Noises coming from our trailer when backing up

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mkowske

Member
Joined
May 7, 2017
Posts
12
My wife and I have been taking our camper trailer (22' 2013 Kodiak) to a nearby parking lot to practice backing up and have noticed some concerning noises that I'm not sure if are normal or not. When going straight everything seems to be fine, but when we start to turn (greater angles seem to make it happen more) we'll get some creaking and groaning and then sometimes a pop or two. It seems to be happening at the axles. I assume that backing up one way and then the other and making lots of turns like that puts a lot of torsion on the rear axles.

Also, after hearing these noises and having the trailer in a full turn backing up you can look at the tires and see that they have different cambers (two axle trailer). Well that seems to be explained as normal by this youtube video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qIFdltJRqoQ) but wanted to check here too.

Really then, it's just the noises I'm concerned about. We took a video... I'll see if I can post it here in a minute.
 
You sure it isn't your weight distribution arms creaking and popping?  It's quite common.
Depending on your hitch model they may need some grease. 

ETA:
If you have a friction type anti sway bar it should be removed before any extreme maneuvering. 
Personally I remove all arms before backing into a site (if that is what you are practicing) that requires a lot of steering.  They need to come off anyway.
 
Those make some noise too but we're pretty sure this is coming from the axles... here is a short video:

https://youtu.be/Qc-KXKlv_X8
 
Sure sounds like distribution arms to me, but I will assume you know for certain it is not.

The wheels seem to be turning smooth and not binding or hopping.

 
massspike said:
The wheels/axles will make noise when turning sharply.

Odd, never experienced that at all (as compared to the uploaded video).
I have to pull some serious turns to turn my trailer around in my drive and never had that happen.
 
I suspect it is your trailer brakes.

Normal if it is.

Disconnect the 7 way plug and see if that stops the noise.

It could also be the spring shackles.  Wet bolts will cure that problem.
 
An easy way to tell if it's the axles or WDH bars is remove the bars and try it.
 
Part of it is for sure the trailer brakes you can hear a hum and a pop on a consistent basis and then there is this whole other loud pop noise that is in the end of the video. I called the place we bought it from too and they said it is normal the axles are designed to flex during sharp turns and the U clamps or whatever they are can make noise like that. Combined with the feedback here I will not let it bother me ... sure sounds horrible though. thanks for the replies.
 
I agree that it sounds horrible, and my trailer does the same thing during slow maneuvers.  ;)  For my setup, I have concluded that there are so many metal parts in close proximity and at separate points of contact (ball/hitch, safety chains, weight distribution arms, friction anti-sway, and not we talk about axles and brakes)... that it's gonna be a noisy venture at times!
 
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