trailer vibration

[pickle311]

At the end of last season I started to develop some serious vibration in the trailer at 20mph.

With the boat on the trailer, doesn't matter if I'm speeding up or slowing down, right when I hit 20mph the boat starts to rock side to side pretty hard then it clears up within a few seconds, right about the time I get to 25mph if I'm speeding up or 15mph on the brakes.

The last time I took the boat out last summer, my girlfriend parked the trailer when we unloaded and she said the trailer was bouncing. I personally haven't been able to pull it without the boat on the trailer, but guess I'll have to in a couple of weeks to see if I can diagnose the issue.

Any idea what could be causing this or what I should look for? There's not much than can cause it. Bearings, brakes, bent wheel. I'm capable of fixing the issue on my own, just uncertain on where to start.

It's a single axle trailer by the way.

Thanks

[bergermaister]

I'd start by looking for any broken belts on the tires themselves.

[NCSUmoomba]

These trailers bounce quite a bit with no weight on them, so that is normal. For the vibration, I am kind of with Berg, it sounds like a tire issue? Have your wheels and tires been balanced? If they were, then maybe a weight has fallen off. Or like Berg said, physical damage to the tire could cause the tire to become deformed, which affects the balance.

[moombadaze]

sounds like belt seperation. if it is the tire is comeing apart


jack one side of the trailer up and spin the tire--look for any uneven areas as it rotates

[kaneboats]

You can jack up one side and remove the wheeel. Block the trailer up and remove the jack. Then jack up the other side, block it and remove that wheel (both if you have dual). Take all the wheels to your tire store. They can check them and balance them. If they have busted belts, you can replace the tires and have them mounted (you can keep one crappy tire just for a spare and use your spare if you want to go cheap-- it will work fine in a pinch for a spare). Put it all back together and you're ready for spring.

[Mikey]

I agree after going throught two brand new tires last season. Sounds like either belt separation or balance issues. The tire shops should be able to tell,but mounting on a balance machine.. Good Luck.

[pickle311]

You know, now that I think about it, it very well could be the tire. I put my spare on last season which had never been used. After a few trips is when it started. I still need to get the original replaced, so I guess I'll just go and get 2 new tires and keep one of the older ones for the spare.