Why tires wear on the outside

The angles causing this type of wear are typically negative toe and camber. For parts, there are three component sources of the inner-edge tread wear: bushings, springs and loads. Some vehicles have hydraulic bushings on the rear lower control arms. Some bushings will leak when they fail. When a bushing in the rear fails, the extra movement causes the wheels to toe out and the camber to go negative. Engineers tune alignment angles for a specific ride height to maximize handling and tire tread wear.

If a spring can no longer support the vehicle, the alignment angles will suffer. Most engineers tune the suspension to toe out when the rear suspension compresses. This increases vehicle stability. But, it also causes the inner-edge tread wear. Springs are made of metal that is heat-treated, but can still fatigue. This includes leaf, coil and torsion bar springs. Common irregular tire tread wear conditions from improper alignment include the following:.

When you run your hand over the tread blocks, they will feel like saw teeth. This is often caused by a combination of improper alignment settings, such as excessive toe and caster.

One-sided shoulder tire wear: This type of irregular tread wear means the inside or outside shoulder rib of the tread is significantly more worn than the other ribs. Also known as camber wear, excessive positive or negative camber often causes this type of wear. It is imperative to keep your tires properly maintenanced by checking your tire pressure monthly. Width What width? Open Chat Options. What follows is a brief list of the most common causes of wear on the outside of a vehicle's front tires.

Underinflated front vehicle tires can cause excessive or abnormal wear on the outside perimeter of the tires. Underinflated tires tend to fold inward towards the middle, a condition that causes the outside edges of the tires to press downward with abnormal force, which can cause excessive outside tire wear.

If your tires are wearing down rapidly in the center of the tread, you may be driving on tires that are consistently over-inflated. In contrast to center wear, edge wear may occur when tires are under-inflated. Wear on two shoulders can also indicate hard cornering or improper rotation. More specifically, suspension parts are probably worn out or even bent out of shape. Could you have recently hit a curb or pothole? Patchy tire wear suggests your tires are out of balance.

If you notice unusual wear patterns on your tires, the best thing to start with is an alignment check at your local Firestone Complete Auto Care.