abnormal tire wear on '95 jayco popup camper.

[ordoc]

I have read numerous posts, but non seemed to be my problem. We bought a used popup tent camper. It was a '95 1206 jayco.  Eventually we discovered evidence of a wheel having been run while loose. Probably never totally came off, but hub was hammered onto face of rim ( on the spare tire).

Subsequently, new tires are worn out on the inside of each wheel, worse on the right side. The left side was the side that probably came loose, as it has different sized lugs. total miles on new tires was 7000 and needed to be replaced.

We attempted to have a mechanic add spacers to top of hub on both side.Approximately two washers in thickness with a slight improvement.

The Axle is straight. It is a dexter torsion bar style.

A wheel alignment guy looked at it, but was unsure what to do about it a year ago. Now looking for another one.

Has anyone else had a problem like this, and what was the eventual solution? I am ready to put a quarter inch spacer on the top and try that. (Have new 10 ply tires for another trip!)


Thanks,

Ordoc

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[RV Roamer]

Wear on the inner edges of both wheels suggest that both tires are toed out. That usually means a bent axle on a trailer. How did you conclude the axle is not bent? A truck alignment shop is probably more used to bending solid axles to fix problems than a typical auto alignment shop.

Meanwhile, I don't see any real problem with adding more spacers to see if that helps.  The Dexter people would probably have conniptions if they heard about it, though.

[ordoc]

Thanks for the suggestions, I put a 4 ft level on the top of the axle, but I did not think to do that front to back, so will do that next, and then follow up with a call to a truck frame shop for additional eval.

Appreciate your help.

ordoc.

[PattieAM]

I had a blow-out on I-95 earlier this year, and when I returned home with the PUP and the dead tire, my tire guy mentioned that I might have been driving in truck ruts, as only the inside of the blown out tire tred was worn  - other tire fine, and PUP not overloaded, no evidence of bent axle....

[RV Roamer]

You would have to drive a long time in a truck rut to wear one side of a tire and even then??? Usually the ruts are only 1/8-1/4 inch deep.   Possibly the cause, but not too likely, I would think.  Watch the new tire carefully for signs on inner edge wear - the evidence suggests either a bent axle or bad wheel bearings.

[hwick]

I also have a 95 jayco 1206 that wears the tires on the inside.  it's noticeable after 1000 miles.  my thought is that the wheels are toed out or else the frame has settled or bent.  it's always done it though so i don't think it's the frame.  has anyone figured this out?  please and thanks.  i think these internet forums are great  ---  hank

[freedomrules3]

I have heard of jigs being off when campers are made. measure the placement of the axle on both sides of the frame just to eliminate that variation . I had a friend that his popup was doing the same thing. he found his axle was displaced by an inch making the camper sort of crab down the road. He had a fabrication shop moved the axle. It is probably a very rare occurance but something to check. I will note he had both tires wearing , yours does sound like a bend somewhere in the axle, possibly near that particular tire. Just a thought.

[scott smith]

I checked my 1995 Jayco 1207 axle with a 4' level and found it to have a slight bend up in the middle +/- 1/8" and forward +/- 1/8". Is this enough to cause the tires to wear severely on the inside edges? Also the GVW is just over the axle rating and the dry weight is just below the axle rating. Is there a way to increase the capacity of the axle/suspension?

[RV Roamer]

If the axle is bent up in the middle, the tires should wear on the outer edges, not the inner. The slight forward bend, howver, could do it, I suppose.

You can replace an axle for a modest price, if you have good tires and wheels to put on the new one. And you can probably get one with abit more suspension capacity (though that might require larger tires to go with it).