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All You Need to Know About The Uneven Tire Wear & Its Causes

Be aware of any changes in how your car is running. If you notice uneven tire wear, get it checked out by a professional at a tire store as soon as possible.

By Colony_TiresPublished 2 years ago 6 min read
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All You Need to Know About The Uneven Tire Wear & Its Causes

Introduction:

Tires are the most important component of your vehicle. To determine how healthy they are and fix issues, if any, it is crucial to get them checked regularly from your local tire shop in New Bern, NC.

Unevenness in your tire can pose a serious threat not just to the performance of your car but also to your safety on the road. Understanding various tire wear patterns will help you figure out what is going wrong. It is also important to determine what aspects cause such wear and tear and whether you need to replace them with new ones.

Analyzing all these factors with the help of a tire expert can help you save time, money, and effort.

Causes of Uneven Tire Wear

Different reasons can lead to uneven tire wear. Here are some of the most common causes:

Incorrect Wheel Alignment:

The wheels of your vehicles are appended by an intricate system of suspension framework with various joints and links to make sure your ride is as smooth as possible. Therefore, every possible change that happens to the suspension will need a realignment of the wheels.

Even though it may seem like an additional cost, opting for a wheel alignment service regularly might save you from a lot of expensive repairs in the future. Precise optical alignment ensures that your vehicle moves in a straight line, and all four tires share an equal amount of burden.

Worn-Out Suspension Parts:

Worn-out suspension parts like a strut or a shock can also cause an unusual wear pattern on your whole tread surface or a particular section of it. For example, if you have a bad strut, your car won't be able to absorb impact from bumps as efficiently as it should. Likewise, a faulty shock can slip and make your vehicle lean on one side. As a result, your tires will not always be equally in contact with the road and will start wearing out unevenly.

Moreover, a foul ball joint or a broken spindle can also cause premature wear leaving more tread on the inner part of the tire than the outer.

Over inflation or Underinflation of Tires:

Tires that are overinflated or under inflated can cause irregular wear of the tread over the width of the tire track. If you notice that the wear is more prominent on the center point of your tread than the edges, it indicates that your tires are overinflated. On the other hand, if the wear is more visible on the outer shoulders of your tires, it means they are underinflated.

The underinflation of tires also causes higher fuel consumption, and an over inflation can create a hard ride.

Appropriate inflation, as per the manufacturer's guide, can prevent irregular tread wear and make your ride more comfortable. And to achieve this, the ideal approach is to get your tire pressure checked with your nearest tire store in New Bern, NC, every month.

Note: You can find the tire pressure detail for your vehicle on a sticker placed on the driver-side door or in your vehicle's manual.

Unbalanced Wheels:

Your tires can't drive evenly on the road if they are not appropriately balanced. This is because an unbalanced wheel will put more pressure on one particular spot of the tire, which can cause premature wear. In addition, unbalanced wheels may bounce or wobble from side to side, making it difficult to steer at high speeds. You may also feel a vibration in your steering wheel, seat, or pedals.

The best way to avoid such issues is to have a tire store expert statically balance your wheels in a required manner. Ignoring this might cause a severe threat to your safety and your vehicle's performance.

Damaged Or Bent Wheels:

Potholes and bad roads are something we all have to live with. But sometimes, they can twist the edge of the wheel made of aluminum or steel out of its standard shape. This may cause the tire to sit at an incorrect angle, causing vibration as the wheels turn, leading to premature wear.

The only way to fix such a problem is to get the wheel examined by a professional and then repaired or replaced if required.

How Can You Avoid Uneven Tire Wear?

By now, you must have realized that uneven tire wear causes safety issues while driving on the road. Improper tire pressure, bad wheel alignment, unbalanced wheels, and damaged suspension can significantly affect your car's stability, braking, and cornering abilities.

Preventing premature or uneven tread wear is the key to maintaining safety and extending the life of your tires. Instead of just buying new tires every time the old ones start showing signs of wear, consider finding the root cause of the problem and then take preventive steps to avoid it. This will also help you save a lot of money since fixing the issue will be a lot cheaper than buying new tires for sale.

Tire rotation is also one of the most effective ways to reduce premature or uneven tread wear. This idea is based on the fact that the front tires of your vehicle work harder than the rear tires. The engine's weight and other factors make the front tires wear out faster than the rear ones.

Tire rotation helps distribute the tread wear evenly over all four tires, making them last longer. This procedure should be carried out at every oil change or when you notice uneven tread wear the same spot on all four tires.

What Should You Do If Your Tires Are Unevenly Worn?

  • Although you cannot prevent all causes of uneven tread wear, you can take some measures to reduce its frequency.
  • Check your tire pressure regularly and inflate them to the recommended PSI.
  • Keep an eye on the condition of your suspension and get it repaired or replaced if needed.
  • Make sure your wheels are correctly aligned and balanced.
  • Inspect your tires for damage after hitting a pothole or running over a curb.
  • Replace any damaged or bent wheels.
  • Schedule a tire rotation with professional tire shop technicians every 6 months or after every required mile mentioned in your vehicle's manual.

By following these tips, you can avoid most causes of uneven tread wear and keep your tires in good condition for a long time.

Always remember that your safety depends on the condition of your tires, so don't take any risks. If you are not sure about something, always consult a professional.

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About the Creator

Colony_Tires

As the region’s go-to full-service auto repair and tire shop, we take pride in always going above and beyond for the people we serve.

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