trailer alignment?

[spidertoy]

my wifes horse trailer seems to have an alignment issue, and I want to learn how to check, and or fix it myself, from what I have googled, the method to check is to drop plumb bob from a known point on the front of the tires, and then on the back of the tires, (making marks on the ground) then measuring the width, and such, is this right? if not, how else do I go about checking/fixing?

the reason that I suspect a problem, is the passenger front tire is tipped inward at the top, by a visible amount, I need to measure it tommorow, and then I will post up when I have a dimension.

am I on the right track, or barking up the wrong tree?

 

[zukkev]

1st off, you need to check the obvious--Wheel bearings...make sure they're not shot giving the illusion of an alignment issue.....

 

[crash2]

WHat has my sister been bouncing that thing off of?

 

[Hip]

when i helped build a trailer we measured to the center pin of each axel from the ball and then cross measured into an X to make sure everything was square to the trailer frame.

of course this was done with the trailer flipped over on stands. hope its not parked over the mud puddle.

but sounds like you might have a spindle bent instead of alignment? or toasted wheel bearing.

 

[84Toyota4x4]

Or, toasted wheel bearings that overheated and bent the spindle.

~T.J.

 

[TooRisky]

wieght is also huge factor as how a trialor will run, to much tongue weight will make the whole system unstable...

 

[spidertoy]

since it is a 2 horse slant load trailer with next to nothing in the tack room, I cant imagine that the tongue weight would be the problem, the only thing that I can think of is either a pothole, or overweight horse:haha: but its only the right hand forward wheel that is angled in at the top of the wheel, which leads me to believe bent axle as a possibility, but mainly curious as to how to go about the whole process that way I dont have to go and find a shop that will check out a trailer, cause that would cost money, and I knwo that I can do it myself, just not sure as to the particulars

 

[spidertoy]

and the wheel bearings are less than 2 years old, and she doesnt put that many miles on the trailer in that kind of time frame