Something I've not seen mentioned in this forum is the mysterious art of aligning trailer wheels . . .

One can almost hear the eyebrows being hoisted to hitherto unexplored heights--but, let me assure you, I'm quite serious.

A number of years ago a friend of mine and I were discussing this issue (prompted, no doubt, by the undeniable evidence before us that my SS sorely needed alignment) and he said that a properly aligned, tandem axle Airstream could expect about twenty thousand miles out of a "reasonable" set of tires. ("Tyres" for Marie . . . )

"Reasonable" to my friend translated to "the best ones I can get." He had this thing about having to stop and muck about with a flat tire ever since he had to change one in the mud at the side of a two-lane road in a driving rain/sleet storm . . .

"Reasonable" to me was/is "whatever my local Les Schwab tire guy says is right" but I was getting five to eight thousand out of them and they REALLY needed replacement by then . . .

So the next problem appeared to be to find a shop that could do it. Herein find my first caveat, to wit.: DON'T LET ANYONE SCREW AROUND WITH YOUR SS ON THIS!!! Ask questions and FIND OUT WITH ABSOLUTELY NO B.S. WHO KNOWS EXACTLY WHAT THEY'RE DOING!!!!!

The reason(s) (beyond simple prudence) are quite simple. It is a brutal process, done with massive hydraulic machinery, wherein the axles are BENT by whatever amount and whatever direction is necessary to bring the wheels into alignment. Belly skin, if in the way, is unceremoniously displaced to whatever extent is necessary, by whatever means are required. You will not enjoy watching any of these things being done. I recommend you go find a cup of coffee somewhere and come back at the appointed time.

Given the nature of the process, it obviously isn't the same thing as it would be with your tow vehicle where alignment (of the front end, at least) is done mostly with adjustments that are built in. Mistakes, if they occur, are relatively easy to correct. With a SS, you want it right the first--and one might well hope the only--time.

In the case of my SS, the rear axle now looks as if I took a short cut to the top of Pike's Peak. The front, you have to look at carefully to see that something was done to it.

BTW, in Washington I know of ONE shop I could/would send a fellow 'streamer to. There may be more, but I KNOW of only one. (Private e-mail if anyone wants the name . . . )

Now my SS is easily getting the tire mileage it's supposed to get. Another more subtle thing that happened is that it tracks DEAD TRUE AND STEADY behind El Fordo. Previous to the alignment there was this little "hunting" or "jittering," ever so slight, back and forth as we rolled down the road. It was nothing I could ever feel, I had to watch it to notice it. (It's somewhat amusing to watch something that weighs in at around six thousand pounds try to "jitter" . . . sorta like watching an elephant try to do the twist.)

All the usual signs of mis-alignment that apply to anything else apply to a SS. If it's showing any of them and getting poor tire mileage, it's time to find an alignment shop.

The cost--when I had mine done several years ago in Tacoma, it was $50 a wheel. A bargain.

Clark
WA7GGV
27' '70