front tire wear ?

[RAM MAN]

ever notice that the outer part of the front tires wear a little faster than usual ?

at least, they seem to on mine

hear me out

I've basically had the front end rebuilt (ball joints, control arms etc)

it runs straight and true down the road (good alignment)

new shocks

rims are not bent

tires are professionally mounted and balanced

35 PSI in the front tires, as recommened by both the tire manufacturer and the tag in the door from Dodge

when I went in today for a rotation, the first thing the tire shop mentioned was that the outer part of both my front tires are wearing

not anything bad, but once he mentioned it, I could tell

he says he sees it all the time in full sized vans

have you ever noticed this ?

[tbirdscott]

My guess would be from cornering, theres alot of high mass in a fullsize van and it likes to push the van the opposite way your turning rolling it onto the side of the tire.

Find some place to watch traffic and you'll see vehicles that corner faster or are top heavy will lean more and ride the sidewall if the tire is a tall profile (by tall I mean average 80's tire) or just low on pressure.

I know that if I turn too hard in my 18ft maxi the front outside tire will squeal.

2c
Scott

[van-nut]

Well, I just got new tires this past spring, and the old front ones were exactly as you described - worn slightly more on the outer corner. Not drasticly by any means, but it was noticable. It took the entire life of the tire, in my case, for that to happen. I never rotate my tires, either. I'm watching my new Yokohama's closely, but so far they've only got about 3K miles on them, and look fine. And that was all from one trip from Denver to Ohio and back, so not much cornering - all interstate.

Pete

[stev]

My Yokohama's are doing well too with over 12K miles on them. The older tires didn't wear like you had mentioned, but they did feather the tread on the outer edge. OK, they were snow tires. :)

[Dodgevanman]

Take your van to a place that specializes in trucks for an alignment. Eventhough the Dodge vans use a car-like front suspension, kids at the local Goodyear or tire place just don't know enough. I took my '94 to a truck place and had them align it. It tracks nice and straight and the tires are wearing perfectly.

Set the toe and let it go just does not cut the mustard on these vans.

[B-300]

I live on a windy mountain road and have set my camber at about 0 and increased caster by about a degree. I found that sway bars will make a huge improvement in tire life... If the van sets upright the tires do also but body roll causes the camber to change so you the camber to be a little more negative to compensate for this.
It also depends on how hard you drive corner.

[landyacht318]

I agree with Nate.

I went to a tire place with a slight pull to the right and left with a worse pull. Afterwards they claimed my tie rod ends were too worn, but before alignment, the tech claimed there was no significant play in the TRE. I had a better alignment in Mexico by guys without any instruments.

Wouldn't too much toe in cause outer edge wear, even if it did track true?

[B-300]

To much toe (In or Out) will cause the tires to were with feathered edges... This can be detected by rubbing a hand over the tread in both directions and comparing them to each other.

[RamVanMan]

OK, thanks for the advice, I'm taking it in for a front end alignment.

I will go to a place that specializes in trucks.

IE Not a national chain shop.

The alignment has slipped and if you let off the steering wheel, our B2500 - 1996 Conv tracks to the right quite severly.

Was thinking it needed entire front end rebuild - perhaps not. We'll see what the shop says.

David B.

[lilredex]

Have found the secret to be in who does the alignment. Have had these vans since 1983 and they always wore the front outsides, until I found my present shop. Those problems have all gone away.

If you lived here............you'd be in business too!