In this article, I am going to talk about what causes tires to wear on the outside and provide insights on how to prevent and fix them, without wasting any more time let’s jump straight to it.
what causes tires to wear on the outside
The most common reason is improper alignment. Many tire shops do an alignment but don’t balance your tires as part of the service. When a tire wobbles, it will cause rapid wear on one side or another depending upon how it wobbles. This is why new tires always seem to wear on the inside edges until you drive them for a while.
There are other causes including low air pressure, irregular loading (i.e., overloaded), or simply excessive dry-rot where the tread can’t keep up with the rest of the tire’s material as it gets older and breaks down over time.
Quite literally any of the tire’s contact points will wear the outside of the tire. If you have an alignment issue and are taking turns in one direction excessively, this will show up as a “stretch” in the tread on one side of the inside edge of your tires.
If you do not rotate your tires, excessive weight on one side will wear off more rubber on that side than another – this is easy to see if you get new tires at different times and can see which tire has been used most often.
Finally, if you have a wheel out of alignment, it will wear the outside of the tires. This is actually an easy fix if you replace the tires on all four wheels when they become worn – your new tires will be back in alignment again and not cause further wear.
Why is the outside edge of my tire wearing?
One reason is that you are braking often or driving downhill- both can cause more weight on the inside edge than the outside. If you drive in that condition for a long time, it will create heat and excessive wear in one area of the tread.
If you have weight on both sides of the car, heat will be evenly distributed and the inside edge won’t wear anymore than another. If you are on a large truck with dual wheels, it’s possible to have an issue where you are jacking up the front weight over time.
How can you tell if a tire is wearing on the outside?
If a quarter of the tread on one side of the outside edge (the edge that is closest to the direction that you turn with your steering wheel) of the tire is gone, then it’s probably being worn out in that area.
How to fix tires wearing on outside
If a quarter of the tread on one side of the outside edge (the edge that is closest to the direction that you turn with your steering wheel) of the tire is gone, then it’s probably being worn out in that area.
If all four tires are showing an even amount of wear, then this isn’t your issue. If there’s uneven wear other than just where you turn, or if you’re not rotating them as part of a normal maintenance schedule and only realize it when you see uneven wear on new tires added to your car, then your alignment should be checked as part of this visit.
Will rotating my tires help prevent uneven tread wear?
Yes, if this is your problem. As already mentioned, uneven weight distribution can lead to overheating one section of your tire and then that section wearing out faster than others.
How to Prevent Tires from Wearing on the Outside
Tires are the only point of contact between your vehicle and the road. Therefore, they must be kept at optimal levels in order to provide maximum traction and safety. Proper tire maintenance is a must to ensure their performance as they travel down the road.
While tires are made from durable material, they still need to be checked on a regular basis. Tires should always be checked before every long-distance trip and replaced every six years, even if there is no visible wear or tear.
Tire Checks Rotate the tires every 6,000 to 8,000 miles. This puts the newly worn tire in front of the vehicle. Rotating the tires reduces uneven wear, friction, and heat.
This may increase tire life and save money since you will not need to rely on balancing and rotating your tires as often. Better handling When tires are balanced properly, they roll smoothly for better handling performance.
The reduction of vibrations provides a smoother ride than a vehicle with unbalanced tires. The wheels will also last longer with balanced wheels than if they were unbalanced which will save you money down the road! Having proper tire pressure is also very important for the optimal performance of your vehicle.
Robert Anderson is a world class motorhead who rebuilt his first carb at age 10, his first engine at age 15, and completed his first full hotrod build when he was just 18! Previously, he has ran a part warehouse, delivered pizzas, and managed the service department for a $20 million/year revenue dealership. Robert knows cars like few others and he is passionate about sharing his knowledge.
