Understanding the Contact Patch

Your vehicle requires a specific size tire. If you put the wrong size on your car, it can affect many things. Tires are designed with a contact patch specifically for your automobile’s weight and size, which is the area that makes contact with the roadway. It’s shocking when you consider that this area of your tire is no more significant than the palm of a large hand.

If your tires begin to wear unevenly, it’s dangerous as it reduces your ability to control the car effectively. These uneven spots will reduce the amount of steering control you have over your vehicle, and it will increase your stopping distance. It would help if you have your tires checked at every oil change, but it’s wise to look at them periodically to ensure everything looks good.

Common Reasons for Uneven Wear

We often see vehicles entering the shop with excessive outer or inner wear on the tires. We also see cupping, center wear, and feathering too. While you may not understand all these terms, you must familiarize yourself with the types of uneven wear and what causes them. Here are the most observed reasons for uneven wear.

1. Over Inflated Tires

Many folks think putting more air in the tire is always better than not having enough. Too much air will cause your ride to be rough and reduce your braking and steering abilities. When there’s excessive pressure in the tires, it causes your tires to receive impact damage and wear down faster.

2. Under Inflated Tires

When there’s not enough air in your tires, it will cause wear on the outer edges. Driving with low tire pressure causes the sidewalls to overheat due to too much flexing. Additionally, it will mess with your fuel economy.

3. Wheel Alignment Problems

Alignment issues will eat the tires right off your automobile. It causes damage to the inner and outer edges and will completely ruin the tires. If you notice your car pulling to one side, a vibrating steering wheel, or a vehicle that’s hard to control on the roads, your alignment is likely out of whack.

4. Worn Shock Absorbers or Struts

Struts help absorb the shock your vehicle feels on life’s highways. When the struts or shock absorbers wear down, the tires will cup. Some folks call it scalloping, but it’s worn sections that are patchy within the tires, which give it a dip or cupping effect.

Putting new tires on the car will do little if you have alignment issues and need struts. You must ensure you get to the root cause before buying new tires.

5. Reckless Driving

Some folks don’t know how to take the corners properly to avoid tire damage. If you’re swinging around corners at high speeds, it can cause your tire tread to feather. If you have feathering on your tires, you’ll likely notice your tires are noisy before you see any visual problems with them.

When looking at the tire, observe any tread that’s angled or goes in a diagonal pattern. It’s sometimes easier to feel a feathering issue than to see it, so run your hand across the tires.

Ways to Prevent Uneven Tire Wear

Tires are a considerable investment. Thankfully, there are many things that you can do to avoid premature wear. Changing a few of your driving habits can significantly impact your tire wear. Try to observe the following items:

•Stay off the curbs, even though it’s hard on those sharp turns.
•Have your alignment checked annually.
•Get your tires rotated at every other oil change.
•Aggressive breaking should only be for emergencies.
•Go around potholes.
•Tires that vibrate or shake should be rebalanced.
•Keep tires adequately inflated due to the manufacturer’s specifications.
•Any tires with less than 4/32 of tread should be replaced.

You must get to the root cause of any uneven tire tread. Give us a call today for a tire inspection. We can help you find the reason for any uneven wear and get you safely back on the roadways.