So I'm having this cupping/"bumpy" treadwear problem on my driverside front tire. I've checked all the likely components I can think of (ball joints, steering joints, other suspension components for movement) but nothing sticks out.

I had a tie rod go bad on the passenger side that destroyed that tire but have since fixed that and changed the tire and all seems well.

Could the cupping have been a problem related to that bad tie rod that I just didn't see as the other tire was so much worse?

Could it just be worn shocks (66k on originals)

I need to dig around more to make sure I didn't miss something. Just curious what others have found to have caused this. The tie rod was so obvious to see it was bad. I just can't seem to find a loose part or something that is worn.

Thanks!

Have a great 4th today!

 

I would venture a guess that it would be a combination of worn shocks and the bad tie rod end. With that being said, once a tire develops a bad wear pattern there is no reversing it. So it is possible that the pattern was already there when you changed the tie rod. I guess at this point, I would go ahead and change out shocks and depending on the life left in the tire, maybe change it also.
On my dually, I rotate tires (swap everything side to side) every oil change, which helps to mitigate uneven wear patterns.

 

I'm having those same thoughts too about the wear pattern being there with the tie rod problem. I do have an extra tire left that's still in good shape that I can have mounted. I did the same with the other front that was worn from the tie rod.

I'm terrible with the tire rotations. Not because I don't want to do it, but because if I spend more than an hour working on my truck this high pitched voice comes yelling every 10 minutes after that hour. Or that same voice crabs about other stuff needing to be done.

I'll get that tire mounted and see what happens. At least I won't be destroying a new tire if the problem still exists. Maybe see if any shock deals are floating around.

 

Did you change one tie rod or both? You should always do to one side to the other side. Dont buy one shock for the front buy both. Remember when the truck was new the parts were new now that the truck has some miles on it that all the parts have the same miles on them and if one wears out likely the other ones are going bad also. Shocks may be the issue with the tire ware and since they have that many miles on them they probably need replacing.

 

Just tell that "high pitched voice" that the more money you spend on tires, the less she gets to spend at Walmart, or QVC!!!!!!!!!!!
Or vice versa....the less money you spend on tires, the more she gets to spend!!!

 

When I was a teen ager we had a 77 Econoline van that would get horrible grapefruit sized cupping on the tires. The sides of the roof rusted out very quickly too.

 

Haha. I won't just replace one shock. I'd just get a set all around.

 

Haha. I won't just replace one shock. I'd just get a set all around.

I did just do one tie rod. I get doing both, and read that, but the other had zero play. I'm not into the theory that if one part goes bad the other probably will or has because of mileage. That tie rod could've experienced a puncture that caused water/salt infiltration which drastically wore it out. Doesn't mean the other has suffered the same fate.

I could see the thought process that the damage to the other part may possibly cause damage to others because the system is not functioning properly. But that has nothing to do with a part age/mileage failure.

Fixing a part that isn't broke is just money out the window to me. Especially on that theory. I get what you're saying. I'll just disagree a little.

Take brakes for instance. Yes, I'll do both sides and likely front to rear during replacement of pads and or rotors but if one caliper is seized I'm not replacing both or all 4 just because.