Why do tires wear unevenly?

Learning that you need new tires is often a surprise and you may wonder how it is possible that you already need them. You are not accelerating. You don't drive like crazy. You do not press the accelerator pedal at the stoplight and do not apply the brakes. So how is it possible that you need new tires so soon?

It's about uneven tire wear. You may not notice how this is happening, but the life on your tires is constantly being erased. Premature or uneven tire wear is caused by a number of factors:

• Loose or worn suspension components
• Worn or leaking steering parts
• Uneven and incorrect tire pressure
• Wheels are not aligned

Uneven tire wear can be caused by one or more of these problems at any given time, many of which you may not notice at all.

Loose or worn suspension partsFor example, a leaking strut, broken coil spring, or worn shock absorber can contribute to uneven tire wear.

Worn steering componentssuch as a loose ball joint, a worn tie rod end, or excessive play in the rack and pinion means the tires are not held firmly at the angle they should be. This causes tire galling, a condition in which excess friction wears the tire tread rapidly.

Incorrect tire pressure will cause excessive tire wear even if its pressure is only 6 psi different from the specified pressure. Over-inflating will wear the center of the tread faster, while under-inflating will wear the inner and outer shoulders faster.

Wheel alignment plays a big role in tire wear. Like worn steering components, if the tire is at the wrong angle, tire abrasion will cause excessive tire wear on the affected wheel.

How to prevent uneven tire wear?

Regular maintenance procedures such as tire pressure adjustments, camber adjustments, and regular comprehensive vehicle checks can detect problems before uneven tire wear begins. Once excessive tire wear has begun, the damage cannot be repaired as part of the tread is already missing. Moving damaged tires to a position less prone to wear will help prolong their life, as long as the wear is not too great, as long as it does not affect the driving experience. The only other correction is tire replacement.