Tire alignment
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Senior User
Joined: Nov 2003
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From: Auburn
Tire alignment
Has anyone every had trouble with the outside of your tires wearing prematurely? I figure is going to be an alignment problem and am having it checked this week, but was wondering if there could be an underlying problem I have not found. I check my air pressures regularly and they check out. It is occuring mostly on the driver's side. Oh yeah, 1997 F-350 dually, 161,000 miles. Thanks guys, Adam
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Joined: Nov 2006
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From: Herndon KY
I can honeslty say that it is rare to have any front end problems that I have ever heard of if you have the solid front axle, I have 103000 mile with out ever having been aligned and she drives and wears perfect. Check your steering linkage and tie rod ends.
Lead Driver
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 9,236
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From: Senoia, GA
check your balljoints and wheel bearings! my tires were wearing on the inside pretty bad and come to find out all 4 bllajoints were loose enough to cause misalignment! raise the tire off the ground and grab the top of the tire and bottom of the tire. if you can shake it and feel some play... it's time!
-cutts-
-cutts-
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Joined: Sep 2006
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From: Maple Ridge, BC
if the ball joints are in decent shape then i would maybe think that could be a twist in the frame. i have seen where a twisted frame eats tires up pretty good even after an alingment, also a bent axel houseing would cause tire wear too...
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From: Auburn
Thanks for the replies fellas. I will check to tie rods and other steering linkage. I replaced the front brakes not to long ago and there was no exessive play in the ball joint or front bearings, but i will check the bearings anyway being that is probably time to repack them. I only rotate my tires from side to side because I would have to break down the rims and tires to do it and I believe the rears should be kept in pairs. I will check all these parts and see what the alignment shop says. Thanks, Adam
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From: Wisconsin
I pretty much have the same truck as you. 95 dually 350 4 door. mine wear like a **** on the outsides. my buddy has a 95 f-350 dually and she does the same damn thing, wears on the outside. so when you find out whats wrong with it... let me know so i can fix her!
Mitch
Mitch
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From: Herndon KY
Hey I think that the problem is more than likely the fact that your tires are always on the front. You have one of the heaviest engines on the market sitting on the front end of a very long truck, go into a parking lot crank her hard and then look at the black line the outside tire makes as you turn, that is a lot turning force required, and the outside of your front tires are always the outside, the inside will not wear because of the way the weight shifts when you turn. I think that the only thing that you can do is at some point put your back tires on your front and rotate them that way.
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From: Birmingham, AL
It could also be that you are driving the truck without a load on it most of the time. The Twin I Beam is sort of a swing axle arrangement that doesn't maintain constant camber throughout it's arc, so a light load or no load would tend to have the front wheels tipped out a degree or two at the top, causing more wear to the outside of the tires. Side to side rotation won't fix it. you will either have to rotate the rears to the front or replace the fronts more often than the rears.
Gene
Gene
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From: Auburn
Finally got to the alignment shop and my truck was toed out almost 5/16". I am not sure this is what is causing the outside tire wear but I try to remember to let you guys know in a few thousand miles. Thanks, Adam