tire leaning

[jonafer]

The front tire is leaning in at the top, thus causing the inside edge to wear very quick. Now there is a squeking sound also coming from this wheel. This is a 2000 explorer 4 wheel drive 4.0 liter with 150,000+ miles. Any ides or any one seen a problem like this before?

 

[Turdle]

Most likely an upper ball joint. Maybe a lower but uppers usually go first.



Jack the offending wheel up off the ground and support the vehicle-chock a rear tire

grab the wheel at 12:00 and 6:00 and try very hard to move the top in and out-also trying to move the bottom in and out ( side to side)
there should be no movement at all-if there is-start looking for the loose area-

 

[Blacksheep Josh]

Get an alignment. Sounds like your camber is off. Maybe need a camber correction kit, but for a 2000 Explorer I don't know. it's so new to me!

Go to a GOOD alignment shop that offers free alignment checks. They should be able to tell you if the alignment is good or bad. If it's as you say, they should notice it immediately. If the tires are new you might be able to have the shop that put them on fix it.

Good Luck

 

[jonafer]

I just checked the balljoints and they seem to be tight. No movement in the 12 to 6 and 3 to 9 positions Wheel bereing seems also tight. Any other sugestions?

 

[joecrna]

My 1998 has 145k on it. Really difficult to check ball joints while installed, though the above technique is correct. Look at the upper and lower ball joint dust covers (rubber things) and look at the tie rod ends. Any even very small movement at any points is a long bad joint. If the dust cover is torn, the joint either needs replacement or it will soon.

Mine had inside wear on both front tires. The alignment was spot on and no movement was detectable. Out of frustration I just replaced all the ball joints and both tie rod ends (the boots on 3 of the 4 ball joints were torn).

Once out of the truck it was obvious both upper ball joints and the lower ball joint with the intact dust cover were all bad. So was one tie rod end. Now Im doing brakes too. Might as well make a week out of it.

 

[jonafer]

Did you have any sqeeks? I will probable just do top and bottom on both sides. I did the brakes and shocks last week. Hope this helps, I will post back with results. Thank's

 

[joecrna]

No squeeks, just an occasional clunk on certain surfaces or on some speed bumps. The notches and slop where obvious when out of the truck.

 

[Russ in CT]

If the tire is visibly leaning, and there isn't something incredibly loose in the front end (which if it passed the check ball joints by hand test there isn't), then something is seriously wrong, like somehting bent. Sure, the ball joints could still be bad and not be detected by hand, but not enough to cause the tire to visibly lean in.

Get to a front end/alignment shop ASAP.