Just noticed a rear tire low; had a nail in it. Mechanic measured the tread at 3/32", 5/32" on the other three. At first, they thought a belt was bad. After the repair, they said it didn't look that way, but suspected it had been over inflated at some point. It hasn't been! My question: Could the nail and resulting under-inflation have caused the accelerated wear, and possibly more wear in the middle of the tire? Does an under-inflated tire always wear on the outside first? Thanks!

 

An over-inflated tire or tire mounted on too narrow of a wheel will wear more prematurely in the center. If underinflated, they will normally wear more on the outside.

 

An underinflated tire will wear on the outside first. What happens is the middle or the tire sort of pushes up and creates a hump, and the outsides of the tire still stay in contact with the road.

sort of like this:

\_/-----\_/

excuse my crude example

 

..

 

Thanks for the replies. A friend says that if a tire spins on these trucks, it's usually this one (Rt rear). Guess maybe that's what did it. My truck has always been prone to tire spin, even with the LS rear end. I'll probably just stop rotating them, to keep it on the rear. One of these days, they'll wear out and I can move back to 265/75/16s.

 

i thinking is that if you dont have LS, like you just spin one tire under had pedal pushing. so LS would mean that both spin i think

 

Are you talking about posi traction? Im not sure there are any f150s without posi, could be wrong though. I know those little rangers only spin the back right wheel, so they peel out like mad which makes all the kids like them. My tires wear even as hell in the back and not bad at all in the front. I have had the same tires since i baught her and never did any alignment or rotation untill she got dropped..then i had to have it done because she was pulling a bit to the right

 

I'm told, limited slip (LS) is the same as posi traction. Different manufacturers use different names to describe their products. The LS does allow some indivdual tire spin, especially going around corners. After a limited amount of that though, both tires will hook up and either spin together or provide traction. A "locking" rear end always and instantly prevents indepentant spin, I believe.

 

Limited Slip ....uses a set of "clutch pads" in the diff to put power to both rear wheels, yet allow each to turn at a different rate when turning to right or left. UNLIKE positive rears which allow no seperate spin rate of each rear tire(tires turn at same rate all the time. One tire will spin or the other will drag in a sharp turn right or left turn like starting off at a Stop sign).

LS is better in the real world of daily driving while getting some of the benefits of posi. True posi is good for drag racing and pulling and mudding and,....etc, etc.

As far as the tire wear, the tire being underinflated will make it wear fasterall overall, but especially on the shoulders. The wider, softer footprint of the tire on the road causes it to "flex the tread"(for lack of a better term) on the road surface in straight line travel. More friction or rolling resistance is what I think I am trying to say If yu are saying that is was worn more inthe center, that is not consistent with underinflation. Could be that the tread rubber for that one tire did not get cured enough in the manufacturing process. Undercured rubber will wear at a much faster rate than cured rubber.

Hope all this makes sense to ya

 

Well, it's remotely possible that the tire was overinflated for some short period of time. I usually keep a close eye on that. I just checked again. The whole tire is worn all of the sudden, and SLIGHTLY more in the middle. I'm thinking it's a defective tire, but I probably couldn't prove it and I don't think they have a warranty anyway. (Michelin LTX M/S) I still love the tires. Nice ride, great wet and snow traction, quiet, etc.

 

my tires are underinflated right now and they're worn more in the middle than anywhere else. (Goodyear Wranglers). Don't know why though.