uneven tire wear (with picture)

[joey_hv]

is this the result of upper control arm needing replacement?
The worn down side is on the inside, towards the engine side.

 

[Blacksheep Josh]

camber possibly?

 

[joey_hv]

I didn't think camber could be adjusted.

 

[Mrrobalo]

Wow how did you get a pic of my tire?

LOL I just bought a 99 with 100k and tires look that way. Already replaced shocks and swaybar ends , what else before buying the new tires and alignment ? Tie rod ends, ball joints upper and lower, brake job,?????
I want to do it right so I won't have to redo anything for a while. I will try to do it myself and with help of son .I am not a mech but do work on anything on a boat so any tips will help. I have read and bookmarked a lot on here in just a short time and appreciate your all helpfull advice.:exp:

 

[Blacksheep Josh]

I want to say camber can be adjusted, i think they have spacers for it?

i'm not an expert, but when I'm pretty sure it's adjustable... cause when i take my X in for alignment, camber is listed as one of the variables on the chart.

 

[KPT]

Camber can be adjusted. You have to get an aftermarket kit though.MOOG Part # K80065 is one of them...

 

[Blacksheep Josh]

Camber can be adjusted. You have to get an aftermarket kit though.MOOG Part # K80065 is one of them...

also, my mechanic told me not to long ago that a bad joint can also have some of the same effects, perhaps teh balljoint has some play, or something else is loosening up. if you go to a reputable alignment shop they should be able to inspect your suspension components, and either re-align it correctly and/or tell you what needs to be replaced.

 

[budwich]

I would say the upper ball joint / control arm is bad causing the vehicle to set down a bit.... I had this problem on my 96 when I bought it.... in fact the steel belts cut my finger when I ran my hand around the inside of the tire when it was still mounted on the vehicle to check the inside wear for unevenness.

 

[ThePhoenix]

wouldnt UBJ cause cupping?

 

[budwich]

nope... cupping is usually caused by weak shocks allowing a slight out of balance tire to "bounce" down the road.... at least my experience shows.

 

[ThePhoenix]

hmmm....so maybe I wont need LBJ as soon as I thought

 

[gijoecam]

That type of wear can be caused by sagging springs, bad ball joints, or alignment issues. If it's only on one side, I'd tend to lean towards a suspension issue on that side. If it's both inner edges, I'd lean towards an alignment issue. Any halfway competent alignment shop should be able to troubleshoot it in short order.

-Joe

 

[Blacksheep Josh]

hmmm....so maybe I wont need LBJ as soon as I thought

whenever i replace something i go ahead and change the others... my explorer is about 15 years old now (man!), and my shocks/springs ar eworn out, just like everything else, cause they're original. if you're doing it yourself, you may as well take the extra time to do the LBJ's now... i know i would

good luck with it

 

[Paraphoe]

I had the same wear pattern, just dug up a picture.

My control arm was fine, I think it just needed an alignment. I neglected it because it was getting lifted so soon and rode on those tires till the steel belts started coming through on the inner worn edge.

 

[ThePhoenix]

from advance auto parts

Causes of Tire Wear Problems

Tire wear patterns, such as scuffing, cupping and outside shoulder wear, often are an indication of a larger problem with a vehicle's chassis components, reports Terry Hawkins, alignment specialist and senior instructor with Moog Automotive.

"The cause of uneven tire wear can be as simple as under inflation or over inflation," says Hawkins, "but it also can result from loose parts such as shocks, struts, ball joints, steering linkage or from weak springs." As a precaution against tire failure -- the No. 1 cause of highway breakdowns Hawkins recommends checking tires regularly for the following conditions:

Shoulder wear, which can be caused by under-inflation or hard cornering. Many shredded rubber tires seen along highways are the result of either under inflated tires, running too long and too hot, or from severe misalignment.

Center tread wear, which usually indicates over-inflation. Over inflation results when a vehicle owner tries to compensate for a slow leak by over inflating the tire to make it stay up longer.

Cupping can be caused by an unbalanced tire condition, faulty wheel bearings, loose parts, fatigued springs or weak shock absorbers. Check the condition of the shock by forcefully bouncing the front end of the car several times and releasing it on the down stroke. Failure of the vehicle to settle after two strokes suggests worn shocks or struts.

Camber or toe wear indicates misalignment due to loose, worn or bent steering linkage components. Many camber and toe wear problems can be traced to spring fatigue, which causes the vehicle's frame to ride closer to the road. Once the vehicle is below the manufacturer's height specifications, it is not possible to achieve the correct camber change designed into the suspension without replacing the springs. The vehicle also experiences excessive toe change as the suspension travels through jounce and rebound, again causing abnormal tire wear.

Diagonal scuffing and cupping across the face on rear tires signals problems with toe. Diagonal tread wear or cupping on rear tires is caused when the direction the vehicle's wheels are heading is not in line with the geometric center line of the vehicle. When this condition occurs, front-wheel steering can be affected and lead to tire slip or loss of traction or control. (Note: The wear pattern that develops on rear tires from improper toe will vary depending on tread design. Wear patterns from rear-wheel misalignment may resemble cupping on tires with highway tread design and diagonal scuffing on tires with an all season tread pattern.)

 

[armsj]

I HAVE A 98 FORD EXPLORER TIRES LEAN IN SOME. BUT ALL BALLJOINTS ARE TIGHT.
I NOTICED THERE IS NO COIL SPRINGS JUST SHOCKS. WHEN SHOCKS GET WEAK OF WEAR WILL THIS CAUSE TIRES TO LEAN IN ALSO. HOW CAN I CHECK SHOCKS FORK WEAKNESS. I KNOW CASPER & CAMBER CAN ALSO CAUSE THIS. armsj

 

[smm1099]

If you did the TT and didn't get them realigned that could be the problem. It happened to a friend of mine's Chevy. Once he got it realigned and put new tires on it it was fine.

 

[armsj]

Hello smm1099
thanks for keply. But i dont know what tt means. I am going to replace old shocks & see if tires will streighten up if not have to have a allignment.

 

[HahnsB2]

Shocks don't affect your alignment. TT= torsion twist, adjusting the torsion bars for more or less ride height. Inside tire wear is negative camber and/or toe out. Both can be caused by worn ball joints and/or improper alignment. Toe out can also be caused by worn tie rods.

 

[96V8Xploder]

Your problem is the allingment. This is a very common problem with all cars. In your case the upper control is adjustable and sometimes moves causing allingment issues. If you notice the upper contol arm has a bolt on each side that the washer welded to is not centered. This allows the upper arm to be move out or in. After time they tend to move a little. It doesnt take much but once it starts it will never go back. Hitting curbs alot will cause this, also heavy offroading. An allingment shop can cure your problem.

When raising a vehicle by doing the TT (torsion twist) you are also making your allingment go out(bad). Cars are allingned by there ride hieght and once you change that by lifting or lowering, you are guaranteed to need an allingment.

One more thing, I always reccomend an allingment when getting new tires. If your tires are wearing fine it still doesnt hurt to just check it and see what the allingment machine say. Your tires will last a heck of alot longer with proper air inflation and a good allingment. I have got over 60K miles from a set of 31" BFG AT.