Could you help me understand what I need to correct this wear pattern?

I had a front end alignment done a little over a year ago and got new tires. Probably have 2000 miles or less on the tires.

After the alignment there was a noticeable improvement in the driveability, but then later on I noticed this inner tire wear.

My questions are about whether this is from steering and/or suspension parts that are worn, or an adjustment issue, or both. Any help appreciated.

Thanks!

Here is what they look like:

That's only 2k miles of use! Ouch! If there is significant toe-in or toe-out it will cause a lot of tire scrub and eat up tires in a hurry. Looks to me like you have a serious toe problem. I can't tell if you need parts replaced or not, but the car needs attention right away. You're about to see belts on the left front tire.

The tire and alignment shop I use keeps the print outs from the alignment machine to show the caster, camber and toe before and after the alignment along with the acceptable range. In any case the alignment shop should have checked for worn parts as part of the alignment. The shop screwed up.

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Joshua

Ouch is right, I had a broken lower control arm and over 20 thousand miles on my tires and they are no where near the wear you have! I may not have had all 20 thousand mile with the broken arm. the lower contol arm bushing is over looked almost all the time, get a shop that is willing to take a good look at it look it over.

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Even in moderation i am excessive!

I couldn't agree more.

I am guessing they set something at the wrong spec. Perhaps they just eyeballed it? I had my Dart Sport aligned just before I sold it and all they did was move the torsion bar back up. What a waste of money...or it would have been... I got a refund. there are some scammers out there.

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1969-1/2 Dodge Super Bee A12 (440 Six Pack, 4-spd, Dana 60)
1974 Plymouth Duster 360 (4-spd, 8.75")
1973 Plymouth Duster (225, auto, 8.25")
2001 Dodge Ram 1500 QC 2wd (5.9L, auto, Dana 60)

Inboard-edge wear like that suggests way too much negative camber.

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

True, but it would be tough for negative camber alone to trash the tires in 2k miles. Throw in a bad toe setting though and the wear goes sky high.

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Joshua

Hell I can see the camber is way off just in the pics! I would say that the shop definitely screwed up. I agree with Dan and Josh on this, you have excessive negative camber, but that alone would not be enough to wear them out that bad in 2k miles. If you look very closely, you will be able to tell which direction each wheel is pointing while going down the road, because the wear markes on the tire will be very horizontal looking. I had the same problem on my '71.

2k miles is about how far I went on my tires with the alignment out like that... I have pretty good knowledge of how to adjust said things, so I fixed it myself.

Here is a quick check. Find a spot in the middle of the tread on the front and rear of each tire, each the same distance from the ground and mark it. Snag a tape measure, and place it on the front of the tires in the groove where the mark is, then measure from there to the inside edge of the opposite tire tread, where the other mark is. Record that number and repeat on the rear.

The measurements should be identical. If they aren't, you can tell which way the tires are pointed simply by looking at the measurements. If the front is larger than the rear, your toe is "out", if the rear is larger than the front, the toe is "in". In a perfect world (IIRC), there should be a variation of nothing, but definitely no more than .125" or 1/8th of an inch. (Information on this gathered from using the machines at the shop in college)

I suspect, like Josh, that the rear reading will be less than the front, by quite a significant amount. It doesn't take much to cause excessive wear.

Does the car pull to one side going down the road by chance? Or is your steering wheel not straight when you drive on a flat road?

~THOR~

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1984 D100 Shorty Custom
Certified Auto Appraiser - RevItUp Classic Appraisals
President - Cherry City Bombers CC
Part of Tyrde-Browne Racing

I will use a yellow tire crayon to mark the tires. Jack one front tire up and give it a spin; hold the crayon to the tire to make a mark all the way around. Repeat on the other side then let the car down. Bounce the front end a few times to get it settled in then measure the distance between the marks at the front and then again at the rear of the front tires. If memory serves me correctly, the front measurement should be about 1/8" less. Just correcting the toe will not fix the problem though; you need to get it professionally aligned by a reputable shop.

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David Kight
'62 Valiant Signet, White
'98 Dodge Dakota
'06 Jeep Liberty

Growing older is unavoidable but growing up is strictly optional.

Thanks for the tips, everybody.

The helluvit is that the shop I used is considered highly reputable - recommended by another mechanic, in business for decades, and all they do is suspension and alignment work. It looks like they napped during this job, though.

I'll first take it back to them and see what they say. It's good that you've helped me with some of the terminology. My concern was that maybe they did adjust it right, but some suspension part is very worn out. But that is exactly what I was wanting them to tell me, after having examined it, if that was the case.

So I'll give 'em another chance at it and in the mean time be looking for another alignment shop. I am not driving the car now, btw.

R. Wood

I would also talk with them about gettin you some new front tires since they screwed it up.... those things are shot...

Nice disc brakes btw...


~THOR~

_________________
1984 D100 Shorty Custom
Certified Auto Appraiser - RevItUp Classic Appraisals
President - Cherry City Bombers CC
Part of Tyrde-Browne Racing

Great idea - thanks.

The brakes are stock so I can't take credit for 'em

Any decent alignment shop should tell you if a suspension component is worn to the point of affecting the alignment. And certainly if it is worn so much as to cause THIS amount of wear on the tires.

They definitely owe you a pair of tires.

-Mac

To tell the truth, the only alignment parts that could cause that would be visibly bad just by looking at them (i.e. ball joints, UCA cam bolts/nuts). If these guys didn't notice something that bad when they did it, they need to start opening their eyes. I don't blame the damage on worn suspension parts.

Even if the parts weren't visibly obvious, they are supposed to road test a car when they get done, and it would have knocked itself out of alignment again by the time they got back to the shop, and that should have definitely visible by them...

Good luck, and don't back down... most managers will be happy to satisfy your requests for 2 reasons:

1. They want you to leave them alone, and
2. They don't want you talking bad about them.

It is twice as hard to gain new customers as it is to keep old ones.


~THOR~

_________________
1984 D100 Shorty Custom
Certified Auto Appraiser - RevItUp Classic Appraisals
President - Cherry City Bombers CC
Part of Tyrde-Browne Racing

Does the front end clunk any going into reverse and applying the brakes...or going down hills and braking? Have them check out the upper control arm bushings real close. The ones on my old Fury where worn so bad that I had simular wear on my front tires. A fairly easy and cheap fix, if you do it yourself (shop will charge alot to fix it for you). Handles good with all that negitive camber?

No clunking; I have heard that sound before. Thanks for the tip about the upper control arm bushings.

I won't say it handles well, but then it never has. And I don't have anything except more recent cars to compare it to. I don't drive it fast either (sorry guys).

I don't expect the spring shop to give me a hard time. They've been in business since 1911 (really) (fixing coach suspensions I guess). They work on trucks and heavy equipment now, mainly, but run quite a few cars through there too. I agree with what you said, THOR, about negative publicity.

Unfortunately I kinked the speedometer cable earlier in the year so I removed it. That's why I am guessing about the miles, but the car was only being driven once or twice a week, more frequently when my kids visit. I am aiming to get it right before they come back in a month or so. It looks killer with the new vinyl top (green, of course!)

I appreciate all the help.

Richard