Tires Rubbing

[SandiCravens]

We have a 2020 2518KS Trail Manor and the tires are rubbing on the wheel well. Checked the PSI and it is where it is supposed to be. Any suggestions or solutions? Thank you in advance!!

[Bill]

Where are they rubbing? At the top of the wheel well, the sides, or the front or back?

Do they rub all the time, or just when going over an obstruction like a gutter or speed bump?

What size are the tires?

Bill

[SandiCravens]

Thank you for your response. Tires are rubbing at the top of the wheel well. They are the original tires. Rubbing all the time. Didn’t not rub before and we’ve used it multiple times.

Sandi

[Bill]

One other question. Your inquiry seems to say that both tires are rubbing, not just one side. And they contact the wheel well all the time, even when driving on a smooth road, or even when not moving at all. Correct? Did they both begin rubbing at about the same time?

How did you come to realize that they were rubbing, and how do you know that they weren't rubbing earlier? Are they noisy when they rub?

Bill

[Bill]

One final (I hope) thought before we reach for a conclusion. On the TM web site, the picture of the 2518KS (copied below) seems to suggest that when the trailer is set up, the top of the tire is more or less even with the bottom of the wall above it - in other words, the tire does not protrude up into the wheel well. Does your TM look like this, or is the top of the tire hidden above the bottom of the wall?

Bill

[rickst29]

Complex reply.

Older '2518' models (if I recall correctly) were built with a "3500 lb" axle, which provided adequate height for only 14" tires before the diameter of the tire would rub against the of the wheel well.

In many cases, owners could add the "lift kit", raising the body and frame about 1-1/2" higher above the axle. That increase in height has generally been adequate to allow for the use of 15" tires on those models.

But newer models (including this 2023, and probably yours as well) are built with a "5200 lb" axle. The axle itself is taller and stronger, creating about 1" more height between the pavement and the "top of the wheel well" -- also allowing for 15" tires. I have an older 2619 built with the larger axle of that year, and use 15" tires with no "lift kit" and without rubbing issues.
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But, if you have changed the "15 inch" tires, the diameter at the edge of the outside of the rubber tread might not be the same as "OEM" tire size. The outer sizes of 15" tires are described by the first additional number in the size specification as follows:

"225/75R15" is typically about 28.3" tall, that might be to close (and allow rubbing). If you switched downwards in size to "205/75R15", the tire would be less tall( 27.1" total) and also a bit less wide (about 8.1", down from about 8.9")

HALF of the that difference (roughly .6 inches) would be a reduction between the wheel hub and the top of the wheel. The other reduction on height would be between the wheel hub and the pavement, lowering the wheel (and your TM body) about .6 inches closer to the ground.

Most of the tires in that size are load range "D", which is roughly 2150 lbs per tire. That figure is right at the limit for a fully loaded 2518 (4580 lbs mus about 320 lbs of tongue weight). But a few tires with that smaller size are also available as load range E tires.
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The other possibility is that your torsion bar axle has "worn down", reducing the angle of drop between the axle body (containing the spring bars) and the mount hub arm. If that has happened due to overloading or component failure, the angle is too flattened at even light loading - the mount hub is to high in comparison to the axle, the and large-diameter tire can rub.
- - -
Repair or replacement of a failing axle is costly. If If your current tires are 225/75 R15 and the axle seem "mostly OK", it would probably be most cost-effective to simply switch to tire size 205/75R15, while maintaining the same load rating (D or E).

I don't know the method attachment for the current axles on more recent TM models. If they are bolted the frame members (rather than welded), a small spacer like the old "lift kit" might solve the problem (although the original lift kit, built for the "3500 lb" axle, is probably not exactly the right size to set between the bigger axle and the TM frame)

[ShrimpBurrito]

Originally Posted by Bill

One final (I hope) thought before we reach for a conclusion. On the TM web site, the picture of the 2518KS (copied below) seems to suggest that when the trailer is set up, the top of the tire is more or less even with the bottom of the wall above it - in other words, the tire does not protrude up into the wheel well. Does your TM look like this, or is the top of the tire hidden above the bottom of the wall?

Bill

Wow, in that current 2518, there doesn't appear to be any wheel well at all! It is noticeably higher.

Dave

[Shane826]

Sandi- PM sent.

[Bill]

Rick -

You are going down the same line of thought as I was, but with a couple exceptions.

He said he still has the OEM tires on the trailer. They didn't rub before, but they do now. So nothing involving tire change will get us there.

He still has whatever axle he had before, whether 3500-pound or 5200-pound. Again, they didn't rub before, but they do now.

If he had a lift kit and removed it, that could cause the problem. But I think he would have mentioned that.

Tire size? Would a 205 tire be smaller than a 215 tire?

My first thought was that the plastic wheel well liner had dropped downward somehow. But I think he is going to tell us that the tires are rubbing on both sides, and I'm not sure I'm ready to believe that both wheel well liners dropped the same amount at the same time.

My next thought was that the rubbing is actually happening on the side (side corner) of the wheel well liner, not the top. But I'm waiting for confirmation of that or denial of that thought. And as before, I'm not sure how that would start happening, unless the wheel well liner somehow got narrower.

The rubbing could happen if the trailer was very heavily loaded. But I'm going to think that he left his collection of manhole covers at home.

Having said all that, I am left with your line of thought. Something has happened to the suspension - either the axle, or the axle mounting. That was the reason for my query about the visual height of the tire as viewed against the lower edge of the box. I still want to see that.

Other ideas welcome, of course.

Bill

[Shane826]

Guys- The axle failed. TM has since switched to the 5,000lb axle with 225/75r15 LR-E tires on the 2518, just like the rest of the current lineup.