Uneven tire wear is a recipe for disaster. The uneven wear weakens the tires’ overall structures and can cause one or more of the tires to blow out. You could lose control of your vehicle and be the cause of an accident should this happen. Why do tires wear down unevenly? Auto Correct Car Care lists several reasons below and what we can do to fix the problem.
One-Sided Tire Wear
If your car, truck, crossover, or SUV is not aligned properly, your tires will wear down along one side. This is because the tires are either leaning inward or outward. Another cause of one-sided tire wear is damage to your vehicle’s ball joints or tie rods. We can realign or wheels or replace your ball joints or tie rods to prevent one-sided tire wear and improve your vehicle’s steering and handling.
Wear on Both Sides
The outer edges of your tires are also called shoulders and if your tire tread is wearing down on both sides, your tires are underinflated. When your tires do not have the recommend pounds-per-square-inch (PSI) of air in them, the center tends to lift while the shoulders stay put on the road. This is what causes them to wear down first. We can fix the problem by properly inflating your tires.
Center Wear
You probably know the cause of this uneven tire tread wear. If the edges wear down when your tires are underinflated the center tread will wear down if your tires are overinflated. The center of the tires is meeting the road because there is too much air in them and this causes the center tread to wear down first. The simple solution is to release the excess air until the PSI is at the recommended levels.
Strange Wear Patterns
Mechanics refer to unusual tire tread wear patterns as cupping, feathering, scalloping, or spotting based on the wear patterns. Unusual tread wear can be caused by driving habits or mechanical issues. For example, if you love to brake hard, you’ll cause the unusual tread wear; if your alignment or balance is off, or if you have suspension problems, this, too, will cause cups, feathers, scallops, or spots.
Auto Correct Car Care in Finksburg, MD, will inspect your wheel alignment, vehicle suspension, and the tires themselves to determine why they are wearing down unevenly. In rare cases, your tire tread might be wearing down unevenly because of manufacturing problems. Call us today to set up an appointment.