Abnormal front tire wear - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

SuperSport213 · 08-06-2015, 11:19 AM

I searched and couldn't find anything..
Do any of you experience weird front tire wear and noise? I ask because I have went through 2 sets of front tires in 47k miles. They have not been completely worn down, just bad wear on the inner most tread blocks(pirellis). This causes crazy road noise due to the what I call "cupping" style wear on the inner treads. I am going to buy a new set of fronts next week, so have any of your experienced this issue, if so is there a solution so that I don't destroy another set in 10k miles? I am guessing it is from negative camber but my car is all stock suspension so whatever camber is there is factory.

gajagfan · 08-06-2015, 11:22 AM

When you say inner treads, do you mean the innermost part of the tire (closest to the car), or the middle of the tire? I am guessing the innermost part is what you mean.

Mels RS · 08-06-2015, 11:27 AM

Typically inboard wear is caused by "toe-out". Cupping is usually caused by worn shocks.

At a minimum I would check the alignment. The factory doesn't always get it right.

SuperSport213 · 08-06-2015, 11:39 AM

Yeah by" inner most" I meant the section closest to the engine. I had it aligned several months ago and all was in spec. It has worn tires since new in the same manner.

gajagfan · 08-06-2015, 11:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SuperSport213

Yeah by" inner most" I meant the section closest to the engine. I had it aligned several months ago and all was in spec. It has worn tires since new in the same manner.

Thanks for the explanation. I have to say I have never worn a set of performance tires out on the inside before the outside before, and if alignment has been checked as you said, I am lost.

GMTool · 08-06-2015, 12:07 PM

36 cold tire psi right? Suspension, alignment, some thing is not right. Get it all checked out by a good dealership or shop that does good quality work.

PalmerGA · 08-06-2015, 04:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GMTool

36 cold tire psi right? Suspension, alignment, some thing is not right. Get it all checked out by a good dealership or shop that does good quality work.

And after you know everything is right... rotate your tires (side to side only for the Pirellis) every oil change or 5K miles. It will make a difference on how they wear.

Rock-It Man · 08-06-2015, 09:02 PM

This is not normal. If you don't rotate the tires side to side, you will get some cupping, but the outsides will be more worn than the insides.

Your alignment is not good. Who did it and did they give you a readout when they were done? Or did Bubba at the gas station do it?

Norm Peterson · 08-06-2015, 09:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SuperSport213

Yeah by" inner most" I meant the section closest to the engine. I had it aligned several months ago and all was in spec. It has worn tires since new in the same manner.

"Within spec" still allows quite a lot of variation because the tolerances are pretty loose. Did you get a print-out? Typically it'll have 'before' and 'after' measurements so you can tell what they tweaked and by how much.

Could be that wherever it is within spec still isn't the greatest match for your driving. How hard do you take corners? On average here, not how hard can you once in a great while. Much hard braking? Mostly highway or mostly not highway?

Norm

My 5th · 08-07-2015, 12:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rock-It Man

This is not normal. If you don't rotate the tires side to side, you will get some cupping, but the outsides will be more worn than the insides.

Your alignment is not good. Who did it and did they give you a readout when they were done? Or did Bubba at the gas station do it?

I thought it wasn't good to move tires from one side of the car to the other, as it changes the direction of rotation, and that was bad for the tires. Is that an Old Wive's Tale, or it doesn't apply to today's tire technology?

GMTool · 08-07-2015, 12:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by My 5th

I thought it wasn't good to move tires from one side of the car to the other, as it changes the direction of rotation, and that was bad for the tires. Is that an Old Wive's Tale, or it doesn't apply to today's tire technology?

Stock SS Pirelli's are not directional tires. I have been rotating side to side since car was new. My owners manual recommends it.

Rock-It Man · 08-07-2015, 04:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GMTool

Stock SS Pirelli's are not directional tires. I have been rotating side to side since car was new. My owners manual recommends it.

You are right. Thy are not directional and can and should be rotated side to side.

Having said that, the 2010 manual says not to rotate them, and later manuals say yes do it, for the same tires!

Anyhow, I didn't rotate. The fronts are a bit cupped and therefore noisy after 47,000 miles, but the rears look very evenly worn.

However, they're now over five years old and will be replaced in the Spring of 2016 regardless of tread wear.

Turner · 08-07-2015, 04:07 PM

I had the same thing happen to my 2012 ss. Cupping on the outside and really wore down on the inside. I bought the car at 13k miles and now have 23k that I put on it in six months. I switched out my tires and wheels from the 21" to a 20" because they are way cheaper. I just got them put on today. I hope I don't have the same problem again. Sorry I can't help you out, just wanted to let you know that you aren't the only one having that issue.

SuperSport213 · 08-09-2015, 05:00 PM

The alignment was done at a general auto repair shop (not sure if his name was Bubba) lol
They did give me a print out, that my wife saw fit to throw in the garbage a few days later. If my memory is correct, I had some negative camber but it was in the range of acceptable. I just had new fronts put on yesterday so I will carry it to the dealer next week to have the alignment checked again.
On a side not I had a '13 5.0 that did the same thing to Perelli fronts. 2 alignments later the dealer just told me that the negative camber was factory set (no adjustment) and that it was just going to chew up tires...and basically learn to live with it. (gotta love Ford dealers).
My driving style is aggressive, but 95% of the time its just 75 mph and straight on a nicely paved 4 lane to and from work about 200 miles a week.

08-06-2015, 11:19 AM	#1
SuperSport213 Drives: 2011 SS LS3 Join Date: Nov 2014 Location: Killen,Al Posts: 42	Abnormal front tire wear I searched and couldn't find anything.. Do any of you experience weird front tire wear and noise? I ask because I have went through 2 sets of front tires in 47k miles. They have not been completely worn down, just bad wear on the inner most tread blocks(pirellis). This causes crazy road noise due to the what I call "cupping" style wear on the inner treads. I am going to buy a new set of fronts next week, so have any of your experienced this issue, if so is there a solution so that I don't destroy another set in 10k miles? I am guessing it is from negative camber but my car is all stock suspension so whatever camber is there is factory.

08-06-2015, 11:27 AM	#3
Mels RS Drives: 2015 2LT/RS Vert Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Dallas Area Posts: 300	Typically inboard wear is caused by "toe-out". Cupping is usually caused by worn shocks. At a minimum I would check the alignment. The factory doesn't always get it right. __________________ Mel 2015 2LT/RS 'Vert, RRM/Blk Designated Airworthiness Inspector; specializing in Amateur-Built and Light-Sport Aircraft. USAF Vet. <n168tx(at)flytx.net>

08-06-2015, 12:07 PM	#6
GMTool MY SS is SOLD Drives: AGM 2012 Camaro 2SS/RS L99 Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Southwest Illinois Posts: 1,838	36 cold tire psi right? Suspension, alignment, some thing is not right. Get it all checked out by a good dealership or shop that does good quality work. __________________ CAI, Dynatech Headers, HF Cats, JRE Tuned, Corsa Cat Back, Strut Tower Brace.

08-06-2015, 11:22 AM	#2
gajagfan Drives: 2013 1SS 1LE Black - Std Exhaust Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Brunswick, GA Posts: 3,622 View My Garage	When you say inner treads, do you mean the innermost part of the tire (closest to the car), or the middle of the tire? I am guessing the innermost part is what you mean.

08-06-2015, 11:39 AM	#4
SuperSport213 Drives: 2011 SS LS3 Join Date: Nov 2014 Location: Killen,Al Posts: 42	Yeah by" inner most" I meant the section closest to the engine. I had it aligned several months ago and all was in spec. It has worn tires since new in the same manner.

08-06-2015, 09:02 PM	#8
Rock-It Man 376 cubic inches of fun Drives: 2023 Camaro ZL1 A10 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: MA Posts: 4,043 View My Garage	This is not normal. If you don't rotate the tires side to side, you will get some cupping, but the outsides will be more worn than the insides. Your alignment is not good. Who did it and did they give you a readout when they were done? Or did Bubba at the gas station do it?

08-07-2015, 04:07 PM	#13
Turner Drives: 2012 Chevy Camaro SS Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: Comanche Posts: 2	I had the same thing happen to my 2012 ss. Cupping on the outside and really wore down on the inside. I bought the car at 13k miles and now have 23k that I put on it in six months. I switched out my tires and wheels from the 21" to a 20" because they are way cheaper. I just got them put on today. I hope I don't have the same problem again. Sorry I can't help you out, just wanted to let you know that you aren't the only one having that issue.

08-09-2015, 05:00 PM	#14
SuperSport213 Drives: 2011 SS LS3 Join Date: Nov 2014 Location: Killen,Al Posts: 42	The alignment was done at a general auto repair shop (not sure if his name was Bubba) lol They did give me a print out, that my wife saw fit to throw in the garbage a few days later. If my memory is correct, I had some negative camber but it was in the range of acceptable. I just had new fronts put on yesterday so I will carry it to the dealer next week to have the alignment checked again. On a side not I had a '13 5.0 that did the same thing to Perelli fronts. 2 alignments later the dealer just told me that the negative camber was factory set (no adjustment) and that it was just going to chew up tires...and basically learn to live with it. (gotta love Ford dealers). My driving style is aggressive, but 95% of the time its just 75 mph and straight on a nicely paved 4 lane to and from work about 200 miles a week.