when to replace tire with inner tread wear
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Topic: when to replace tire with inner tread wear
Posted By: Happy Tripping
Subject: when to replace tire with inner tread wear
Date Posted: 24 Aug 2017 at 9:13am
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I have a bent axle with bilateral premature tire tread wear on the inside. Replacing the axle isn't 'cost-effective'. My question is - When should these tires be replaced? A typical tire pic - http://www.motorcyclecruiser.com/sites/motorcyclecruiser.com/files/styles/large_1x_/public/import/page_element_images/1106-crup-01-o%2Bthe-truth-about-tire-treads%2B%2B.jpg?itok=xFu9_O-H It would seem that once the 'shoulder' is worn thru, it's time, maybe past time?? I don't want to risk a flat tire, but I don't want to replace the tires unnecessarily early.
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Replies:
Posted By: spydie
Date Posted: 24 Aug 2017 at 1:22pm
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2/32" is considered the minimum acceptable tread depth (at the most worn part) of the tire according to everything I've ever seen on tires (when you're down to the wear bar, you have 2/32" left on the normal tread.. all tires have wear bars). Get a tire tread depth gauge at Autozone or O'Reillys or use a penny. Lincoln's head is 2/32" from the edge. Don't depend on the wear bars because your tire might not wear evenly across the tread. Just keep track of 2/32" tread in the most worn spot on your tire. ------------- 2018 R-pod 176 2017 RAM 1500 5.7L Hemi 
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Posted By: GlueGuy
Date Posted: 24 Aug 2017 at 1:52pm
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Isn't 2/32" where the wear bars start showing? If you listen/read Car Talk (AKA the Tappet Brothers, or Click and Clack), they usually tell people that you should look for new tires when you get down to 4/32". ------------- bp 2017 R-Pod 179 Hood River 2015 Ford F150 SuperCrew 4WD 3.5L Ecoboost |
Posted By: mcarter
Date Posted: 24 Aug 2017 at 4:07pm
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The issue with this problem is - once a tire begins to wear prematurely, the rate of wear picks up. It will take it longer to get to the point it is noticeable, than to get to the point it fails. Once you can detect wear, it will go faster. Then the issue is second and third order effects from tire failure, from as simple as loss of a fender to possible more dangerous things. You say it is not cost effective to replace a bent axle, but what is the effective cost of safety. I have no issue with the penny method of determining when to replace a normally wearing tire, but with a tire prematurely wearing due to other problems, it needs to be fixed not tested. ------------- Mike Carter 2015 178 " I had the right to remain silent, I just didn't have the ability." |
Posted By: Happy Tripping
Date Posted: 25 Aug 2017 at 10:11am
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1. Thanks for your responses. Unfortunately, the 'wear bars' are in the grooves of the tread. A bent axle's most severe tire wear is between the 'shoulder' and the 1st groove. 2. Bent axles in all ultralight trailer brands are a significant problem. There are a lot of them out there. Repairing/replacing the bent axle is an obvious solution, but unfortunately whatever bent my axle was unnoticed by me, which means it was of such a nature that it very likely will happen again. 3. All tires wear. The only odd thing about the usual bent axle's wear is that it is in an unusual place, most prominently between the shoulder and the first groove. There is still a lot of tire construction between the bent axle's tire and a flat tire, but unquestionably much less than in the usual wear locations. So ... What's to be done? From the internet - "Any tire with cords, or belts showing, or worn into the secondary rubber ... should be immediately replaced." At first glance, this would apply to my situation, but I sure would like to know other peoples' opinions/experiences.
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Posted By: furpod
Date Posted: 25 Aug 2017 at 10:49am
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Are you sure the tire isn't rubbing on something in the fenderwell? Without a picture of the wear pattern, it's hard to give advice. And this is one tire, or both sides? ------------- |
Posted By: Happy Tripping
Date Posted: 25 Aug 2017 at 10:53am
Classic bent axle - bilateral, inner edge of tires, no friction rub-wear, no overweight trailer.
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Posted By: mcarter
Date Posted: 25 Aug 2017 at 4:41pm
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Happy Tripping,
My concern is the area that is wearing will have considerably less tread than the rest of the tire, which means it will run hotter, which means it will wear faster than the rest of the tread. There is no way to determine the time that will take, but rest assured it will happen. I see two possible solutions, first is to not fix the axle and replace the tires when the premature wear becomes noticeable or fix the axle. Once the wear becomes noticeable, and I'm only talking about odd wear, that wear will happen faster. ------------- Mike Carter 2015 178 " I had the right to remain silent, I just didn't have the ability." |