Not Treading Lightly – Tire Tread

Uneven tire wear may be due to simple over or under tire inflation or problems involving suspension components and wheel alignment. Therefore, as a precaution against tire failure, tires should be checked regularly.

• Shoulder wear on one side is usually indicative of an alignment problem, often involving incorrect camber.
• "Cupping" (otherwise known as "feathering") is also often cause by incorrect camber and can generally be regarded as the early stage of shoulder wear.

At this point, if the problem is corrected with an alignment, it may be possible to wear the tire tread back into a more normal pattern over time.

• "Scalloping" is often indirectly caused by an impact that knocks the wheel out of alignment.

TIP: If the top of the wheel is farther out than the bottom (away from the axle), it is called "positive camber." If the bottom of the wheel is farther out than the top, it is called "negative camber."

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