Unusual tire wear

[Mike Poore]

Do you think the locked Posi unit (4,000mi.) is tearing up my rear tires? Would it be wise to have a Road Force printout in hand when the dealer installs the new unit?

[metroplex]

It shouldn't... Do you mean the Traction-Lok limited slip differential or an aftermarket Detroit Locker?

With a Traction-Lok, unless you're scrubbing the tires in the turns or doing extreme auto-crossing... you should not experience any abnormal wear unless your tires are over/underinflated.

[Mike Poore]

It shouldn't... Do you mean the Traction-Lok limited slip differential or an aftermarket Detroit Locker?

With a Traction-Lok, unless you're scrubbing the tires in the turns or doing extreme auto-crossing... you should not experience any abnormal wear unless your tires are over/underinflated.
Guess I wasn't clear, sorry. It's the stock rear on a 4,000 mile 04 MM, and the rear is locked up, and waiting for the replacement unit. My question involves the fact that every time I go around a curve or corner one or both of the rear tires is "chirping" and I think it's could be chewing them up, although, how do you tell without a Road Force printout?

[Mike Poore]

Guess I wasn't clear, sorry. It's the stock rear on a 4,000 mile 04 MM, and the rear is locked up, and waiting for the replacement unit. My question involves the fact that every time I go around a curve or corner one or both of the rear tires is "chirping" and I think it's could be chewing them up, although, how do you tell without a Road Force printout?
The MM's back home, and all fixed up. The poor thing was a complete mess, and they had to replace the entire carrier unit (punkin') The axle(s), and bearings were carefully inspected, and the tires were checked on the wheel machine and within spec. Wes' new Girdle and stud kit was installed and everything's working fine. Because of my torn ACL I couldn't get down to look, but am assured it looks really great. You guys can inspect it's new Shiny Hiney on Saturday.:cool5:

[jcooper]

I have just 13,000 miles on my 2004 Marauder. It has Stage one kit, Flowmasters, and K&N filters. I do not scratch off. I don't know if I can even. My passenger side rear tire is wearing nearly bald in the middle. The drivers side is also wearing some. The dealer says it is the 4:10 rear end.

Has anyone else had a similar problem?

What tires should I use for replacement? I hav always been partial to Michelon.

I owned a 12 cyl Jaguar XJ12C about 25 years and never noticed such a problem.

Help???

John Cooper

Tuscaloosa, AL

:mad::mad:

[metroplex]

DId you ever rotate your tires? Have you checked the air pressure? Make sure its 75% of the sidewall cold pressure rating. (i.e. My Dunlop SP Sport 5000s say 51 psi max, I try to keep it at 38 psi. Nothing less, nothing more).

I haven't run into any unusual wear following this procedure.

If its wearing at the center, then it suggests overinflation.

[Bigdogjim]

Yes I would look at the tire pressure. Search the threads on the forums:)

[valleyman]

:bs: Without being too derogatory about it your dealer is an idiot. The 4.10 has nothing to do with it. My rear BFGs were going bald in the center too and I remedied it by going 42-44 psi in the rears. I know, I know, doesn't make any sense. But it's working. And I have a 4.10

[jcooper]

Yes, I took the car in for a 12000 mile check up and they told me the front tires were wearing some. I had them line the car up. They said nothing about the rear tires. They said they couldn't rotate the tires because of the different sizes.

All tires had 32# air pressure. Thsi morning I got in the car, went out the drive way adn discovered the worst rear tire was flat. There is a substantial difference in the wear on the right rear compared to the left rear tire.

I have 4.10 gears, but do not try to squeel the tires. Could the posi traction be causing the problem?





DId you ever rotate your tires? Have you checked the air pressure? Make sure its 75% of the sidewall cold pressure rating. (i.e. My Dunlop SP Sport 5000s say 51 psi max, I try to keep it at 38 psi. Nothing less, nothing more).

I haven't run into any unusual wear following this procedure.

If its wearing at the center, then it suggests overinflation.

[jcooper]

Thanks Valley man,

It doesn't make sense does it? I had 32# all around. It seems 42# would worsen the problem

John



:bs: Without being too derogatory about it your dealer is an idiot. The 4.10 has nothing to do with it. My rear BFGs were going bald in the center too and I remedied it by going 42-44 psi in the rears. I know, I know, doesn't make any sense. But it's working. And I have a 4.10

[metroplex]

What is the sidewall pressure rating??? 44 psi?

If it is 44 psi, then your tires should be at 33 psi when cold (measured in the morning preferably). For each 10*F change, your pressure will change by approximately 1 psi.

So if it was 33 psi at 80F, then it will be approximately 27 psi at 20F.

Limited slip should not cause uneven tire wear nor will those 4.10s unless you auto-cross a great deal or gun the throttle in the turns. Come to think of it, I've done that before and have never noticed uneven wear on the tire like you mentioned unless it was overinflated.

[TripleTransAm]

32-33 psi religiously in my car since new. The centers in the rear are so far gone it is a joke, and the fronts are destroyed on the inside. I swapped to the winter tires yesterday afternoon and believe it or not, I now enjoy driving this car again... for the past year, I have been suffering the annoying "whump whump whump" and the ensuing vibrations which I think are the wear indicators or possibly some vicious cupping on the insides of the front tires. What the holy heck is up with such visible cupping on the front tires anyway?????

Anyway, now it's fairly comfortable to drive (on the Michelin Arctic Alpines) once again. Will definitely need new tires come Spring, but the thought of having them last only one summer before getting all "whump"y on me is making me kind of upset.

I'll take photos of the stuff I mentioned above... it should be fairly visible even on a photograph!

[MENINBLK]

I've been riding with 36-38 psi in the fronts
and 38 - 40 psi in the rears.
I've just croosed over the 19k point
and the rears have about 3k left on them.
They are worn pretty evently across the rears
with a little more tread on the outside edges
than what is available across the center.
If I go 5k with them they will be slicks across the middle
with only the tread on the shoulders.

These tires need a little more air pressure than
what rice burners float on because of the tire design,
the tire sizes, and the weight of our beast.

If the pressure is too low, e.g.32 psi, the centers of the tires
will scrub while driving causing premature wear.
Raising the pressure distributes more pressure evenly
across the footprint of the tire, making it scrub less
and distribute the vehicle weight evenly across the footprint.
The result, better tire wear and traction for everyday driving...

The TIRE is NOT what supports your vehicle.
The AIR in the tire is what supports your vehicle.
The TIRE is the carrier for the air, and the traction provider.
Proper AIR PRESSURE provides proper vehicle support
and the longest tire wear...

[jcooper]

Thanks,

You seem to have the best post so far. When I get the tires replaced, I will use your pressure suggestions. I am looking at BFG G-Force 2 tires. I saw a post on this forum about them. The local tire dealier is trying to see if BF Goodrich will do anything about it. We have a BF Goodrich plant here in Tuscaloosa, AL.

I have always liked Michelons, but Michelon does not make on in this size. I might even try a Cooper tire just for the heck of it if they make this size.

John Cooper
Tuscaloosa, AL


I've been riding with 36-38 psi in the fronts
and 38 - 40 psi in the rears.
I've just croosed over the 19k point
and the rears have about 3k left on them.
They are worn pretty evently across the rears
with a little more tread on the outside edges
than what is available across the center.
If I go 5k with them they will be slicks across the middle
with only the tread on the shoulders.

These tires need a little more air pressure than
what rice burners float on because of the tire design,
the tire sizes, and the weight of our beast.

If the pressure is too low, e.g.32 psi, the centers of the tires
will scrub while driving causing premature wear.
Raising the pressure distributes more pressure evenly
across the footprint of the tire, making it scrub less
and distribute the vehicle weight evenly across the footprint.
The result, better tire wear and traction for everyday driving...

The TIRE is NOT what supports your vehicle.
The AIR in the tire is what supports your vehicle.
The TIRE is the carrier for the air, and the traction provider.
Proper AIR PRESSURE provides proper vehicle support
and the longest tire wear...

[metroplex]

Well that just means your BFG tires suck. I never liked them at all.

[SergntMac]

I've been driving on Pirelli P-Zero Assymetricos for so long now, I can't recall exactly what my OEM/BFG experience was. Nonetheless, I drive on 40 PSI in all 4 corners today, and my tire wear is just about normalized now.

My first MM came and went with the OEM/BFGs in place, no unsual wear and tear noted, or, remembered, but I was a younger MM owner then, and that was a long time ago.

I do recall posting here about bumping PSI upwards to 36 PSI for improved MPG, but I didn't keep this MM all that long, not even a whole year. It ran a clean 14.2x I could win money with before I said "thanks, see ya."

My Kenny Brown #1x came with the Pirelli PZeros all around, 255/45 fronts, 255/50 rears, and the advice I got was 32 PSI. I wore them thin in my first summer, but I drove the hell out of that summer too, and drove almost everywhere in America to visit with MM friends.

My front tires suffered severe cupping until I got that 4 wheel alignment and road force balance thingy figured out. Nonetheless, it was too late, the tires were done anyway.

Cupping creates a road vibration you can feel, but not shake or repair, I even tried them on the rear for burnouts stuff, but positive results were absent. If you can feel "cupping" with your fingers, your tires are done. Cupping is the #1 cause of front end vibration, and it comes from bad alignment specs, misbalance, and under-inflation.

I also wore out two sets of rear tires (anyone wanna guess how?) But, one set lived on as great neo-drag radials for my friend Barry. I lost the first set more from under-inflation than burnouts, and those tires carried on in a second life at the drag strip. My second set, well, let's just say I burned them up, K? But, I was already into the higher PSI program by then, so, the wear and tear was normalized, and they gave up when I expected.

Today, I'm driving on 255/45 fronts and 285/45 rears. PZeros, and I'm getting superb traction at the stop light, acceptable road feedback (which I like anyway) and measurable (but agreeable) increase in road noise. My PZeros are also the best rain tire I have ever driven on...Ever. Hands down, the best. Moreover, Pirelli has the strongest sidewall construction on the blacktop today, so, I could prolly soften my ride and lower noise a tad, but I won't. It's 40 PSI each corner now, and when I race, I lower the rears to 25 PSI. Not a true drag radial I agree, but pretty damm good traction for not having to change tires for a spontaneous race.

Yeah...Higher PSI contradicts our common experience, but so does this whole car. Try pumping your BFGs up to 38-40 PSI for 1K miles or so, and see what else changes? Watch your tread wear with a depth gauge and get up on your own "pit crew" game.

[TripleTransAm]

Cupping creates a road vibration you can feel, but not shake or repair, I even tried them on the rear for burnouts stuff, but positive results were absent. If you can feel "cupping" with your fingers, your tires are done. Cupping is the #1 cause of front end vibration, and it comes from bad alignment specs, misbalance, and under-inflation.

Yep, I certainly could feel the cupping, but the oddest part of it all was that I felt the vibration fairly much from the start! I had the wheels balanced shortly after purchase (within 2 months? I recall getting my new tires put on the WS6 shortly after this experience, and it was early in the summer). So they had maybe 2-3 months of use by the time visible cupping was evident.

One 'expert' (term used loosely... I cannot vouch for him either way) claimed the car was underdamped, shock-wise, and felt such a large wheel / tire combo needed more shock damping than what was evident.

So I am most interested in seeing how my new BFGs are going to wear once I get them put on the car next Spring. I'll have to find a place to get this Road Force stuff done, I'll go to the less-aggressive side of the alignment spec tolerances as far as camber goes, and you can bet your diff I'll be paying close attention to pressures (I tend to check tire pressures at least once a month, since having an eye-opening experience with my GTA back in summer 1994). I don't mind sacrificing a little knife-edge handling in the curves in order to keep the comfortable ride all that much longer... it really is night and day compared to the crap I've endured throughout 2004, simply because I could not come to grip with tire wear this aggressive! (no pun intended, now that I reread this last phrase...)