trailer repair shop found the 3 axles slightly bent & replaced everything. Shackles,equalizers, axles, brakes etc. . I had 2 tires that were not replaced and was told to replace the tires on that new axle also. One of the tires was wearing on the inside. The trailer is 15 years old. This was less expensive than a new rig.
Hi you two! Thank you for your videos. My wife Jan & I really enjoy them. Regarding your tire tread wear.. Around the farm we used to use about 1/8" toe-in for trailers & such... (rim to rim front measured about 1/4" less than rim to rim back) So.. The FIRST thing I would do, BEFORE spending any money on new tires or getting the alignment checked, is to measure both front & back axle toe-ins yourself. Make sure you pull straight in, forward about 10' or so, with no turning pressures on the axles & use a simple measuring tape. Measure the toe-ins as mentioned above & compare the front to back axles. They should both be about the same and, IMO, neither should measure as being toe-out. If not, then get the alignment AND axle nut adjustments checked. It is my understanding that axle toe-in, camber (& caster, if any) are built into the jig that is used in the manufacture of the axles.. So, there is a top & bottom AND a front back to each axle. So, although unlikely that the rear axle was installed incorrectly back to front TWICE, you need to confirm it before buying & putting on new tires or having someone "bend" the axle tubes.. A couple of "by-the-ways".. 1. It was always my understanding that the reason for a little toe-in is to allow for the very small amount of play left in the system after bearing axle nuts are properly adjusted. As the vehicle is brought up to speed, the wheels tend towards a toe-out condition, taking up any slack left in the bearings. To that point.. remember when you set the axle bearing nuts too loose earlier this year? Could it be that that was when the new tires were damaged as the tires were allowed to actually run to a toe-out condition because of the slack? 2. If you can, I suggest you avoid buying new tires until you sort this out.. if the rears are still safe to run, instead, consider swapping the tires front to back, keeping a close eye on all the wear. Get a tire thread-wear gauge & record the tread depth across the tires. 3. Yes, you should go to a CAT scale to determine whether you're within limits and, yes, I believe wear on the inside of the tread can be the result of overloading. HOWEVER, IMO, the arch on your rear axle does not suggest it being overloaded, I would have expected it to be much flatter, less of an arch, if it were grossly so.. AND I'd also have expected all the tires to show excess tread wear on the inside.. Anyhow, just my thoughts.. God bless, Dennis
In addition to the other great advice on here, a different type of hitch migh help. I pull with an Andersen hitch that lets our 43’ 5th wheel ride at 6” above my truck bed.
You do know you can go to a CAT scale at a truck stop and split your tandem over two scales and figure what weight each axle is supporting. If I had a 5th wheel I think I'd do Timbrens or Air bags for overload support.
Just watched the beginning of this episode. Have you thought about lowering your 5th wheel plate in the bed? You can adjust them and not sure if you have adjusted that yet. It might help with the trailer weight on the back axle. Just a thought. Happy Campin!
When turning sharply going forward or backing up on a hard surface the tires will slide and drag causing wear. Rotating tires may give you longer tire wear.
have the axle re-bent take it to a truck shop that works on semis they can bend it in about 5 minutes. also get and adjustable hitch.... hard with a 5th wheel though gen-y sells a gooseneck adapter that rides better and is adjustable but then you have to worry about bed clearance. also might want to look at timbren axle less suspension system.
There are many ways to check if your axles are straight with each other, two simple ways are to take an 8 ft two by four that is straight and hold it against the front tire and see if it is also touching the rear wheels, if it is the axle on that side is straight with the front one, if not you have a problem. You can also do this with a chord, hold it to the front edge of the front wheel edge and touch the back edge of the front wheel and see if your touching the rear tire edge. Easy Pease!
Hey Kyle, not sure you're lugging buckets to add water to your black tank. You could just run water into the black tank using the black tank flush connection.
Yup, check weights, overloading does weird things to the tires. And yes you can get get axles aligned. Josam in Orlando, or another decent truck and trailer place.
Just a thought....If your Max pressure is 110 psi and you're running your tires at the Max pressure then that might be your problem. Might try running them at around 90-95 psi to see if that has any effect on your tire wear......
I’m pretty sure that noise you are hearing when you dump your black tank is the BT flush you hooked up at the same time. Ours makes same sound when I flush the tank.
I love you two! Your videos are very informative. I have been following you for a few years (yes a few). This video on tire wear and possible axle problems was very helpful. We have a 2022 34 foot Montana High Country fifth wheel. I pull the 5th wheel with a 2022 Chevy 2500 HD gas power 6.6 lt. engine. We looked at the Grand Design like yours but got a good deal on the Montana. We are both 71 years old and are not full time RVers. But we try to get out as much as we can. We are exploring Oklahoma area RV parks near where we live in the Oklahoma City area.
Kyle, if GD didn't put new tires on when replacing the axle, that is your problem. Once a tire begins its wear pattern, you can't stop it. Or because you are not towing level, you are overloading your rear axle.
Comment / suggestion!! EDIT - wrote the below while watching the beginning of the video, then later saw that the date was included when talking fall colors !!😀😀 We really like your videos and we have a suggestion - at the beginning of the video, you include information about the location. The suggestion is to include the date(s). That might help other folks to plan similar trips based on the weather that you encounter. Thank you for considering the suggestion. Safe travels.
There is a trailer maintenance shop in Pontiac, MI that can align the camber of trailer axles. They put your trailer on a hydraulic machine that actually bends the axle to adjust the camber.
I'm a truck driver I've pulled many rv in my time. Check the level of your 5th wheel once you are hooked up, my bet is you are putting pressure on the rear axle due to front axle being higher your truck may be a bit to high. Good luck love your videos. 5:28
they are towing with a high front.
Ditto - you’ve got to address leveling the trailer. Nose high is trouble
@@svbeccahow do you address this. I have a similar issue with my truck and 5th wheel. I can’t lower the hitch and pin box any more. I can’t seam to find a place that can adjust the suspension height or any safe DIY ways to do it either.
Yup. Said the same. A few of us have noticed the high front
@@trevorshiffermiller2412 depending on your rig you can install a lower height fifth. But what you may need to do is lower your truck if you have raised it. Sorry 🫤
Ok.short and to the point. Lifted truck is raising the nose of the camper in turns throws to much weight on the rear axle. And your front tire wear on the truck is from towing a load all the time with torsion bar suspension.i should know.lol hope this helps.
Love following y'all. We are about to pull our fifth wheel first time to Kentucky from Alabama. Never pulled a camper this far but watching y'all learned to break up our trip instead going straight there in one day. Keep sharing your tips. ✌
Have you ever put the trailer on a CAT scale and disconnected the truck to see what the full weight of the trailer alone is
definitely recommend visiting a CAT scale and independently weigh your 5th wheel and get axel weights.
Agree, we would like to see your CAT scale weights.
my first thought as well, you shouldnt be "wondering "if overloaded when its cheap and easy to tell for sure.
Don't disconnect on the scale.
The way to do this is to disconnect in a parking space, weigh the truck alone, then reconnect to weigh the truck and trailer combined. The re-weigh is cheap, and this lets you get other important information, like making sure the truck and it's axles are not overloaded.
Trailer weight is the combined weight minus the weight of the truck.
Hitch weight is the weight of the two truck axles with the trailer attached minus the weight of the truck.
@@that.schamp I have put my jacks down ands raise the pin off the hitch by a hair taking the weight off of the truck to get the trailer weight.
I love you guys! Thank you for showing me what not to do! As a retired engineer I want to improve your RV life buy increasing tire life, decreasing wear and and tear on the fifth wheel and truck. Put on the big boy pants and get rid of the lift kit, oversize tires, and offset rims. Ask your all of your followers if anyone thinks the lift, tires, and wheels are causing long term problems.
Those are definitely contributing factors...👍🏾
They just need to "flip" the trailer axles
The first year we owned our 2020 Keystone Alpine, I hit a curb and learned the next year that I had bent the axle, as the tire was prematurely worn out. I found a trailer and frame shop near where I live, and they were able to straighten the axle while I waited. Took about 3 hours. Afterward, we put on Sailun 12 ply G-rated tires and they still look new after three years of traveling on them. Point is, a bent axle doesn't necessarily have to be replaced.
Keep up with the great videos! Thanks.
All trailer axles have a curve in them they bow in the middle by design.It's hard to tell if the axle is bent unless it's bent really bad.
I think the starting point for figuring out your tire wear problems is a CAT scale. It is time to go deep into the weight calculations and make sure that your numbers look good before investing in new tires and alignments and axel adjustments. Figure out if your truck payload, GVWR, and rear axel ratings are within range. And, make sure your rig is within the GVWR. It is time. Do the math!
100% here Hanks.....you really need to figure how much weight you have on each axle to make sure you are not overloading one of them. CAT scales are a good thing. Hopefully you can get all of this sorted out.
What @jvogel431 says. You've been chasing a problem for a long time now without starting at the first step, and the first step is the easiest. Stop by the nearest truck stop. They all have scales. There is a small charge, but then you will absolutely know what your trailer weight is. With as much stuff as I've seen you pack into your cabinets, closets, and storage spaces, and the modifications you've made over the years, I'm just about guaranteeing that you are overweight, and not just a little. I'd love to be wrong this one time, but there is only one way to tell. Get to a set of scales. Please! 🙂
Actually, it is almost impossible to full time RV and not run overweight. They only give you 2000 to maybe 2500 lbs, depending on your exact model, and that has to include your water, and the liquids in your other tanks. With all the clothes, food, accessories, and other items you need or accumulate over the years, almost no full timers run at or below weight.
Agree with everyone above. BUT, I'll add one more thing. With the "nose high" issue that is due to your truck being lifted (primarily), I think your rear axle is carrying a higher percentage of your weight. Your abnormal tire wear on the inside of each tire is indicating this. Weigh each axle separately to prove, or disprove this. If you find the rear axle IS overloaded like I'm near certain that it is, then you've got to level the trailer----- or get rid of some serious weight.
Lastly, thanks for the great videos!! ❤
@@southernkayaker Bing, Bing, Bing!! We have a winner folks. Lifted truck = trailer not towing level = stress on rear tandem axle.
@@dnrsvpagree with weight thing except they don't haul water. They are at RV parks most of the time and dump tanks traveling. Mostly. Having said that, we definitely don't realize how much weight all of our junk is adding.
I just had my axels replaced this summer at MorRyde with their independent suspension system with disk brakes. What a difference it made! We decided that our RV will be the last so the investment was made. Each tire can be aligned individually at any time and I had 8K suspensions installed replacing the 6k axels. I know it's not cheap but if you plan to keep the RV for any period of time it may be worth it... not to mention the increased load capability. MoreRyde also adds lifts to the suspension to get you running level not nose up.... PS: The independent suspension has a model that bolts on in the hangers of the leaf suspension instead of welding it on. It is not available for every RV make or model so you would have to check if this type would be available for your RV --- Nice thing about that is that you can move it to another RV if you traded it in.
I feel that this would be a good investment for the Hanks, because of being on the road full time. I have had two or three guys in one of the Hitch Hiker clubs added the MorRyde to their fifth wheels and all were very pleased with it.
We did the same (MorRyde IS plus disc brakes). Couldn't believe the difference. After that we put in a Hensley TrailerSaver air ride hitch. The rig just floated down the road.
For as much traveling as you do, it would be a great investment.
We pulled with a 2011 Ram 3500 crew cab, long bed, 4x2. I put on air bags and we were adamant to always be level. No issues whatsoever.
We also installed the MorRyde IS. We purchased the 8k axels with Kodiak 250 disc breaks. Installing the IS reduced the coach damage (loose trim, screws backing out). IS also allows for each tire to be aligned. We were camped down the row from you guys at Hi Valley Rv Park in Boise. While there we installed new wheels and tires. Alcoa 19.5 wheels and Continental super single tires HTL2. I changed wheels because of known issues with OEM wheels having cracks. So far this setup has been great.
Its simple MorRyde is the best system you can get. The ride is amazing our tires wear better now. We also switched over to a MorRyde pin box. Will never go back to axles again. Oh by the way MorRyde has a long waiting list to get in. If you can get in on the cancelation list you will get in faster. Or I have heard getting it done in the off season is better to.
I use a flow meter and monitor the amount of water that I put into the black tanks when I am flushing them. I have 40 gallon black tanks, and I put 25 to 30 gallons in while I am flushing them. Once they are clean, I put 5 gallons of water into the black tank to mix with my chemicals that I put into the tank. That would save you having to use the bucket and toting it into the trailer.
Rv tech here. You need to have your trailer weighed on a scale. Get the weights for each axle as well as each tire position while connected to the truck. Make sure you aren't overweight. Also, have your axles measured for equal distances on each side. If it isn't the same when measured in an x pattern and the distance between the tires on each side are different, it's out of alignment. You will keep getting tire wear.
That’s an excellent idea when I was a truck driver I checked my load on a scale every single night the only way you know that you’re in the rigs otherwise the cops can say whatever way you are anytime not that I was ever stopped. I went 55 played the game got home on time every day for five years, I miss my old company, but I’m happy that I’m retired
Thanks for typing that & saving my thumbs from doing it. Only thing to add and what I do is while the trailer is on LEVEL ground I start with a plumb Bob on the king pin hanging down towards the ground. I then measure fro. That point to the face of the leading axle tires. Then measure from the point of the plumbbob to the left and then right front spring bolt and record. The measurements should match left to right.
Then I continue measurements off of the front axle to the rear axle including tire to tire then axle spring eye bolt to bolt.
I also use an angle finder to check the camber angle to see if an axle is bent. Also check toe, which it should have about or a little less than 1/8" .
If all the bolt locations measurements match but you still find measurements off detecting a bent axle, I then straighten the axle using chain & a Porta-Power hydraulic cylinder.
I've do e quite a few including my own 2007 5er (just sold this year) and I've only put tires on it once when I finished the alignment.
Most guys won't do it because they'd rather sell you a complete axle instead.
A one trailer I had found the spring mounts were welded 3/8" off on the passenger side. If I didn't correct that, it would of continued to chew the tires up like it was.
Also during the time of the Wildcat we every year ran the coast from Maine to Florida to Tennessee. Alot of miles and the tread on the LT235/85r16 tires were like new when we sold it.
Very thorough. Those tires should last a long time.
I upgraded from a 7k leaf spring system to an 8k Lippert Independent suspension with disk brakes. It can be alined and I think it can also be adjusted to accommodate the height of your truck. As a full timer it was the best decision.
Can you tell me more about the suspension upgrade and brakes...TIA....
@@franknaiman5219Also FYI they don’t do any welding. They use the existing spring brackets to attach the independent suspension, system to the RV frame.
@@franknaiman5219
We also upgraded to 8k axles
That noise would be your black tank sprayer. When done dumping just close the valve and let the water run into the tank for a minute or
2 no need to add buckets of water.
I agree with both statements and was going to leave the same comment. And if you really want to know how much water you are adding to the black tank with the flush use a water flow meter. I usually ad 4 gallons after tank is empty.
I had the same exact thought when I saw you carry buckets of water into your toilet. Just close black tank valve and leave water running in to your black tank sprinkler for about 30 sec and your good! And that noise could be coming from a vent pipe in the wall if there is one in there. Mine echos when I run my black tank sprinkler
The noise is a vacuum breaker. To protect your fresh water source from contaminants. When you are using the freshwater to flush the black water tank, the contaminants are flowing out through the tank. Once you stop the flow of water, however, there could be pressure that wants to push the contaminated water back up through the flushing system and into the freshwater source. The black tank flush is actually very low pressure, and the noise is normal and not really anything to worry about.
They have 8k axles for your trailer with disc brake kits, got on my you want disc brake.
Put your tires on the opposite side and check for wear on the inside. If they wear hard, then you know that the problem is still there w/o buying new tires and ruining them. Take it across the scale and if you are overloaded, fix that problem.
Great idea, but CAT scale should happen yesterday.
Yup agreed. Yes, weight the unit… but tire rotation is also needed on any vehicle, truck, car, trailer, dually.
@@alanremple4621 Not rotate. That will still put the inside to the inside. Rubber off rim, flip, then install. Run it for a few months, if there is still hard wear, there is another problem other than tires. Find out w/o ruining a new set of tires and ending up buying 8 instead of 4. I am guessing that the fact that they tow with a lifted truck is most of the problem. Notice the trouble is mostly on the rear axle because they have 70% of the trailer weight on the rear axle probably why it failed. Dont know if there is any such thing as a drop hitch for a 5th wheel. Maybe convert to a gooseneck and cut to fit if you can get enough. Or un-lift the truck and tow level.
@20:45… I have that noise too.. I was told it was the whirly thing that sprays the sides in the black tank.
It makes that noise.
Also @ 23:56 instead of hauling water.. get a $10 water meter connect it to the flush valve and when your done flushing just run the water using the meter and put in 3 gal.. easy peasy. “ let -er-rip”
I've been doing that for years. I'm told to add 10% of the tank.
A little further into the video... I'm sure you have a black tank rinse when you are done dumping... I use a water flow meter for a garden hose. that way I shut the black water valve and keep the hose running until I put 5 gallons back in the tank. Just fyi... Love you guys!
We do exactly the same. I haven’t dumped buckets of water in toilet for years since I got the flow meter to see how much I have put in the tank rinse port.
Wanting to know what you thought of Bar Harbor!? One of my favorite places. We live in CT and just love the Northeast region.
After I went to visit my son in Oregon, i have another great region. But, Acadia is just an amazing place to visit.
You can get an 8K axle. Grand Design even offers them as an upgrade.
Definitely get a second opinion. And call Grand Design and let them know you are having issues with the axle they just installed.
That would have my first call after paying $$$$ to GD
We have a horse trailer with 8K axles and they’re not wet bearings.
Yeah, when that trailer shop said 7k is as big as you can go, red flags went up. And you can allign an axle.....basically go to a different shop.
We bought a new fifth wheel where one of the axles had a brake backing plate welded on incorrectly. Meaning the entire wheel was slightly tilted inward at the top causing excess wear on the inside of the tire . Techs check the axels but don’t look at the actual wheel angle as this axle assembly mistake is much less common. The area I’m trying to describe is where the round pipe of the axel meets the plate holding the wheel assembly this angle needs to be 90 degrees so the wheel and tire runs true . The fix for this problem is a new axle . You can check for this visually by comparing the one wheel to the other from directly behind or from the front. if it’s messed up you can see it. In our case you were able to see it . Good luck.
You can get your fifth wheel aligned. Not too may places do it but you can also do it yourself. You need to make sure the distance from the king pin is the same for each axle. Check you haven't had any shackle problems with your springs. Once we did an alignment after we got new tires, it cured our uneven wear problem. Going to a Cat scale will take the guess work out of being too heavy but you know that. Just make sure you do the weight checks like others have mentioned below to see how much weight is on that back axle. Good luck.
I still love how you show the good, the bad and the ugly of running full time RV. Every time you show a problem like this its more of an education for people like me who are just now thinking of going full-time. Maybe I just need to let-er-rip?
I would think it is more that the nose of the trailer being higher is putting extra pressure on the on the rear axel and the is probably the reason that axel had to be replaced.
Here we go with the Finnegan pins again.
I love how people say stuff with Authority and are completely wrong .
Yes you can align axels, it’s not like a car alignment, but you definitely can align them to make sure they are installed straight
Correct. I had my 5th wheel alignment at a RV/truck alignment specialist.
I am wondering how. It's bolted into place and no adjustment on any of the campers I have had or seen, which is somewhat meaningless to others. But how.....is the question.
..thanks !!!
@@franknaiman5219 they bend the axles in the direction required to achieve proper toe and camber. It’s pretty neat to watch. Have had it done to my previous 3 trailers. Brand new right out of the factory they can be bad
Then, that does not fit the definition of a tire alignment. If a trailer "alignment" involves bending the axle or spindle, that is a modification. The axle fits in the pin of the springs; once it is there, it can't be moved forward or backward.
@@dustinryan9671 hense..tells me..the rv is overloaded.
If you want an easier way to add water back into your black tank after dumping, just use your hose on the black tank flush after shutting the dump valve. Purchase an inexpensive water meter off of Temu to measure how much water your putting into the black tank, and voilà, super simple (no need for collapsible buckets and hand water transfers). Easy peasey lemon squeezy (no extra equipment or steps involved).
I am professional truck driver for ten years, and have seen hundreds of trailers like this before. Since you have blown out tire, and replaced new axle, I would guess axle mount bent. Secure bolts fixing axle mount attached to frame, suspect connection between axle and its mount.
I remember you added grease. and drove with misplaced axle position for a while? I think it caused mechanical damage on axle mount, and it is not connected properly anymore. My company probably trades this kind of trailer, because too much maintenance cost, and better get new trailer. Most trailers will be traded in 5 yrs. You guys go through Alaska, and unpaved campground to park. It can damage alot.
There's a place in Mesa AZ that has a business that specializes in RV alignment. They mount these lasers on your wheels and can tell of they are running straight, if not straight then they can address what is causing the wheel is not straight and fix that problem. When I had my rv done there it drove like a whole new RV. It cost $600 for my class A MH.
Straight Line 4460 E Main St
Mesa, AZ 85205
United States
an idea,...restore the truck to its original ride height, with the proper wheels and tires. you should be able to sell the lift kit, and the aftermarket wheels and tires to re-coop some of the cost. Enjoy your website !!
There is such a thing as a trailer alignment. I had the same tire wear issue and took the 5th Wheel to Josam Truck and Trailer in Orlando Florida where they did an alignment on the rear axle. That fixed the inner wear problem on the tire.
So for the miles you are putting on. Get rid of those axles and put a independent suspension on. Like Morryde. Big game changer. You will love the ride. Less tire problems. And you can get wheel alignments. Plus you can up the weight on your IS System to a higher weight rating. We switched our on our Reflection big game changer.
dont forget when u r dumping either one of the holding tanks u r getting rid of water volume so its gonna involve a suction of air back into tanks either thru the vent stack or someplace else so if you have a one way valve on vent it could be air coming back into tank
You can get an alignment on a trailer. I've done it several times. It sort of brute Force they bend your axle mechanically but it does work and I've had great results and it was far cheaper than replacing axles.
That’s not an alignment but rather putting the positive camber back into the axle
Ford pick ups have been doing this for years. Bending the front I beam
I had our Axles Aligned to Factory Specs at a Frame/Axle/Springs shop. Straightened (Bent) and shifted back into position. Fixed my tire problem.
Had caught a curb and ran up over it. Pulled axle back on that side. Towed easy again after that fix! 😊
You should have the tires flipped around on the rim and see how they wear before you buy new tires. Love your videos!
YES YOU CAN GET YOUR TRAILER AXLES ALIGNED.i GOT IT DONE FOR $300.00
I was kind of surprised by his answer to that question.
I agree with a lot of your comments you received. Definitely weigh your axles individually. If you find that the rear axle is weighing more than the front, you probably need a lift kit on your trailer to level out your trailer. Until then, swap your tires inside out so that the Fresh tread is on the inside, and the wear is on the outside. You'll get more mileage out of it that way, just my thoughts.Thank you, I enjoy your channel. Dexter is great.
We had the same issue and the simplest confirmation of the alignment is a straight bar across both tires and it will show you, toe in or toe out. We ended upgrading to MORyde Independent Suspension and disc brakes.
Hey Kyle, just an idea for y’all. Hit a cat scale you know how the scales are split in 3 sections. Pull up so you get your front trailer axle and your back trailer axle on separate sections. You don’t need the truck on the scales. Having you 2 trailer axles on separate sections of the scale would give you the individual weights each axle is carrying. Might help you understand if one is under and the other is over weight and how much.
Lifted trucks cause issues. You need to tow level and it’s obvious nose high so you’re putting more load on that rear axle. New truck or the major expense to lower the truck back to stock. I suspect your hitch is adjusted as low as it can go. Tire recommendation is Goodyear G614
lt235/85/16
Load range G
In my opinion With the raised truck you are lifting the front of the of the rig thus causing more weight on the rear axle which will cause more wear also that is putting more weight on the axel may cause it to bow causing the excessive wear on the inside of the tire.
Tire tip…if you can make it to your next RV park just setup as usual then use a jack to remove your tire or tires and just take the wheel/tire to the tire shop to have the new tire installed. Much easier than taking your whole rig 😊
Time to do a video on using the CAT scales app!
And yes, you can align the axles on the trailer, although it may require some welding. The Trailersmith has a great video that shows how he checks alignment and describes many of the problems that can cause misalignment.
ua-cam.com/video/Wn_JyikwhNQ/v-deo.html
Yes, you are correct, lifted truck with over-sized tires. With the nose of the trailer high, it places a lot of weight on the rear axle. Tandem wheel axles are always hard on tires, but an over-weight axle can increase tire wear. If you cannot level out your trailer, maybe better weight distribution can help? Good luck. We love your show, and we watch it every week. Maybe an "old man" truck without a lift kit and oversized tires? 😃
This combination sets your tires up for more flats and blow outs. You don;t want to go down the road with 40% weight on front tires and 60% on the rear tires. Your rear tires would be over their weight limit.
Lippert has the solution it's called CORRECT TRAC. It is used for lifting the trailer and aligning the trailer.
Hey guys just a suggestion for your black tank. Mix pine sol , Calgon beads and water in a gal. jug then after each dumping of the tank add some solution and water. I've been doing this season with it and seems help keep the tank cleaner and no odor.
Have you considered the Independent Suspension from MorRyde? You can upgrade to an 8k system & the tires are alighnable.
I bet a new truck minus lift kit is looking good by now 😂 Thanks for sharing your adventures!
We went through the whole bent axle gig last year. I had the same concerns as you, as far as the tires are concerned. From what I saw on your video, your tires are chafing some but are not to the replacement stage yet. (Cord not showing) What I did, was swap the tires from the front axle to the rear. This allowed me to see whether the new axle was the cure. In our case, it was. No chafing showed on the rear after 1200 miles. We then bought new tires all around and haven’t had a problem since.
As others have said, get it weighed. If you dont, you will wish you did... So, just do it to know if you are within tolerance.
Then, take it to a place that can see if your axle mounts (frame) is bent. You might have a bent axle or a good axle, but if the mounts are bent (out of alignment), neither will work long term. There are places that can measure (typically using light lazors) and then strap your frame down and straighten it using hydraulic presses, I'm just not familiar w/ anything in Tx. Have you looked into your options of lowering your hitch mount/hitch to level it out? In any case, get it to a place that can do custom work.
Connect your outdoor shower hose directly to your black tank flush .with a water meter to fill your black tank with the needed water after the “let ur rip” cycle
Saves so much time
Noise is from vacuum break for black tank flush. Most are located near the highest point of plumbing…shower valve access.
My tires were wearing just like this, I rebended/realigned the leaf spring hangers. Fixed problem, 8k miles later still aligned.
Check out the MorRyde’s independent suspension. It will give you a much smoother ride, disk brakes, when turning you will not be dragging the inside tire and you should get even tire wear.
I’m getting mine installed just before the National Rally next August.
Kyle yes you can align the axles on a trailer. Also with a lifted truck you are putting a lot more pressure on the rear axle. I had a lifted truck at one time and had tire ware on the outside edges. After getting a new truck and new tires on the fifth wheel haven’t had that issue and more. I was also a little over weight at the time we also got the weight issue down. So it could be a lot of things to cause that issue. Take it to a cat scale and weigh the truck and Rv then just weight the truck.
Hi relative to wheel alignment, you can shim your backplate that the brake assembly bolts to, when you have an alignment problem to correct your problem providing you have a electric brake assembly.
We had 8k added to our F/W. I had two axles go bad from Dexter. We added disk along with the 8k Performance Braking from OK. City. Now we added Morryde IS Suspension. Another thing I'd get rid of those China Bomb Westlakes before another tire goes down. Its a known fact if the RV is nose high it will cause issues.
Yes you can check the alignment of your back axle. Measure from the front spring bolt which is welded to the frame.
To the back axle center pin in your spring bolt.
If you show a difference from side to side it’s in your spring shackles and Bolts wearing.
Especially check the center rocker shackles.
If one side has more wear than the other it will let the back axle tack off.
Not exactly an alignment but rather simply replacing worn parts which a person should check and do anyway.
The issue I believe they are experiencing is one of a combination of possibly worn parts including even spring shackles and tires that were worn incorrectly with the old axle. They aren’t going to correct themselves.
Also, having a truck with a lift they can’t get the camper to ride level thus transferring more weight to that back axle and changing the camber of the axle beyond what’s deemed normal. Getting the camper to ride level is very important.
I don’t believe replacing those tires are important. At most they could be dismounted and turned and remounted so they’ll burn in on the opposite edge.
That is correct you cannot align trailer wheels, but manufacture can make the trailer a little off so that it might be dog tracking a little.
one thing you can do if you know how to read a tape measure is to measure from the tongue or center point in front of trailer to the front of each wheel or axle where it mounts to frame right side and left side It’s important to measure the exact spot on each side. And also pull the same tension on the tape measure so the sag in the tape is the same. (if on one side, your tape measure sags to the ground. It will give you a longer measurement than the other side where the tape measure is tight and no sagging) That will tell you if your axle was mounted to the frame a little off.
Measurements reading to the exact fraction of an inch is crucial
As always, you are giving great information for things to watch out for. Grandpa Jack
Yes. You're on the right track thinking the wear was already started. Like any tires on any vehicle at any position, once a wear pattern is started it's almost impossible to correct the wear on said tire. For instance, if you were to dismount and have it mounted again with the worn inside on the outside it would make you think that the you now have an issue with the outside. Hope that makes sense and keep on keeping on. 🤜🤛
My 2022 Solitude 375RES comes standard with 7K axles but I ordered 8K axles. Also, MORryde will upgrade you to the 8k IS axles.
We went to a 14 ply commercial tire on our tree chipper at work and it was the best money we ever spent. Last way longer. Way more durable.
I had uneven tire wear on my Montana 3121rl. I took it to accurate alignment in appleton wisconsin ,they checked and adjusted the alignment. They put it on an alignment machine and accomplished the alignment in about 3 hours. Its a very common issue that they take care of. Love your channel, good luck with the repair.
If you have solid axles and leaf springs I would love to know what they did to adjust the alignment. Only option i know of is cutting the spring hangers off the frame and moving them. There is no "adjustments " i thought
Hi Brandon, It looks brutal but they use chain and a porta power and yes, bend the axle. There are a couple youtube videos showing how its done. They provided a before and after printout of camber and toe readings before and after adjustment. This place has the specialized alignment machine required. Cost was about the same as two new "G" rated tires mounted and balanced.
I think I would have rotated the front to the rear and seen how the wear goes.
Go to MORide and get independent suspension axles installed. You can even upgrade to disk brakes. Great people and service. Unbelievable difference in axles. I’d send you a picture of the comparison if I could.
Definitely!! We had them put on our solitude 377mbs and it made a world of difference
Hey Kyle, I might have a suggestion for you on towing nose high which may be affecting your rear tire wear. It looks like there is a lot of clearance between your truck bed rail and the underside of your fifth wheel. You typically need about 5 1/2” clearance from top of bed rail to underside of fifth wheel. Just watching your latest video, it looks like it’s much more than that. You may be able to drop down your 5th wheel hitch within the mounting bracket in the bed of your truck to level out the RV a bit more thus evening out the load between front and rear Rv tires. Best of luck.
Steve
Looking as the guy got under your trailer, overloaded doesn't appear to be the issue. The axle has a good arch in it. I believe you are having radial wear. Once it starts, it doesn't stop. Probably started with the old axle but carried the tires over to the new one. New tires should take care of it. Next time you buy all 4 go to 235/85R16-14. Just a touch tallerthat will help with your angle.
There is a lot of good advice on here. There's not much I could add on here that hasn't already been said.
However, I would like to add something a feel is a little more important than the tire issues. Just watched another couple that are tubers like you two. And it made me think of the two of you and this trip to Maine. You both look stressed. I to know the feeling of things keep piling on with no relief in sight. I can see how much you want to enjoy this trip. I and many are enjoying watching you. But you have a right to a breather. Take a step back and rest. Slow down and take your time. Don't worry, we'll be waiting.
The couple is: Kels and Jay, "Why everyone is quitting UA-cam." She had some good advice on the stages of being a contact creator and the stresses of it and everday life. Give it a watch. They are bus/Van/RV builders and travelers.
P.S.
Also, when it comes to purging. Don't blame the wash/dry combo. You both deserve that. Purge some clothes first. Those things weigh a lot. Then go from there. It's good to do it once or twice every couple of years.
Be safe and HappyHanks.
Electric over hydraulic disk brake install is a phenomenal upgrade and not terribly complicated. We did the upgrade ourselves -videos coming soon-the improvement over factory electric drum brakes is incredible. With your lifted truck, consider lifting blocks on the trailer to level your 5er relative to the truck to take some load off the rear axle.
Also, this is why I carry some jack stands. I can remove the tires, take them to the tire shop, and have them put the new tire on the rim. Did that with six new Westlakes in Montana last summer.
Putting it on the cat scale while hooked to the trailer and split weigh the trailer axles to determine how much pressure difference between the two axles. That will confirm if the nose high is the problem with the wear.
That’s a very good suggestion for them.
The problem is the lifted truck. It's putting the weight on the back axle. You can have axles aligned.
Thanks for sharing concerns so we all have an easier route if needed. Always learning! Safe travels!
You can do a couple of things to find and resolve the issue(s) that you're experiencing. It is hard to diagnose from afar, but you can run over a CAT certified scale to get all individual axle weights, but if you can find an RV scaling company they would also be able to not only give you axle weights, but individual wheel weights, as well, which would be much more beneficial for you as you have been having a tire wear issue for awhile...
You mentioned that your truck has a lift kit and that you're towing your trailer, "Nose High"; how high has your truck been lifted? Towing a nose high trailer can cause the weight to transfer from the front axle more to the rear axle, which would tend to cause some issues. So, how to resolve a level towing issue...you can, "Flip the Axles", meaning that you can move the axle from below the leaf springs and instead placing the axle above the leaf springs, which should raise your trailer approximately 5". If you need to raise it further then you could also add lift blocks; similar to how your truck was raised. You want a level trailer when towing 🙂
Also inspect all of your trailer suspension hardware; bolts, bushing, spring links, springs, etc. Axle pivot bolts and bushings can wear slightly given the number of miles traveled and are rarely ever lubricated... One way yo find a "mis-alignment" issue is with a tape measure. Measure from a fixed point to each axle component. the measurements should match from side to side and in between the axles, as well. If you find a slight discrepancy, then you can start to pin-point the issue. I hope this helps or at least gives you food for thought 🙂
Enjoy The Adventure 🙂
On the backflow preventer valve, the plastic ones make that noice when you use them to back flush. They prevent the water from going backwards in that process. The metal version you can buy and install does not make that sound. It needs to be placed at least 6 inches above the water entrance pipe as an fyi.
My family has been saying Let r Rip for a long long time. My Dad was a car dealer from the 30s to mid 60s and also a great mechanic. They were great days.
I have from the factory 8000 pound axels. They have “correct track” which is how the alignment of my axels is done. I put disc breaks on my trailer 5 years ago and would never own a fifth wheel without them. A friend put the MORryde independent suspension and disc breaks on his last year and he just loves it. MORryde would be the answer all your suspension problems.
We change tires ourselves. Make sure they are balanced before bringing them to RV. Lift one side of RV with the landing gear legs, put Jack or blocks underneath in case of a fall…..Take tires off, put on new tires. Simple and much less expensive.
Regarding flushing tanks, I have never been embarrassed about flushing tanks. I learned my lesson on the poop pyramid in winter. I got that flush valve that hooks between the connect and sewer hose. You hook your hose to it to rinse through that end. You find them at Walmart for about $25. No more poop pyramid. I got the external valve because I noticed a little fluid leaking through on travel days. Also, I recently found these disposable work gloves at Sam’s club for about $10 a pack. I find they are great for getting a better grip on stuff around the RV. Nothing like disconnecting the water hose first then trying to disconnect other stuff.
You NEED an alignment. Get your trailer to an alignment shop, one that tells you that that's a service they provide, not a Firestone store, not a tire shop, etc. If a shop can align a class 8 over-the-road truck, they will likely be able to align your trailer. Also, not all trailer axles can be bent; But I have DEXTER 5K axles under my Arctic Fox, and I had my trailer aligned after seeing wear that looked just like yours. Dexter axles can be bent, but other brands may NOT be bent. Many people buy trailer tires but I always use LT-type tires. If you go to LT-type tires, make sure they have enough weight-carrying capacity to handle YOUR LOAD. That may require an upsize on the tire you choose.
I had the compete suspension replaced on my triple axle 5th wheel. I found two broken springs while replacing 4 of the 6 tires. The trailer repair shop found the 3 axles slightly bent & replaced everything. Shackles,equalizers, axles, brakes etc. . I had 2 tires that were not replaced and was told to replace the tires on that new axle also. One of the tires was wearing on the inside. The trailer is 15 years old. This was less expensive than a new rig.
Hi you two! Thank you for your videos. My wife Jan & I really enjoy them.
Regarding your tire tread wear..
Around the farm we used to use about 1/8" toe-in for trailers & such... (rim to rim front measured about 1/4" less than rim to rim back)
So..
The FIRST thing I would do, BEFORE spending any money on new tires or getting the alignment checked, is to measure both front & back axle toe-ins yourself. Make sure you pull straight in, forward about 10' or so, with no turning pressures on the axles & use a simple measuring tape. Measure the toe-ins as mentioned above & compare the front to back axles. They should both be about the same and, IMO, neither should measure as being toe-out.
If not, then get the alignment AND axle nut adjustments checked.
It is my understanding that axle toe-in, camber (& caster, if any) are built into the jig that is used in the manufacture of the axles.. So, there is a top & bottom AND a front back to each axle. So, although unlikely that the rear axle was installed incorrectly back to front TWICE, you need to confirm it before buying & putting on new tires or having someone "bend" the axle tubes..
A couple of "by-the-ways"..
1. It was always my understanding that the reason for a little toe-in is to allow for the very small amount of play left in the system after bearing axle nuts are properly adjusted. As the vehicle is brought up to speed, the wheels tend towards a toe-out condition, taking up any slack left in the bearings.
To that point.. remember when you set the axle bearing nuts too loose earlier this year? Could it be that that was when the new tires were damaged as the tires were allowed to actually run to a toe-out condition because of the slack?
2. If you can, I suggest you avoid buying new tires until you sort this out.. if the rears are still safe to run, instead, consider swapping the tires front to back, keeping a close eye on all the wear. Get a tire thread-wear gauge & record the tread depth across the tires.
3. Yes, you should go to a CAT scale to determine whether you're within limits and, yes, I believe wear on the inside of the tread can be the result of overloading.
HOWEVER, IMO, the arch on your rear axle does not suggest it being overloaded, I would have expected it to be much flatter, less of an arch, if it were grossly so.. AND I'd also have expected all the tires to show excess tread wear on the inside..
Anyhow, just my thoughts.. God bless, Dennis
In addition to the other great advice on here, a different type of hitch migh help. I pull with an Andersen hitch that lets our 43’ 5th wheel ride at 6” above my truck bed.
You could just rotate the front tires to the rear and keep running them for now.
Unique is the best! We’re 10 months a year on the road and currently in Arizona. We’ve been using that product for 3 years or so now. A+ 👊🏼
We are going through the same here and we are trying to lighting our load and get new axle with jayco in IN plus new tires
You do know you can go to a CAT scale at a truck stop and split your tandem over two scales and figure what weight each axle is supporting. If I had a 5th wheel I think I'd do Timbrens or Air bags for overload support.
I just had my rear wheels on a 2021 Reflections 303 aligned. I can show the alignment numbers if need. No more inner tire wear. JS.
Just watched the beginning of this episode. Have you thought about lowering your 5th wheel plate in the bed? You can adjust them and not sure if you have adjusted that yet. It might help with the trailer weight on the back axle. Just a thought.
Happy Campin!
When turning sharply going forward or backing up on a hard surface the tires will slide and drag causing wear. Rotating tires may give you longer tire wear.
have the axle re-bent take it to a truck shop that works on semis they can bend it in about 5 minutes. also get and adjustable hitch.... hard with a 5th wheel though gen-y sells a gooseneck adapter that rides better and is adjustable but then you have to worry about bed clearance. also might want to look at timbren axle less suspension system.
There are many ways to check if your axles are straight with each other, two simple ways are to take an 8 ft two by four that is straight and hold it against the front tire and see if it is also touching the rear wheels, if it is the axle on that side is straight with the front one, if not you have a problem. You can also do this with a chord, hold it to the front edge of the front wheel edge and touch the back edge of the front wheel and see if your touching the rear tire edge. Easy Pease!
I love all the information you guys give us , and showing us what does help to get services and reservations I watch you all the time
You can get the trailer aligned. I was having the same issue and got mine done at a shop that does tractor trailers.
Yes you can have a trailer aligned. I had it done in September this year.
I second this, take it to a truck shop.
Shame a guy at a tire says you can't alignment trailer
Frame and axle shop. They’ll use chains to re-bend your axle back into alignment.
This.
Agree - have had it done before. Look for a heavy frame and truck shop.
Hey Kyle, not sure you're lugging buckets to add water to your black tank. You could just run water into the black tank using the black tank flush connection.
Yup, check weights, overloading does weird things to the tires.
And yes you can get get axles aligned. Josam in Orlando, or another decent truck and trailer place.
Just a thought....If your Max pressure is 110 psi and you're running your tires at the Max pressure then that might be your problem. Might try running them at around 90-95 psi to see if that has any effect on your tire wear......
That max pressure is a max cold temp.
I’m pretty sure that noise you are hearing when you dump your black tank is the BT flush you hooked up at the same time. Ours makes same sound when I flush the tank.
I love you two! Your videos are very informative. I have been following you for a few years (yes a few). This video on tire wear and possible axle problems was very helpful. We have a 2022 34 foot Montana High Country fifth wheel. I pull the 5th wheel with a 2022 Chevy 2500 HD gas power 6.6 lt. engine. We looked at the Grand Design like yours but got a good deal on the Montana.
We are both 71 years old and are not full time RVers. But we try to get out as much as we can. We are exploring Oklahoma area RV parks near where we live in the Oklahoma City area.
Kyle, if GD didn't put new tires on when replacing the axle, that is your problem. Once a tire begins its wear pattern, you can't stop it. Or because you are not towing level, you are overloading your rear axle.
Comment / suggestion!!
EDIT - wrote the below while watching the beginning of the video, then later saw that the date was included when talking fall colors !!😀😀
We really like your videos and we have a suggestion - at the beginning of the video, you include information about the location. The suggestion is to include the date(s). That might help other folks to plan similar trips based on the weather that you encounter.
Thank you for considering the suggestion.
Safe travels.
Good idea!
There is a trailer maintenance shop in Pontiac, MI that can align the camber of trailer axles. They put your trailer on a hydraulic machine that actually bends the axle to adjust the camber.
if they have to bend the axle back to spec's ?..this tells me they are overloading the rv.
Just use your black flush to add water to black tank. Flow guage helps immensely