# Ramlin Tire Wear Issue



## Redfish35 (Nov 11, 2012)

I am having severe inside tire wear issues on my black ramlin. The first set of tires lasted approx 6 months and 3-4k miles. I replaced the tires on 1/1/18 and 2k miles later they're bald again. The axle seems to be a 2500lb Dexter and I'm thinking that the Vantage / 115 4S Mercury, Jackplate, PP, Ipilot and 3 batteries may be too much for the axle. I have done a tone of research on the web about Ramlin axle issues. None of the threads I've found really detail how the problem was solved. Has anyone ever changed out to a 3000lb axle on this trailer? I'm going to a local axle supplier in Houston tomorrow and get their input, but I would welcome any comments on this issue. - JLW


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## sjrobin (Jul 13, 2015)

Take a pic of the Ramlin id plate and post it. Is the trailer OE and which skiff is on it? Ramlin does not put good tires on the trailers because no one makes a quality 13" tire. There is no excuse for the 14" tire quality. You are better off switching to auto radials if you can find a wheel fit. No problem for 14" wheels.


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## Steve_Mevers (Feb 8, 2013)

I had a similar problem on a boatmaster trailer. I upgraded from a 2500lb to a 3500lb axle and put heaviest load Maxxis M8008 tire I could get on the trailer and it solved the problem. Maxxis tires are the best I have found, if you don't have a local dealer you can order them online.


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## jmrodandgun (Sep 20, 2013)

What's the tongue weight? My friend had an issue like this with this Ram-lin and swapping axles solved the problem but the damn boat was practically hanging off the back the of the trailer and all the of the weight was sitting over the axle. It was stupid looking but you could push it off the trailer in your front yard if you wanted to. The trailer also seemed out of square when I put a tape on it but whatever, dry launch is life.

Measure the distance from the coupler to the axle, this will give you an idea of where the boat needs to be on the trailer. If your the tongue weight is correct and the axle is in the right spot, then you may have worn out one or both of the torsion axles. 375 pounds of motor bouncing around back there will do that in short order.


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## MariettaMike (Jun 14, 2012)

I went through a replacement with Dexter last March.

Get the numbers off the plate on the axle, and call/email them. They can tell you what you have, and what’s the heaviest rating you can get for your frame width on a drop center.

Denise was great to work with.

Going through a RamLin was like double the price.


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## Tigweld (Oct 26, 2017)

If you have a drop center axle, and a 60” or narrower frame, I don’t think you can get more than 2500#


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## Flats Broke (Feb 7, 2017)

Redfish35 said:


> I am having severe inside tire wear issues on my black ramlin. The first set of tires lasted approx 6 months and 3-4k miles. I replaced the tires on 1/1/18 and 2k miles later they're bald again. The axle seems to be a 2500lb Dexter and I'm thinking that the Vantage / 115 4S Mercury, Jackplate, PP, Ipilot and 3 batteries may be too much for the axle. I have done a tone of research on the web about Ramlin axle issues. None of the threads I've found really detail how the problem was solved. Has anyone ever changed out to a 3000lb axle on this trailer? I'm going to a local axle supplier in Houston tomorrow and get their input, but I would welcome any comments on this issue. - JLW


There are any number of problems that can cause excessive wear on trailer tires. The problem you describe strongly suggests that the spindles on your axle are not properly aligned. It is also remotely possible that the axle is not mounted perfectly perpendicular to the frame rails. The final possibility is that the trailer was built with the frame rails not perfectly parallel. The last option is almost impossible given the manufacturing processes and quality control that Dave has at Ramlin. The second option is also highly unlikely for the same reason. So, for the sake of simplicity, let's assume the problem lies with the alignment of the spindles on the axle. While Dexter has good quality control, they do occasionally ship an axle on which one or both of the spindles have not been welded perfectly in alignment to the axle body. You didn't specify whether your axle has leaf springs or torsion suspension, but the solution will be the same in either case. The cheapest solution to your problem will be to take your trailer to a reputable frame and alignment shop that uses laser equipment. Obviously, there is no alignment adjustability built into boat trailer axles, but it is easy for a good alignment shop to detect whether one or both spindles are aligned properly and to fix the problem if one or both are out of alignment. What is required to fix spindle alignment problems is bending of the axle body to obtain perfect alignment, which the alignment shop can do for you. I have had to have this done twice in my life, once on a Ramlin boat trailer and once on a Cargo Express enclosed car hauler. Both were equipped with Dexter axles. In both of my cases the problem was just on one side and it involved negative camber of the spindle. In layman's terms, negative camber is tilting of the misaligned spindle such that the top of the tire and wheel leans inward rather than the tire/wheel sitting perfectly straight up and down. I was charged between $120 and $150 to find the problem and bend the axle in such a way as to remove the negative camber. The other way spindles can be out of alignment is improper toe-in angle. That is, the spindle/s is/are not perfectly perpendicular to the frame rails of your trailer but rather have the tire/s and wheel/s turned either slightly to the right or left causing the tires to skid as they go down the road. Whether the alignment problem with your spindles is a camber or a toe-in issue, a good alignment shop can detect and fix it for you; and it shouldn't cost an arm and a leg. Since your tires are wearing on the inside, your problem is almost certainly negative camber which causes the tires to sit tilted with the inside edge at the road receiving most of the weight of your boat and trailer. Best of luck to you.


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## Redfish35 (Nov 11, 2012)

Flats Broke said:


> There are any number of problems that can cause excessive wear on trailer tires. The problem you describe strongly suggests that the spindles on your axle are not properly aligned. It is also remotely possible that the axle is not mounted perfectly perpendicular to the frame rails. The final possibility is that the trailer was built with the frame rails not perfectly parallel. The last option is almost impossible given the manufacturing processes and quality control that Dave has at Ramlin. The second option is also highly unlikely for the same reason. So, for the sake of simplicity, let's assume the problem lies with the alignment of the spindles on the axle. While Dexter has good quality control, they do occasionally ship an axle on which one or both of the spindles have not been welded perfectly in alignment to the axle body. You didn't specify whether your axle has leaf springs or torsion suspension, but the solution will be the same in either case. The cheapest solution to your problem will be to take your trailer to a reputable frame and alignment shop that uses laser equipment. Obviously, there is no alignment adjustability built into boat trailer axles, but it is easy for a good alignment shop to detect whether one or both spindles are aligned properly and to fix the problem if one or both are out of alignment. What is required to fix spindle alignment problems is bending of the axle body to obtain perfect alignment, which the alignment shop can do for you. I have had to have this done twice in my life, once on a Ramlin boat trailer and once on a Cargo Express enclosed car hauler. Both were equipped with Dexter axles. In both of my cases the problem was just on one side and it involved negative camber of the spindle. In layman's terms, negative camber is tilting of the misaligned spindle such that the top of the tire and wheel leans inward rather than the tire/wheel sitting perfectly straight up and down. I was charged between $120 and $150 to find the problem and bend the axle in such a way as to remove the negative camber. The other way spindles can be out of alignment is improper toe-in angle. That is, the spindle/s is/are not perfectly perpendicular to the frame rails of your trailer but rather have the tire/s and wheel/s turned either slightly to the right or left causing the tires to skid as they go down the road. Whether the alignment problem with your spindles is a camber or a toe-in issue, a good alignment shop can detect and fix it for you; and it shouldn't cost an arm and a leg. Since your tires are wearing on the inside, your problem is almost certainly negative camber which causes the tires to sit tilted with the inside edge at the road receiving most of the weight of your boat and trailer. Best of luck to you.





Flats Broke said:


> There are any number of problems that can cause excessive wear on trailer tires. The problem you describe strongly suggests that the spindles on your axle are not properly aligned. It is also remotely possible that the axle is not mounted perfectly perpendicular to the frame rails. The final possibility is that the trailer was built with the frame rails not perfectly parallel. The last option is almost impossible given the manufacturing processes and quality control that Dave has at Ramlin. The second option is also highly unlikely for the same reason. So, for the sake of simplicity, let's assume the problem lies with the alignment of the spindles on the axle. While Dexter has good quality control, they do occasionally ship an axle on which one or both of the spindles have not been welded perfectly in alignment to the axle body. You didn't specify whether your axle has leaf springs or torsion suspension, but the solution will be the same in either case. The cheapest solution to your problem will be to take your trailer to a reputable frame and alignment shop that uses laser equipment. Obviously, there is no alignment adjustability built into boat trailer axles, but it is easy for a good alignment shop to detect whether one or both spindles are aligned properly and to fix the problem if one or both are out of alignment. What is required to fix spindle alignment problems is bending of the axle body to obtain perfect alignment, which the alignment shop can do for you. I have had to have this done twice in my life, once on a Ramlin boat trailer and once on a Cargo Express enclosed car hauler. Both were equipped with Dexter axles. In both of my cases the problem was just on one side and it involved negative camber of the spindle. In layman's terms, negative camber is tilting of the misaligned spindle such that the top of the tire and wheel leans inward rather than the tire/wheel sitting perfectly straight up and down. I was charged between $120 and $150 to find the problem and bend the axle in such a way as to remove the negative camber. The other way spindles can be out of alignment is improper toe-in angle. That is, the spindle/s is/are not perfectly perpendicular to the frame rails of your trailer but rather have the tire/s and wheel/s turned either slightly to the right or left causing the tires to skid as they go down the road. Whether the alignment problem with your spindles is a camber or a toe-in issue, a good alignment shop can detect and fix it for you; and it shouldn't cost an arm and a leg. Since your tires are wearing on the inside, your problem is almost certainly negative camber which causes the tires to sit tilted with the inside edge at the road receiving most of the weight of your boat and trailer. Best of luck to you.


That's a great response and I really appreciate it. Nowhere in the process has any of the shops I contacted suggested taking it to an alignment shop. I'll get to work on that tomorrow. Since the problem is getting progressively worse, how will that impact the problem? The first set of tires went 4-5k miles before they were done. The second and most recent set only lasted 2k miles. It's a torsion axle by the way.


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## jmrodandgun (Sep 20, 2013)

You can accomplish a lot with a measuring tape and a pen. You may find the issue without having to pay someone.


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## Flats Broke (Feb 7, 2017)

Redfish35 said:


> That's a great response and I really appreciate it. Nowhere in the process has any of the shops I contacted suggested taking it to an alignment shop. I'll get to work on that tomorrow. Since the problem is getting progressively worse, how will that impact the problem? The first set of tires went 4-5k miles before they were done. The second and most recent set only lasted 2k miles. It's a torsion axle by the way.


Was the second set of tires the exact same make and model as the first set of tires? If so, the problem does seem to be getting worse. If not, it is hard to know for sure if the alignment problem has gotten worse or not. 

Since you've now stipulated that your axle employs torsion suspension, I have another question for you. How old is the trailer? I'm guessing it is relatively new since you talked in your original post about the first set of tires only lasting 4-5K miles. However, I ask about the age of the trailer because torsion suspension systems typically wear out around ten years of age and can sometimes wear out sooner. If yours isn't at least seven years old and you can't see any rubber cords hanging out of the axle where the torsion arms attach at either end, then we can probably safely assume that the torsion system is not the culprit. However, if you should discover through inspection that your torsion system has indeed gone bad, you will need a new axle. If that is the case, I would recommend purchasing a slightly higher rated axle (3k or 3.5K lbs.) Also, just so you know, Dexter now makes torsion axles on which the torsion arms can be replaced by unscrewing just one bolt on each side. This is a pretty nice setup because there are the few Murphy's law situations where you might badly damage a torsion arm while towing and then have to get the whole trailer loaded on a rollback wrecker and taken to a trailer repair shop to be fixed. Whereas, with the new Dexter axles that have the easily replaceable torsion arms, you can replace a bent or broken torsion arm on the side of the road easily. 

Also, here's something you can do yourself to eliminate another possible culprit. Jack the trailer up and spin both wheels. If you notice any wobble, you may have a bearing problem inside the hubs. Another way to test the bearings and races on which they ride is, while the trailer is jacked up, you can hold the tires at the three and nine o'clock positions and see if you can cause them to wiggle at all. If there is any play there, you may have bearing problems. Typically bearing problems would cause tire wear on more than just the inside edge of your tires. However, over time, bearing problems could cause enough vibration to cause your spindles to become bent upward as I described earlier with regard to negative camber, which will result in inside edge tire wear. I'm still relatively sure your problem is just negative camber and that the solution will entail bending the axle to bring the spindles back into proper alignment. If you have a bearing problem, you will need to have them replaced with new ones and possibly the hubs replaced too. Even if you discover that you have bearing problems, you should still definitely get the alignment of your spindles checked after replacing the bearings and/or hubs, because it still sounds to me like you have negative camber.

I hope you don't need new bearings, hubs or a new axle and that merely having your existing axle bent by a frame and alignment shop will get you fixed up and not needing new trailer tires every few thousand miles. Again, best of luck.


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## Redfish35 (Nov 11, 2012)

I went by the alignment shop and they indicated the toe in/out is within specs, but the camber is out due to axle wear. Being a torsion axle they recommended replacing the axle with a 3500lb unit. So a new axle it is, say goodbye to another $500.


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## sjrobin (Jul 13, 2015)

What boat is on the Ramlin trailer? And what size wheels?


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## RunningOnEmpty (Jun 20, 2015)

I'm having the same tire wear issues. I also have the torsion axle. Leaf springs never caused me this much headache.


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## Redfish35 (Nov 11, 2012)

sjrobin said:


> What boat is on the Ramlin trailer? And what size wheels?


A Vantage with 14” tires.


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## sjrobin (Jul 13, 2015)

To be clear the trailer was OE and EC spec'd the trailer?


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## Redfish35 (Nov 11, 2012)

That’s correct.


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## sjrobin (Jul 13, 2015)

I have replaced a couple of torsion axles on a wet launch tandem but not due to tire wear. I was concerned about corrosion and the axle breaking.


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## Redfish35 (Nov 11, 2012)

The axle that came with my trailer was a 2500lb v bend torsion axle with a number 10 tube. The tube measures 2.65" square. Ramlin spec'd the axle with a number 10 tube and 2500lb torsion rubber, which can be ordered with an upgrade to 3500 torsion rubber, so that's what I ordered. A couple of other things that I found out along the way. 
Hub Face measurers 79 3/4"
Outside bracket measures 62"
The spindle offset is 22.5 degrees up
The hub is 5 on 4.5"

The frame and alignment shop here in town was a big help in sorting all this out. Replacing the axle is as simple as taking the tires off and unbolting the four bolts that secure the axle to the frame.


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## jakesterolemiss (Jan 7, 2015)

Redfish35 said:


> The axle that came with my trailer was a 2500lb v bend torsion axle with a number 10 tube. The tube measures 2.65" square. Ramlin spec'd the axle with a number 10 tube and 2500lb torsion rubber, which can be ordered with an upgrade to 3500 torsion rubber, so that's what I ordered. A couple of other things that I found out along the way.
> Hub Face measurers 79 3/4"
> Outside bracket measures 62"
> The spindle offset is 22.5 degrees up
> ...



Would you mind posting the name of the shop? I recently moved to Houston and need some trailer work done on my Ramlin as well. Thanks.


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## Redfisher80 (Jul 17, 2017)

Go see the guys over at McClain trailers on I-10 east. I had to special order a new torsion axle from them for my triller....took a couple of weeks as it had to be custom cut for my trailer.....I have an uncommon width on my custom skiff trailer.

They were fair and honest to work with. Have had ZERO issues with their torsion axle and vault hubs....

Good Luck,
Redfisher


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## devrep (Feb 22, 2009)

Why would anyone want an axle rated way over the weight spec for the boat/trailer combo? Bigger isn't always better and an over rated axle can beat the hell out of your boat.


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## State fish rob (Jan 25, 2017)

Bent spindle in my opinion. Seen same issue w new axles as well.


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

My torsion axle was brand new two years ago and I’ve pulled the skiff at least 3-4,000 miles with no abnormal wear until a week ago I did my regular pre-trip tire check and they were bald on the outside tread only and the inside has at least 1/8” tread left. I’m hoping it was just because I didn’t have them aired up correctly or my driving habits are a little aggressive or the hot Texas asphalt did it...
I just ordered 15” aluminum rims and Michelin Defender H/T tires today. We will see how they hold up. Hopefully it’s not my axle. I should probably get it checked for camber.


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## sjrobin (Jul 13, 2015)

Smackdaddy53 said:


> My torsion axle was brand new two years ago and I’ve pulled the skiff at least 3-4,000 miles with no abnormal wear until a week ago I did my regular pre-trip tire check and they were bald on the outside tread only and the inside has at least 1/8” tread left. I’m hoping it was just because I didn’t have them aired up correctly or my driving habits are a little aggressive or the hot Texas asphalt did it...
> I just ordered 15” aluminum rims and Michelin Defender H/T tires today. We will see how they hold up. Hopefully it’s not my axle. I should probably get it checked for camber.


Ramlin has begun using 14" wheels and made in USA Goodyear Marathon 14" tires on all the skiff trailers this year due to the lack of quality 13" trailer or automotive tires. At some ramps, dry launching will be more difficult.


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

sjrobin said:


> Ramlin has begun using 14" wheels and made in USA Goodyear Marathon 14" tires on all the skiff trailers this year due to the lack of quality 13" trailer or automotive tires. At some ramps, dry launching will be more difficult.


I thought the Marathons were throwing treads left and right? Are the 14” better due to a higher speed rating?


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## State fish rob (Jan 25, 2017)

I quit using trailer tires years ago , only radials these days. Always have them balanced as well


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## sjrobin (Jul 13, 2015)

Smackdaddy53 said:


> I thought the Marathons were throwing treads left and right? Are the 14” better due to a higher speed rating?


I had conversations last year with Ramlin management and Chris Peterson at HB about the lack of good quality 13" trailer or automotive tires for that matter. The smaller 13" tires were chosen originally by HB for ease of dry launching(not submerging the bearings). Ramlin manager informed me that Goodyear was working on a better quality 14" trailer tire that Ramlin would switch to when available last year. Legal concerns prevent Ramlin/trailer manufacturers from using automotive tires in trailer service and when I searched for high speed rated automotive tires last year after one of the 13" OE Goodyear Marathons developed a tread bulge Michelin and Goodyear had stopped manufacturing 13" automotive radials. Discount tire found some 13" Michelin 120 mph speed rated auto radials in another part of the state. As background, I did often exceed the 65 mph speed rating on the OE Marathons and I have replaced trailer tires with automotive radials on four different single axle boat trailers with hull weights less than 1200 lbs. I would not use auto radials on trailers with heavy loads.


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## devrep (Feb 22, 2009)

the 13" marathons are the worst.


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## backbone (Jan 4, 2016)

I went to a 14" rim with lower profile radials and I haven't had any issues with dry launching. No issues after three years of moderate usage.


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## State fish rob (Jan 25, 2017)

Load range E


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## sjrobin (Jul 13, 2015)

backbone said:


> I went to a 14" rim with lower profile radials and I haven't had any issues with dry launching. No issues after three years of moderate usage.


Yes low profile 14" auto tires will work. Same diameter as 13" trailer. That was plan B.


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