Tire Adventure

workinonit · 01-06-2025, 07:14 AM

Ok....So I know there are a dozen threads on this topic and I have probably read most of them. But my situation is not understanding what's happening. So I had a tread that I was purchasing new tires and suspension components and I have done that. I am replacing the OEM Hi Spec china bomb s with Hercules H901s. I just picked them up from the tire store where they mounted and balanced them for me. They saved the old tires and I wanted to get the best two. The two that I didn't get were both extremely worn on the inside of the treads. Doing some research it appears that negative camber or toe out would be the two things to cause this. I assume negative camber could be caused if the axle is "rolled" rearward. I don't see any way to have toe out on both sides. I guess the suspension components that I am replacing could be contributing but I'm not sure of that either. Just looking for some opinions and guidance on this while I have things torn apart. I plan to get a level on the hubs and check the alignment. What else can I do myself?

gearhead · 01-06-2025, 09:55 AM

The axles will not be straight. They need a bow in them.
I would take it to a trailer shop and let them align it.
You might run a string on the faces of the tires to roughly check if they are pointing correctly. But you will still end up at a trailer shop.

workinonit · 01-06-2025, 11:10 AM

I know the axles have a bow and I know it's the way they are made. My point is that the bow must be at 12 o'clock if you are looking at the tire otherwise when the axle loads it could toe the wheels in or out. My rear axle appears to be at about 11:30. I'm going to try to set my laser up and see if I can align it once I get the suspension rebuilt. I have a local guy coming by to look at it but I don't think they know much more about it than I do.

**JRTJH** · 01-06-2025, 12:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by workinonit

I know the axles have a bow and I know it's the way they are made. My point is that the bow must be at 12 o'clock if you are looking at the tire otherwise when the axle loads it could toe the wheels in or out. My rear axle appears to be at about 11:30. I'm going to try to set my laser up and see if I can align it once I get the suspension rebuilt. I have a local guy coming by to look at it but I don't think they know much more about it than I do.

There is an "index pin" in the spring perch that connects the springs to the axle perch. If that pin is missing or if the axle perch was welded "out of specs" the axle could "roll" as you indicated. But, if the axles were built correctly and installed correctly, I don't see how they can "roll out of position" unless there's a component failure.

NH_Bulldog · 01-06-2025, 12:41 PM

I agree, the saddles should be indexed to the axle tubes and don't move. There is a small amount of "roll" accounted for in the axle/hub orientation, which is necessary to allow the equalizers to do their thing. If it were me, and if I were concerned I would be looking at the trailer frame and spring hangers to ensure that they are perfectly parallel to each other both vertically and horizontally from front to back and up and down. Lastly, I would be adding MorRyde X-Factor crossmember braces (3 of them).

workinonit · 01-06-2025, 02:32 PM

I think I found my culprit. I started doing the suspension and found all of the nylon bushings completely destroyed. Nothing left but the unused half. I've pretty much decided these things are built with the goal of getting them off the sales lot. Between the tires and suspension I'm amazed I haven't been dragging a frame around. I did the suspension on one side so I plan to pull the hubs and check the brakes. I can't imagine them being anything but worn out. I plan to make my cross members myself. BTW, I know where 2 of them go, where does the third one go?

**JRTJH** · 01-06-2025, 03:03 PM

According to Morryde, the XFactor can be installed on "only one spring hanger location" or "on all spring hanger locations"...

On a tandem axle trailer, that means 3 locations. The front axle spring hanger, the equalizer spring hanger and the rear axle spring hanger.

Here's the front cover of the Morryde install instructions. The blue bars are the locations of the three "XFactor crossmember beams".

My recommendation would be, when you make/install the crossmember beams, at the same time, install a Morryde wet bolt kit with bronze bushings. Completely eliminate the plastic bushing with dry bolts....

workinonit · 01-06-2025, 03:38 PM

I installed the MoRyde kit on one side today. Seven wetbolts/shackles and only 2 brass bushings on one side was the the OEM application. The rest were plastic and worn out. My advice to any and all that have these units, if you haven't replaced the china bomb tires and upgraded all of the suspension components, you best do so ASAP. This unit had very few miles on it and it scared the crap out of me when I tore it all down. BTW, the Hercules H901s are at least 3 times heavier than the HiSpec china bombs that came on this thing. I can't wait to get them on the ground and see the difference.

**JRTJH** · 01-06-2025, 03:47 PM

The difference in shackle thickness between the OEM junk and the Morryde 1/2" shackle material is truly remarkable. Anyone who holds both in their own hands will shudder at the potential risk we take without even realizing how weak the OEM really is and how many weakest links there are under our trailer.

OEM on the left, Morryde on the right

workinonit · 01-07-2025, 03:48 AM

Mine did have the 1/2" shackles originally. It has the Road Armor equalizers as well. Just nylon bushings and worn wetbolts.

workinonit · 01-07-2025, 03:49 AM

I would not be surprised at all if there were quite a few people driving around with the same issues and never realize it until they have a blowout or wear a tire badly. My tires were very close to blowing.

Raptor Dave · 01-07-2025, 06:03 AM

Note to self...........
Grease your wet bolts more often than you think you should.
I found some bronze (I would not use brass) bushings that have a spiral groove on the inside to allow the grease to flow to both ends better.
They were expensive! If I remember around $20-21 EACH

Give me the idea to buy some bronze ones and put them in my lathe and cut my own grooves.

workinonit · 01-07-2025, 07:33 AM

These may be bronze. I'm not sure. They certainly aren't grooved but the wetbolts do have an alignment mark for the grease port location.

**JRTJH** · 01-07-2025, 09:52 AM

I typed "BRASS" in my post when I know it's "BRONZE" bushings... Why I did that, I can only attribute to trying to do more than one thing at a time... At my "tender young age" I sometimes wonder where I'm at, much less what I'm doing.... <sigh> Anyway, I edited the post to remove "BRASS"....

workinonit · 01-14-2025, 12:21 PM

I finished up the suspension upgrade today and got the new tires on. Greased everything and inspected the brakes. All of the bushings were worn out. Not much doubt where the tire wear is likely to be coming from. Everything flopped around before. It doesn't now. I still have to make the 3 cross members and get them on but that can wait for a warmer day. Our first work trip is to Wilmington, NC in April. Then to New Orleans in June.

440scout · Yesterday, 03:51 PM

@workinonit glad you got all those worn bushings and wet bolts replaced. If you're still concerned about the axles possibly being bent or out of alignment try this. Using a long straight edge, even a 6 foot fence picket thats straight, hold it against the tire parallel to the ground. If the axle is bent, you'll see it right away. The straight edge should be pretty much touching the tire next to it or very close.

Raptor Dave · Yesterday, 04:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by workinonit

I finished up the suspension upgrade today and got the new tires on. Greased everything and inspected the brakes. All of the bushings were worn out. Not much doubt where the tire wear is likely to be coming from. Everything flopped around before. It doesn't now. I still have to make the 3 cross members and get them on but that can wait for a warmer day. Our first work trip is to Wilmington, NC in April. Then to New Orleans in June.

You're going to "make" cross members yourself? Are you talking about like the morryde Xfactor ones?
Granted I look at a lot of stuff and say to myself "self you can probably make this or that instead of buying a brand name one"
For the price of the Xfactor and it comes complete with every nut, bolt, and extended length wet bolt needed to install it. I don't think you can duplicate it as well as they have engineered it.
I could be and might possibly be wrong tho since I don't know you personally or your abilities.

I have everything to do my complete rebuild except for the time to do it.

workinonit · Today, 03:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 440scout

@workinonit glad you got all those worn bushings and wet bolts replaced. If you're still concerned about the axles possibly being bent or out of alignment try this. Using a long straight edge, even a 6 foot fence picket thats straight, hold it against the tire parallel to the ground. If the axle is bent, you'll see it right away. The straight edge should be pretty much touching the tire next to it or very close.

All of the bushings were worn out completely. Wet bolts were showing wear. Everything was sloppy and moving around when I got the wheels off and in the air. I don't think I have a bent axle I think my suspension was worn out and causing tire wear. I'll keep an eye on things. I can tell you this, nothing moves around now.

workinonit · Today, 03:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raptor Dave

You're going to "make" cross members yourself? Are you talking about like the morryde Xfactor ones?
Granted I look at a lot of stuff and say to myself "self you can probably make this or that instead of buying a brand name one"
For the price of the Xfactor and it comes complete with every nut, bolt, and extended length wet bolt needed to install it. I don't think you can duplicate it as well as they have engineered it.
I could be and might possibly be wrong tho since I don't know you personally or your abilities.

I have everything to do my complete rebuild except for the time to do it.

I've only seen pictures of their product but mine will be engineered at least as good as theirs and likely much better. I have some square tubing I need to use up and get out of my way so these really won't cost me anything but time and mig wire. And if I get lazy and run out of time before time to go on our New Orleans work trip I'll buy 3 of theirs and bolt them on.

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