I'm chopping up front tires...why??

[bucksandbirds]

Here is the rundown on my Explorer.
'00 EB SOHC
torsion twist up front
aal in the rear.
(it makes for about at 2" lift over stock)
17" wheels
32" American Prospector A/T

Alignment is "within specs"
EVERYTHING suspension related has been replaced except the driver side cv shaft. (which is getting changed tomorrow because of a speed sensitive growl/whine)
The tires are rotated and balanced every 5k miles.

What gives??

I have about 15k miles on them now and they have tons of treadlife, but the tread is getting choppy on the insides of the tread.

 

[IZwack]

When you mentioned "everything suspension related has been replaced", does that include ball ball joints? Also, after you got these items replaced, did you get a final alignment? And have you been going to the same alignment shop?

 

[bucksandbirds]

Every ball joint has been done. lowers and new upper control arms. Every time I have asked for an alignment to be done, the tire shop brings me the readout and tells me everything is within spec and it's not necessary.

 

[bucksandbirds]

The Explorer never seemed to ride perfectly smooth from the day I bought it. After everything suspension wise was replaced and I put on new wheels and tires. I dropped nearly $2k the day after I bought the truck to replace everything. It just never felt 100% smooth. I'm at the end of my rope here. I LOVE my Explorer, but I am sick of shaking and vibrating my way down the highway.

 

[IZwack]

Every ball joint has been done. lowers and new upper control arms. Every time I have asked for an alignment to be done, the tire shop brings me the readout and tells me everything is within spec and it's not necessary.

Maybe try another alignment shop.

BTW - do you know if the vehicle has been in an accident? What about the wheels, any of them bent or wobbling?

 

[bucksandbirds]

No accidents. Purchased it from the original owner. Clean records.

 

[RobWilJas]

Are you talking about the tire cupping on the edge? My Suburban is doing that too. I read the other day that it's usually caused by bad shocks (even though they pass the "bounce test"), and that once the tire starts wearing that way it wont stop even if you fix the problem. Sounds weird to me but I found people saying that on a few different forums.

 

[eazyasone23]

if your talking about tire cupping its usually from bad shocks. I did get some inner tire wear from bad tie rods too.

 

[Blee1099]

Honestly it sounds like your front end is not aligned right.. If you did a torsion twist, your front tires are probably negative camber.. Without adding camber adjusters to the upper control arm, there really is no way it can be neutral camber.

Grab a camera and take pics of your front end that shows both tires in the pic.. From maybe like 15 feet away or so.

 

[fifthranger]

The Explorer never seemed to ride perfectly smooth from the day I bought it. After everything suspension wise was replaced and I put on new wheels and tires. I dropped nearly $2k the day after I bought the truck to replace everything. It just never felt 100% smooth. I'm at the end of my rope here. I LOVE my Explorer, but I am sick of shaking and vibrating my way down the highway.

My 4*4 Ranger was backed into by a semi while I was at a stop sign. The truck driver was in front of me and just backed into me before I could get out of the way. He pushed me back while I was going in reverse. I had just a couple of scrapes on the license plate frame -- you couldn't tell I was hit unless I told you. However, the vehicle never went straight after that. The alignnment was off by only a couple inches, but the shop I went to said there was nothing they could do. Luckily, it was a lease, and I turned it in.

 

[dohc-bird]

Sounds like shocks.
It also depends on the tire.

 

[steve4x4townsend]

i had same problem on my explorer and finally i took it to another shop and it was the camber out come to find out most shops dont check for camber