trailer tires torque when backing up

[tmb]

I have a 2012 210 sitting on top of a 2012 Ramlin tandem axle trailer. When I back up at an angle (into driveway from street), the tires look like they are going to snap off. The amount of torque is pretty staggering, enough to make my wife tell me to stop because she thought the tire was going to come off. What is going on? Is this normal?

[azeus17]

I think so. Most people are not used to tandem axle trailers and are amazed at how much the sidewalls flex on the tires when turning slowly and sharply. I assume you don't have low profile tires, nor do I, but I wonder if they do the same thing, or if they just kind of slide/drag across the pavement??

[jhersey29]

Are you using a 4 pin wiring adapter on the trailer?
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[shag]

If it is the tires on the front axle, you might have too much tongue weight. They will flex some, and it's always a good idea to try and make the widest turn possible to prevent dragging. Be sure that your weight is adjusted correctly.

[nyryan2001]

1. Ensure your trailer is level at rest when hooked up to your truck. put a level on it and see how close you are, you may need to raise or lower the ball mount to get it better. But if it it too high, It will really put **** on those rear tires, it can even straight rip the treads off, I did it having my first boat too high in the front.

2. the big ballon 14-15" Marathon style tires have a TON of flex in them. ensure they are filled up to the max PSI. low air makes them even even worse wobbly wise.

[nukemustang]

I've also made the rookie move of not noticing this after going from a single axle to a tandem trailer and when unhooking the trailer from the truck, had the trailer tongue slam into my bumper at the trailer "un torqued" itself. After that time, I always take notice of how the trailer tires are before unhooking the boat from the truck.

[Tallredrider]

TMB, I think what you are describing is normal. Whenever tandem axles turn, there has to be some dragging sideways of at least one of the axles, whichever one has less traction. That also happens to be whichever one has the least weight on it. If the weight is 100% symmetrical, and both are on solid concrete, then they both will torque a little in opposite directions. But that is rarely the situation when backing into a driveway and the angle between the tow vehicle and driveway changes.

[shawndoggy]

To get my boat in and out of storage I have to do a hard 90* turn. I've been in and out enough that there are skid marks for most of that 90* turn. Looks like someone did a smoky burnout with a camaro ss out of my storage unit.

I will say that my parking situation definitely contributes to premature tire wear. I tend to get about three seasons out of a set of tires before they start to look sketchy. New tires are less expensive than a new house though.

[nukemustang]

My current garage is very tight (<3" extra), and I use http://www.harborfreight.com/1250-lb...lly-61917.html two of these to jack the back tires off the ground to be able to pivot the boat to get it in the correct spot. It takes an extra 5 minutes to get it in the garage, but it gets put in the exact spot every time and keeps me from destroying the floor, tires and excessivly stressing the trailer frame/axles. Plus much less stress on my truck trying to back it into the exact right spot and 15 times reversing back up the driveway and driving in the grass.

[nyryan2001]

TMB, I think what you are describing is normal. Whenever tandem axles turn, there has to be some dragging sideways of at least one of the axles, whichever one has less traction. That also happens to be whichever one has the least weight on it. If the weight is 100% symmetrical, and both are on solid concrete, then they both will torque a little in opposite directions. But that is rarely the situation when backing into a driveway and the angle between the tow vehicle and driveway changes.

Welcome Brother.... is you being on here an indication of which direction you are going?

[tmb]

1. Ensure your trailer is level at rest when hooked up to your truck. put a level on it and see how close you are, you may need to raise or lower the ball mount to get it better. But if it it too high, It will really put **** on those rear tires, it can even straight rip the treads off, I did it having my first boat too high in the front.

2. the big ballon 14-15" Marathon style tires have a TON of flex in them. ensure they are filled up to the max PSI. low air makes them even even worse wobbly wise.

I will check the level when I pull her out of storage in the spring

[sstexan]

My trailer flexes really hard as well. I have a 230 on a Eagle trailer with 14" Marathon's. I just take it easy and everything seems ok once I straighten it out. Good Luck!

[Prairiedawg]

I moved my boat from one side of our shop to the other, out of one bay door into another, it is uphill a bit into the doors, as I was backing up, it seemed like I was pushing the trailer without the tires turning, when I was finished I looked at the floor and had black tire marks in the shop the whole way! My first thought was that the surge brakes were engaged because I was pushing the boat/trailer uphill, this was indeed the case, I did not bother plugging the connector in because I was just moving from door to door, and found that if you plug the lights in and put the vehicle in reverse, it bypasses the surge brakes so they don't lock up when you back up.