Tire wear ? W/photo

ChanceMaster

Expert Expediter
Any ideas why our front driver's side steer is wearing like this. Passenger steer is wearing correct. The wear is uneven along the outermost tread ring along the right side of tread. Also wearing uneven along the right side of the more aggressive tread ring to the right of the above mentioned.
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ATeam

Senior Member
Retired Expediter
That wear pattern is called "rivering" for the river-like flow of the wear around the tire.

As to why it forms, opinions will varry. It appears sometimes (not every time) on our steers when they near the end of their useful life. Having talked to several tire shops about it, the experience is the same. The smartest guy in the shop will come out and view the tire, and then offer with great confidence his opinion about the cause. Then you go to the next shop where the smartest guy offers a different opinion.

The outer wear pattern, combined with the inner one, combined with good tread depth elsewhere on the tire is especially perplexing.
 

ChanceMaster

Expert Expediter
Thanks Phil, at least I have a name for it now. Newer tires on the truck, as well as some professional alignment work recently make this difficult to diagnose. Always make sure inflation is proper, like most D units we are heavy on our steer axle, perhaps we should start running our lift axle down at all times to reduce weight on the front end ?

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RoadKing06

Expert Expediter
we had the same type of wear on the 09 western star we were driving. the truck had air spring suspension and was also front heavy i had the front shocks changed and replaced tires with a different brand and tread design, i dodnt recall the brand that had the bad were but the new tires were BFGs the shocks were worn out. the truck rode a lot better after repair and tire wear was very good.
 

ATeam

Senior Member
Retired Expediter
Thanks Phil, at least I have a name for it now. Newer tires on the truck, as well as some professional alignment work recently make this difficult to diagnose. Always make sure inflation is proper, like most D units we are heavy on our steer axle, perhaps we should start running our lift axle down at all times to reduce weight on the front end ?

You may already know this but when it comes to tire inflation, do not go by what it says in the side of the tire. Go to the tire manufacturer's tire data book (available at tire shops and online for major manufacturers). Look up the recommended pressure for the weight your steer axle actually has on it (scale weight) and inflate your tires to that spec. Pressures in the tire data table provide the best footprint as the tire rolls on the road.
 

ChanceMaster

Expert Expediter
You may already know this but when it comes to tire inflation, do not go by what it says in the side of the tire. Go to the tire manufacturer's tire data book (available at tire shops and online for major manufacturers). Look up the recommended pressure for the weight your steer axle actually has on it (scale weight) and inflate your tires to that spec. Pressures in the tire data table provide the best footprint as the tire rolls on the road.
I did not know that. Great information , thank you. Will follow through with this.


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nightcreacher

Veteran Expediter
I run 120 psi in my steers,cause Im running 13400 on my steer axle 16 ply tires
that wear pattern can come from alignment
 

jjoerger

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
US Army
Our drivers side steer tire does that also.
We buy a new one every year and have it mounted on the passenger side and rotate the older tire to the drivers side.
We end up getting around 200,000 to 250,000 miles before replacing the oldest one.
 

jelliott

Veteran Expediter
Motor Carrier Executive
US Army
If it is not a directional tire, I would rotate them and flip it on the rim.
 

denny2010

Expert Expediter
The truck I have, has a slightly bent axle. Right front tire does that around 100,000 miles. It starts to shave edge...

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jjoerger

Veteran Expediter
Owner/Operator
US Army
If it is not a directional tire, I would rotate them and flip it on the rim.

We tried that. It seems that on the steers once it starts you can't stop it.
We also tried balancing and alignments.
We have just given up and plan to buy 1 steer a year.
 

usafk9

Veteran Expediter
Steers are only directional for the first 20k mi, after that rotate them at will.

Slackin is what a Slacker does best :D

Michelin advised us that it's after the first half of tread depth is worn, then you can flip without consequence.

Our driver's steer tire wears similarly. After 4 alignments, replaced and re-torqued bearings, we also have given up. I am unimpresed with the MD Alignment 'experts.

Lastly, Denny, how exactly was the 'slightly bent' axle diagnosed? That diagnosis screams to me that I'm dealing with a tire or alignment tech that is in over their head.
 

jelliott

Veteran Expediter
Motor Carrier Executive
US Army
If it is an ongoing issue, putting equal powder balance in the tire might really help. I use it on all tire positions on our power units with great success.
 

Slacktide

Seasoned Expediter
Michelin advised us that it's after the first half of tread depth is worn, then you can flip without consequence.

Of course they are going to tell you that, by the time you wear it down half way it has taken a set and any abnormal wear will not be able to be corrected

Our driver's steer tire wears similarly. After 4 alignments, replaced and re-torqued bearings, we also have given up. I am unimpresed with the MD Alignment 'experts.

We have had great luck at McMahons in Ft. Wayne with alignments, our last alignment was about 100k mi ago and the tires are wearing perfectly

Lastly, Denny, how exactly was the 'slightly bent' axle diagnosed? That diagnosis screams to me that I'm dealing with a tire or alignment tech that is in over their head.

If a tire tech is telling you it is a bent axle I would take it with a grain of salt. Now if it is an alignment tech I would pay closer attention to them if they have had it on the rack. There are certain conditions that actually require the alignment tech to bend a steer axle to correct an alignment, mainly if the camber is out of spec and the kingpins are in good condition.
 

Slacktide

Seasoned Expediter
One more thing about McMahons, The person you want to talk to there is Jeff French. He is the alignment GURU, He is the ONLY one that I am aware of that can align an air ride frontend and have the alignment hold for more than the first few miles after you leave. That being said we have a fully sprung steer axle in our truck not air ride. Once he is done with your alignment you will receive a printout that shows before and after on the measurements.

One question for you about the alignments you have gotten. Have you only gotten the steer axle aligned? If the answer to that is yes that could be part of your problem. If the drives / rear axles are out of spec that will cause frontend wear as well, due to having to correct / fight how the rear axle is tracking
 

usafk9

Veteran Expediter
Negative. two axle alignment. Our front end is spring-only, as well. I will keep McMahon's in mind. Thanks for the info.
 

RETIDEPXE

Veteran Expediter
"United Alignments" out of Dallastown, PA, phone number is 717-578-6834, ask for Willie (been a couple years but I assume he is still in business).
He did our M2 250,000 mi.s ago, truck still drives itself. Quality alignment by a dude who knows what he is doing. He fixed some problems the FL dealer created, namely the spring to axle pin was not seated on one side.

I have been told you should never "bend" a steer axle. Various wedges can be used for camber. Willie knows what degree wedge/s to use on your truck to make it right. The factory uses one set of alignment specs for your model, regardless of things that really matter, like wheelbase, ruling factory specs incorrect (i.e. TA alignment type machines and print outs). Also, there is a name for it, but, when you turn a hard left or right, steers will scrub differently based on the trucks turning radius, which varies by wheelbase among other things. To avoid scrubbing, the two tires must stay "aligned" throughout the differing radius's, which 99 percent of the time, do not. I believe this scrubbing effect can start and expedite river wear which usually starts on the outside tread. Make a circle on a clean concrete parking lot with the wheel turned to lock, left or right, then stop and observe the skid marks on the concrete and how your wheels lean (radial tuned suspension). I believe all the sharp turns we make to go where cars go, eateries, walmarts, to aviod hitting the curbs, turning lock to lock, exacerbates this effect. Just my 2 cents.
 
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