Trailer making noise like a truck engine braking

[S4451]

While towing my new 2019 215 ID on the standard Scarab single axle trailer, I kept hearing a noise exactly like an 18 wheeler engine braking. It sounded so much like it that I kept looking in my mirror for a truck. This was not while braking. It was at speeds around 25-40 mph. There wasn't much vibration. It was pretty much just the sound I was noticing. Has anyone else experienced this? Any ideas what it is?

 

[Seadeals]

Hmmmm. Are there any straps on the cover that could vibrate? Could you have been hitting the rumble strip on the road with the trailer tire?

 

[S4451]

No straps. Not rumble strips either. It happened frequently. I took my foot off the gas petal to try and see if it was the trailer brakes but didn’t notice any drag.

 

[Rumbo]

How long has the trailer sat? I wonder if it’s a flat spot in one of the tires, especially if it sat without max pressure in the tire.

 

[S4451]

Boat and trailer were purchased in January new. If flat spot, it would probably be more consistent. This is frequent, but intermittent.

 

[biffdotorg]

Possible that a tire is out of balance? You may be hitting that magical speed that puts it into a balance vibration?

Before I swapped my tires out last year, I noticed that I got a crazy vibration as soon as I hit 72-73mph. It was a nice reminder that no boat should probably be towed above 70. So I backed down to the speed limit.

With the new tires, they hum right along up to 75, but I remind myself yet again, that I need to back it down. I'm not bootlegging Coors for god's sake! East bound and down!!

 

[S4451]

Thanks for the advice. I'm going to ask dealer to check tires and wheel balance

 

[biffdotorg]

Since it is new, there is little chance of a bearing failure. But that would be the other moving part that could cause that sort of vibration too.

And you already checked the cover, but a flap of fabric could have caught a cross wind that would rumble at the right speed. The only way to tell that is to have someone follow you closely or next to you on a 4-lane to inspect what may be causing it while under way.

I had a cover years ago that was rubbing way above the rub rail. I thought how could that be, it's almost a foot below that line at rest. But at highway speeds, it would pull up that far and rub. It was out of view in my mirrors, but was told by a buddy following me what was happening.

good luck!

 

[2kwik4u]

If you have a friend that has some time. Have him video the trailer while at speed and the vibration/sound is present. That will give you some significant info.

The first trip on my trailer each year has the fenders vibrate wildly due to the bias ply tires flat spotting from winter storage. Takes about 5-7miles for them to "warm up and get round". The flapping plastic fender sounds similar to an exhaust brake when it really gets going.

 

[Jgorm]

I would jack up the trailer and spin each wheel by hand to look for abnormalities.

 

[ALAN MANN SR.]

The first thing I did was get rid of those square tires and have the new ones balanced. The factory tires could not be balanced and were all out of shape and were wearing funny. Anything above 50 MPH the trailer would vibrate and the boat would shake. Now with the new tires 70+ no problems, smooth as silk.