Front Tire Wear

[stlrj]

I wonder how common this is, but I have noticed that the outside edges of my tires always feel like they're scrubbed and feathered when you run your hand across the tire, even after an alignment.

I think I may have found a solution that, so far, seems to help and it involves reducing the amount of caster.

Has anyone tried this?


Regards,

Joe

[nhromyak]

If the wear is on the outside of the tire, then you most likely have too much positive camber, or it is toe-in.

If you have more (I think) positive caster then when you turn the wheel you will get more negative camber.

Think about where the left-rigth pivot points are on the strut. As the tire turns inward, you get more negative camber.

I am sure Warren or someone more articulate, can give a better description.

[stlrj]

This is where I got the idea:

"Effects of Caster on Tire Wear

When set with a substantial amount of caster, the spindle travels in a vertical arc, causing it to move up and down and raise and lower the wheels as the
steering wheel is turned. Because of this, camber changes occur. With a high amount of positive caster, the camber changes that occur,
especially at low speeds in tight turns, cause the tires to show wear on their shoulders. In high speed cornering, the vehicle tends to continue
straight ahead when the steering is initially turned. Due to this, and the amount of camber change that takes place when a spindle travels through its arc
of travel, the shoulders of the tires on a vehicle may scrub and wear. When a left turn is made at a fairly high rate of speed with a vehicle which has
positive caster, the caster of the left front wheel changes toward positive but the momentum of the vehicle is in a straight ahead direction. This causes
the inside of the left front tire to scrub as it is turned. Just the opposite effect takes place on the right wheel as the vehicle is turned left at high speed. The
right front wheel's camber will go negative but the outside edge of the tire is scrubbed because of the vehicle's momentum to go straight. On some
vehicles setting caster more than +2.5° will cause scrub problems. "

http://aligncraft.com/terms/terms.html#Front%20camber


Joe