What Causes Uneven Tire Wear?
2 Answers
The causes of uneven tire wear include: 1. Tire quality issues; 2. Abnormal four-wheel alignment; 3. Improper tire pressure (too high or too low); 4. Uneven car suspension can also cause uneven tire wear; 5. Steering gear failure can also lead to uneven tire wear and deviation. Front tires are more prone to uneven wear than rear tires because front wheel suspension alignment cannot be as stable as rear wheels and is more susceptible to deformation. Due to steering requirements, front wheels and suspension cannot have too many fixed points, only through a single rotating shaft (such as MacPherson strut suspension) or connected via two ball joints (like double wishbone suspension). In such configurations where tires are fixed along a single axis, their resistance to deformation is relatively poor.
Abnormal tire wear, commonly known as tire cupping, has many common causes. First, incorrect tire alignment is the primary issue, such as deviations in toe-in or camber settings, leading to faster wear on the inner or outer edges of the tire. Incorrect tire pressure is also a frequent problem—if the pressure is too high, the center of the tire wears out faster; if it's too low, the edges wear more severely. Suspension system failures are equally critical, such as faulty shock absorbers or deformed control arms, which can cause uneven tire wear. Additionally, poor driving habits like sudden acceleration, hard braking, or frequent heavy-load transportation can accelerate uneven tire wear. To save money and stay safe, I recommend checking alignment and tire pressure every 5,000 kilometers and regularly maintaining suspension components. This can significantly extend tire life and avoid unnecessary replacement costs.
