Checking For Tire Tread Wear

Monday, June 15, 2009 19:03
Posted in category Ford Dealer

You should get in the habit of checking your tires about once a week for things like uneven wear and defects. Irregular tread wear can indicate suspension problems, poor tire maintenance or other impending hazards before they cause an accident or leave you stranded.
Here’s what you’re looking for:
Wear in the center. Excessive wear in the center of the tread is most often due to over inflation.  Look at the sticker inside the driver’s doorsill of your Ford for the recommended tire pressure. With over inflation, the edges aren’t contacting the road as much as they should, putting too much force on the middle section.
Wear at the edges. Under inflation is usually the cause of this type of wear, although wear at the outer edges can also be caused by aggressive driving. Under inflation causes too much force to be placed on the edges and not enough on the center.
Wear on one side. With this type of wear, the inside of the tread shows more wear than the outside, or vice versa. Poor alignment, worn ball joints, or other worn or bent suspension parts might be the cause. Bring your car in to your Ford Dealer for a proper alignment and an inspection of your suspension components.
Feathering. Feathering means that each tread rib looks worn in one direction, such that one side is rounded while the other side is pointed, looking almost smeared outward. Sustained high-speed driving can sometimes cause feathering, although consistent feathering most often reveals an improper toe-in alignment setting. Again, take your car in and have the alignment checked by a Ford specialist.
Cupping. Rounded, scalloped dips near one edge of the tread indicate severely worn suspension components. You should have your Ford mechanic check the suspension immediately.
Flat-spotting. Flat-spotting, severe wear of the whole tread contact patch in one place on the tire, results from panic-braking (skidding) with the wheels locked up, usually on older cars without ABS. The flat spot will often introduce an imbalance that can be felt in the steering wheel.
Bald spots. Smooth spots on the tread, or areas between the edge and the center of the tread that are more worn than others, might indicate a wheel that’s way out of balance. Front wheels out of balance are usually easy to feel, but sometimes rear wheels are overlooked. Have your wheels balanced by your Ford Dealer service department.
Swelling/bubbling. If you see any spots on the sidewall or tread that are visibly swelling outward or bubbling, have the tire replaced. The tire might have been damaged by an especially deep pothole or piece of road debris. Change immediately to the spare if there are any doubts about the tire’s safety.
Some cars are actually designed to have slightly uneven contact patches and wear patterns, for better performance or holding the road. Remember to monitor tread wear, and have your tires rotated when recommended by your Ford owner’s manual.


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