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Thoughts on tire wear + alignment

Discussion in 'Wheels & Tires' started by AxelsHumanDad, Feb 28, 2016.

  1. Feb 28, 2016 at 9:35 AM
    #1
    AxelsHumanDad

    AxelsHumanDad [OP] I am Groot

    Joined:
    Aug 2, 2014
    Member:
    #533
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    1,313
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    Male
    First Name:
    Mike
    KAIG, NW of The Frozen Tundra
    Vehicle:
    2015 CM Platinum
    Some suspension tweaks
    2014 Crewmax, 7" ProComp lift, 35x12.5x20 Nitto Trail Grapplers. Tires rotated at every oil change-5000 miles. I have no way to find out what rotation pattern they have used.
    For a few thousand miles when the truck was new the alignment was just not right. After having the alignment numbers set exactly where I want based on SoCal's alignment specs from another site, it was perfect- no pulling, tracked straight, nice neutral feeling- couldn't ask for it to be any better.
    Fast forward to a couple weeks ago. 15,000 mile oil change and rotation. On the way home I notice a slight pull to the left and 'lazy' return to center steering. This past week I took it to have the alignment checked and reset to the same exact numbers used last year. Driving home I still had the same left drift. I did some internet research on tire pulls and found a document describing how to troubleshoot a pull. Yesterday I swapped the front wheels left to right. I drove about 120 miles and the pull is gone and the steering feels neutral again.
    I know my alignment numbers are correct, so do I now have one tire that wore differently than the rest? They all appear to be wearing even and using my cheap tread depth measurement tool confirms they are all close. Air pressures are all the same too.
    I'm just curious what might cause one tire to change the handling so much if they are all similar. I'm taking a wild guess but I figure they have only been rotated front to back because now that I changed the direction of rotation on the fronts the highway howl is noticeably louder. I'm thinking maybe I should swap the rears too, but I don't want to bring back the pull.
    Maybe I'm over thinking it. Am I chasing a phantom?
     
  2. Feb 28, 2016 at 9:57 AM
    #2
    LOTSOFTOYS

    LOTSOFTOYS Toyota Whisperer

    Joined:
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    Jace
    Mile high
    Vehicle:
    2005 Tundra DBL cab
    Post a picture of your alignment sheet
     
  3. Feb 28, 2016 at 10:56 AM
    #3
    T-Rex266

    T-Rex266 Elon approved Staff Member

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    What UCA's are you running? I may be incorrect, but a decent pair of UCA's will help keep your alignment in specs
     
  4. Feb 29, 2016 at 3:11 AM
    #4
    AxelsHumanDad

    AxelsHumanDad [OP] I am Groot

    Joined:
    Aug 2, 2014
    Member:
    #533
    Messages:
    1,313
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Mike
    KAIG, NW of The Frozen Tundra
    Vehicle:
    2015 CM Platinum
    Some suspension tweaks
    Stock UCAs.
     

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