Uneven tread wear

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Dec 26, 2003
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My tires are wearing uneven dont know if its a bigger problem then just rotating them. The inside of the front two tires are wearing out kind of weird. its like every 3 sections is not worn out. I will try and take a picture and post it but if anyone knows what i am talking about please give me your input.
 
Get your alignment checked, if you're using the stock shocks now would be a good time for an upgrade. The condition is known as scalloping or cupping. Common on some ST's not on others. By chance, do you have the factory Goodyears on your trac?
 
My 2004 4x4 has the factory Goodyears and is having the same problem. At 20K miles, I have now rotated the tires 4 times and at this point, the front is by far the worst. It is clearly much more worn on the extreme inside of the tire to the point that it seems flat, then round, every few inches. I've been reading into this and now have a question. Is this cupping, or toeing? From what I undersand, cupping is more of a bubbling where toeing is this flat/uneven wear on the inside of the tire. Besides new shocks and new tires, is there actually a TSB in regards to toeing on these tires or just cupping? I would much rather have this problem fixed for $0.00!
 
Depending on your dealer, they may or may not fix under warranty (most likely not). Apparently the wheels and tires are only covered for the first 12,000 miles. But if your dealer is feeling nice (doubtful) they MIGHT make it easier on you. There are no TSB's as far as I know and have read. Just crappy tires, shocks, etc....
 
Either the tires are cupping, or your shocks are shot...

Bad alignment, all are a common problem on the St.

Todd Z
 
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CUPPPING IS NOT CAUSED BY THE TIRES !!!!



Cupping or scalloping is only caused by bad alignment, bad suspension parts, or bad shocks.



Stop blaming the tire cupping on the Goodyear tires. The Wrangler RT/S are cheap crappy tires that Ford gets a huge discount on buying them by the boxcar load, but they are not the cause of the cupping, they are only the messanger telling you that you have another problem. :D



...Rich



 
my ST did the samething, started in the front, had them rotated and the rear tires that were moved to the front did the same so all four tires are like that. My father inlaws Ranger did the samething. The Ranger had the same wheels and tires on it.
 
Rich, though the cupping isn't caused BY the Goodyears, there have been very little to any complaints (none I can remember) involving the michelin factory tires. Just seems kinda convenient.
 
I worked at sears for 4 years, Almost every set of good years we took of or sold had cupping on them. I find it hard to believe that every car that just so happens to get good years mounted on them has problems..



My 1988 S10 blazer 190K miles mind you, Had good years on it about 140K miles... ALL cupped.. Now I haven't replaced a dam suspension part, shocks, NOTHING, Put Michelin's on there now at 190K miles the Michelin's are STILL on there and NO cupping what so ever...



Good year tires are JUNK, They use all their money made screwing the public to make Indy tires...

Todd Z
 
Rich, I will believe what you say if you can explain to me why my tires cupped at 4500 miles, I got them rotated, balanced and even got an allignment for S^!@s and giggles. Then, again at 12000 miles, the tires that were rotated into the front started cupping too....so then, I had 4 severly cupped tires (according to Goodyear and Ford). Having put up with it long enough, I purchased Michelins at 16000 miles (no allignment or new shocks mind you) and kept them on until 33,000 miles until I switched to BFG's and have had them for over 11,000 miles. NO CUPPING on the Michelins or BFG's.....stock shocks (until recently), only one allignment done at 4500 miles. Explain why and I will believe you. I am not so sure though that you'll get the other people who have had the same experience as me to believe you though.



I'm not trying to be a jerk, but this seems to be an all too common occurance with the GY's. I've never seen someone write in and say "my Revo's are making a thumping noise, what's wrong? I've only had them for 20K miles."
 
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I now have 67,000 on my original Michelins.

NO, I said NO alignment

New Monroe shocks at 55,000.

Rotate every 10,000 miles.

Been hunting, off roading, and have towed.

NO cupping. Perfect and even wear.

The tires will last about 20,000 miles more.

I do run a little higher tire pressure to help with turn in responce.



At one time in my career, I did the tire development testing for a major japaneese auto mfg here in Ohio. I wouldn't put GYA's on any of my vehicles for free.
 
I've had cupping problems with other Goodyears on other vehicles. All four of my Goodyears are cupped on my SportTrac, despite rotating them every 8,000 miles and an alignment check.



Goodyear OEM tires are crap. There are some decent Goodyears, but they are expensive. I will never buy Goodyear tires again. I'm just gonna run my Goodyears until next fall and then change them out before winter (unless the damn noise gets unbearable). Maybe I'll change them sooner if I get an inclination to do so. I'll probably put BF Goodrich tires on it as replacements: Radial Long Trail T/As if I am feeling practical; Radial All-Terrain T/A KOs if I am feeling a bit more sporty at the time. Either one will be 1000% better than the Goodyears.



Friends don't let friends buy Goodyear tires.
 
Same issues with the Good years on mine. After the wreck, the truck was aligned at the dealer, and the cupping started not too long afterwards. Rotated, rechecked alignment, same thing, tires rotated to front started cupping.

Went to the tires I have on there presently. Have had them on there for almost 10k miles, NO CUPPING, NO WEAR, NO PROBLEMS with no alignment since those tires were installed.



But no, its not the tires.....

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