Hi everyone. ..I have this tapping noise from my left trailer tire when I'm backing up. However there is no noise if I'm pulling forward. I noticed the noise as I was backing to launch the boat. I had my dad backed my trailer I can clearly hear the tapping noise. The tire is not rubbing against any frame or fender. But if I put pressure onto the fender with my hands as my dad backed it up. The noise is gone. Recently I did change the springs on both sides and not sure if that was causing the noise. I didn't hear it before but why now? When the boat is off the trailer and when I backed it up I could hear the tapping noise real low. I'm guessing under heavy load it makes the tapping loader. What do your think that is causing the tapping noise? Thank you

Guy

Do you have brakes on the trailer? They can be a source of noise.

I would jack it up and rotate the tire to locate the noise.

@Hawk Dawg my trailer has brake. When I backed my trailer brake is not applied and it would still making tapping noise. The noise is not a consistent pattern. @ChuChu1 I did raised my trailer and sinned the tire. It's smooth and no noise. This tapping noise is bothering me cause eventually something will break and I'm stranded on the road. I'll keep checking and messing with it. Thanks for your help.

If it is not wheel related, you may have to take the springs off and check them for a cracked leaf.

Find the problem?

Here's what I find out I think. I jacked up the wheel again and spinned it. It was smooth. However when I wiggled the wheel side to side there was a lot of play. I checked the other wheel and there was a little play which is normal. So I went ahead and replaced the wheel bearings, races, seal, etc. Now the wheel is nice and tight with little play. I haven't got a chance to test it out yet until the weekend. Hopefully that'll fix it. Will update you on it. Thanks

Update: the tapping noise was from the wheel bearings. I replaced the races, bearings, and seal. Tested it out. Backed it several times. No more noises. The noise is a sign of bad bearings or about to go bad. Learned something new everyday.