Check pressures across the axles before blaming alignment
Uneven tire wear on a trailer gets blamed on alignment, and sometimes it is. Before booking a measurement, though, there is a cheaper cause to rule out first: tires on the same axle running at different pressures.
A tire carrying less air than its neighbor flexes more, runs hotter, and wears differently. On a dual, the lower tire lets its partner carry more of the load. Across an axle, a soft tire on one side makes that side sit and roll differently. The wear that results can look a lot like an alignment problem.
Two things make it easy to miss. Trailers often get less attention than tractors, so their pressures are checked less often. A single slow leak can also go unnoticed for weeks because the trailer still pulls fine.
The order that saves money
- Check every tire cold, against the specification, and note the readings by position.
- Fix any leak and bring every tire to specification.
- Run it for a while and watch whether the wear pattern changes.
- Book the alignment if the uneven wear continues with pressures correct.
If the trailer has obvious signs, such as dog-tracking behind the tractor or damage from an impact, skip straight to the measurement.
Plan the visit
The store opens at 7:00 AM, so trailers dropped early are more likely to leave the same day. Align the tractor at the same visit with heavy-duty truck alignment where it is due, and set it up through a fleet account if you run several. The national trailer alignment page covers what the measurement includes.
Other stores nearby
De Soto and Paducah, KY also align trailers.
About this store
The Jackson store runs seventeen services and is managed by Mike Rhymer.
See the national trailer alignment page for all 36 locations.