Understanding abnormal tire wear

The tires of a vehicle will inevitably wear out during use. Under normal circumstances, the wear of the tires is uniform, and the wear of the four tires is basically the same.

However, many car tires have abnormal wear during use, such as eccentric wear, wavy wear, etc. So what are the abnormal wear of tires? What are the causes of abnormal wear? 

1. The middle part of the tire tread is severely worn

The main reasons for this phenomenon are: the tire pressure is too high for a long time, the tire tread is too wide, and the rim is too narrow, and the tire wear is mainly borne by the middle part of the tread. 

2. Severe wear on both sides of the tire tread

The main reasons for this phenomenon are: the tire pressure is too low for a long time or the car is overloaded, the tire tread is too narrow, and the rim is too wide. The tire wear is mainly borne by both sides of the tread. 

When the tire is worn in the center or on both sides, it is usually caused by too high or too low tire pressure. We should adjust the tire pressure in time. We should also check whether the tire matches the rim and whether the vehicle is often overloaded. 

3. The inner or outer side of the tire crown is severely worn, forming an inner cone or outer cone shape

The main reasons for this phenomenon are: the front wheel toe-in does not meet the standards; the wheel camber angle is too large or too small; the driver frequently makes the vehicle make sharp turns; the wheels have not been rotated for a long time 

4. Tire tread circumferential dent wear

The main reasons for this phenomenon are: insufficient tire pressure; unbalanced wheels; deformed rims or out-of-round brake drums; excessive toe-in; loose connection of steering rods; incorrect wheel alignment parameters

5. The tire tread is worn in a wavy or disc-like manner in the circumferential direction

The main reasons for this phenomenon are: rim deformation; wheel imbalance; wheel hub bearing wear and looseness; incorrect front wheel alignment parameters; too small caster angle 

6. The tread pattern on both sides of the tire tread shows jagged wear

The main reasons for this phenomenon are: low tire pressure; excessive load; wheel hub bearing wear and looseness; incorrect front wheel alignment parameters 

7. Partial wear of tire tread pattern

The main reasons for this phenomenon are: wheel locking due to emergency braking; or local wear of the tread caused by wheel slipping due to rapid starting.

8. Tire wear is even but the amount of wear is large

The main reasons for this phenomenon are: the road conditions are too bad; the tire pattern is not suitable for this road surface; the tire patterns of the four wheels are inconsistent; the four wheels are not rotated, etc. 

9. Tires show patchy wear

The main reason for this phenomenon is that there may be a problem with the dynamic balance of the wheel. When the wheel is unbalanced and the wheel is running at high speed, some parts of the tire will be subjected to greater force, which will increase wear and tear, and cause the steering wheel to shake (this happens at high speed or at a certain rotational speed). 

To sum up, there are four reasons for abnormal tire wear:

Tire pressure, tire dynamic balance, wheel alignment, and usage factors.

We can make a preliminary judgment on what went wrong based on the wear status of the tire.

Generally, abnormal wear of tires is accompanied by other vehicle problems, which is a major hidden danger to safe driving and must be dealt with in a timely manner.

In addition, tires are consumables with a relatively high cost on vehicles. Abnormal wear will greatly shorten the service life of tires and affect the income of vehicle owners. Therefore, regular inspection and timely treatment are the main measures to protect tires.