When it comes to tire safety, your tread can reveal so much more than normal wear and tear. Tires do not always wear evenly, and there are several signs to look for when inspecting your tires. Check the list below for common tire wear problems and their causes.
Under-inflated Tires
If you notice tread wear on the edges rather than the middle of the tire, this can be due to low tire pressure. This is because the tire is pressed flat against the road, which results in added pressure on the inner and outer edges of the tires.
Over-inflated Tires
Like under-inflated tires, over-inflation can also result in uneven wear. In this case, you will notice that the centre of the tread will indicate excessive wear whereas the edges will not be as worn as the centre. Over-inflation results in a rounded tire, which is why the centre of the tire has the most contact with the road and carries all that weight.
Feathering
Tire feathering will occur in the event of excessive positive or negative toe angles. This is also referred to as stuffing. If you stroke your fingertips across the edge of every tread bar or block, it can be fairly easy to detect. If the feather edge is on the inside of the tread bar, this indicates excess toe-in. If the feathering occurs on the outside of the tread, this is due to excess toe-out. The toe angle is affected by the camber and caster angle changes, which is why it is the final adjustment to be made during wheel alignment and is essential for even tire wear.
Scalloped Tires
Scalloped or cupped dips around the surface of the tire tread can be caused by loose, bent or worn suspension parts. When tires are unbalanced or your shock absorbers are worn, it can also result in cupping. In this case, however, it usually results in a more concentric pattern. Struts and shocks are most likely the reason behind this problem because they allow the wheel and tire to move excessively.
Outer-Edge Wear
If the tire wears excessively around the outer edge, this could be due to some harsh cornering or a positive camber, caster, and toe. This sort of wear is fairly rare, but it can occur and is worth investigation by a tire expert if the need arises.
Inner-Edge Wear
This is the most common problem when it comes to tire tread wear. A negative toe and camber angle are usually to blame. If a particular part or several parts are to blame, the most common sources are the bushings, springs and loads. Bushings can be affected by extreme temperatures, the ozone, and atmospheric issues. When the bushing in the rear fails, it results in additional movement and this causes the wheels to toe out. When the springs can no longer support the vehicle, the alignment angles will be affected. In most cases, the suspension will be tuned by engineers to toe out when the rear suspension compresses. This ensures stability, but it also results in inner-edge tread wear. The loads in the rear of the vehicle will result in changes to toe, camber, and caster in the front. The front caster and camber will become positive. If the vehicle has an independent rear suspension, the camber will become negative and toed out as well. This can result in outer-edge tire wear in the front, along with inner-edge wear in the rear.
Any form of uneven tire wear is a concern for drivers. It’s not only about getting the most out of each set of tires, but also ensuring maximum handling and safety. If you need an expert tire replacement by professionals you can trust, contact Tire Change at (647) 745-0930 today.