# Can You Have An Alignment Done On The Trailer?



## 1stTimeAround (Sep 22, 2004)

Good morning all!

As a result of my state inspection, I was required to buy a new rear driver's side tire because the one I had was worn down to the wear bar on the inside. The other 3 tires seem to be wearing normally.

Any thoughts on how an alignment may be able to be done on a trailer?

Thanks

Jason


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## Red Beard (Feb 13, 2010)

Before you go through paying for an alignment I would recommend checking the bearing on this axle and also check to see if the axle stub looks bent/damaged. Typically a single worn tire is an indicator of something bent or a bearing that is bad or not seated. 
Good luck 
You can have an alignment completed on a trailer. You will need to find a shop that does trailers. It will likely be a shop that does springs, axles and re-arching of over the road trailers.


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## Joe/GA (Aug 14, 2009)

Red Beard said:


> Before you go through paying for an alignment I would recommend checking the bearing on this axle and also check to see if the axle stub looks bent/damaged. Typically a single worn tire is an indicator of something bent or a bearing that is bad or not seated.
> Good luck
> You can have an alignment completed on a trailer. You will need to find a shop that does trailers. It will likely be a shop that does springs, axles and re-arching of over the road trailers.


I had two tires wearing unevenly and hired a man that was recommended by camping world. He used lasers to check the alignment. The rear axle was not parallel with the front axle and the front axle had excessive tow in. I have close to 2000 miles on a new set of tires that bought after the alignment and I can't see any wear, normal or abnormal.


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## Traveling Tek (Oct 15, 2010)

I will have to watch this. My passenger side tires are wearing more then the driver side and already had a blow out on one of them.


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## sunnybrook29 (Oct 7, 2009)

How do they do an alignment ? Move the bracket for and aft that holds the springs to axle??? I need it done on my boat trailer !


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## W5CI (Apr 21, 2009)

State Inspection?? We dont have that here in Ar.


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## Joe/GA (Aug 14, 2009)

sunnybrook29 said:


> How do they do an alignment ? Move the bracket for and aft that holds the springs to axle??? I need it done on my boat trailer !


If I remember right, there is a pin on the axle that fits into a hole in the spring or vice versa. He elongated the hole so he could move the axle back and then tightened it down. To correct the tow-in, he positioned a heavy piece of angle iron on the good axle and placed a jack between the angle iron and the bad axle. He then heated the bad axle and pushed against it with the jack. He then checked the laser readings and heated the axle again. He did this about 3 or 4 times until it had the correct tow-in.


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## ELSEWHERE (Sep 16, 2007)

My left rear tire was also worn on the inside tread. I took a straight 2X4 and laid it on the axle centerline on the right side and all four sidewalls hit the 2X4. On the left side, with the 2X4 on the rear tire sidewalls, the 2X4 pointed out, not touching the front tire sidewalls at all. I also measured the distances from the leading and trailing edges of the tire treads on both axles from one side of the trailer to the other and found the distance on the rear axle from the left rear leading edge to the right rear leading edge was more than the other measurements. This indicated to me the left rear tire was toed out, causing excessive wear. I took the trailer to an auto body shop who did RV axle alignments and for $100, using alignment equipment mounted on the rear axle tires, they bent the rear axle to re-align it. They claimed they have done this numerous times in the past with good results. I've only put a little over 1,000 miles on the trailer since the re-alignment and haven't checked the tire wear yet to verify the results.


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## Carey (Mar 6, 2012)

To check alignment: Get a long tape. Use the hitch coupler as the point. Then measure back to each axle using something that is the same on both sides like the edge of the rim or the edge of the spring perch. The spring perch is the piece of steel welded to the axle that locates the leaf springs.

Ive aligned semi trailers this way for years. This method works great on any trailer. If you are within an 1/8 inch on an axle you are good.

Carey


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## outbackgeorgia (Jan 28, 2004)

Work shackle bushings will cause mis-alignment due to normal wear. I replaced all of mine, several were completely worn through and causing tire wear on the left front. Seems OK now after replacing all bushings and some worn bolts.

Dave


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