Tire Wear

Need some help folks. I have an 18 Tundra and just rolled 30K. These are my original tires. Terrible outside wear. My ‘stealership’ is worthless. Is this a function of crappy original tires, bad alignment, etc.? before I install new tires already, I’d really like to prevent this from happening again! Thanks in advance.

 

It’s all four, equally. The truck is 14 mos old, 30K.

 

All on the outside of the tire? Do you have a driver or drivers other than yourself?

 

All on the outside...no other drivers. Wondering if my driving is too aggressive? I wouldn’t think so

 

That’s what I was thinking . I assume you rotated the tires. Front to back. And you have 30k on them... not insignificant mileage. I would have the alignment checked out at a different shop to rule that out. It might be mildly out of alignment toe in equally and you rotate tires front to back and just now see the wear pattern.
I am really curious to find out the cause because it’s baffling me. And I am running scenarios in my head. It’s like you commute 40 miles on a roadbed that pitches hard left and return by the same route

 

Aggressive driving I guess could do that. Those stock tires do kinda suck, ibreolqved mine at like 25k miles, they weren't worn out but I just disliked them.
What's your tire pressure?

 

Add tire pressure and a rear sway bar. Those combined made a huge difference for me. The door psi is a suggestion in my eyes. And a poor one at that! Lol. Try 36-40 psi front.

 

Rotated every 5K, at the dealership. I have had some vibration and pull issues since I’ve owned it. The first 5K insp they road force balanced them and that helped. Seemed like every 5K it was due more tire work...just can’t get past it without either a balance or alignment. Nobody else drives it but me.

 

Anal about tire pressure and try to maintain a warm tire pressure of 36 all the way around

 

That look like too much toe in. Just get new tire first, install it and get your alignment check. Don't do alignment on crappy tires, sometimes it throw the machine off a little.

 

Warm 36 is way too low. Tire pressure is measured cold because “warm” can vary depending on your driving style.

I would try 40psi cold. I’m guessing you make a fair amount of turns. Maybe curvy roads at speed?

Remember the stock tires are very flimsy in the sidewalls. You’re getting lots of flex/sway that you can’t prevent. These are heavy heavy trucks

 

That's kinda low IMO, I run cold 37 on my Michelin defenders and that seems like the sweet spot for me

 

You're lucky to have gotten 30K! I have an 18 with less than 21K and I'm going to have to replace them in the next two months. I rotated every 5K, but sure not on the pressure - probably 35psi cold. They just suck. Same thing on my 2013. Replaced the tires at 25K.

 

For the OP.
This is a similar wear and flexing scenario with even a moderate speed turn. They are not the best tires for this weight truck and the sidewall strength is crap. You probably will have more issues, as did I, before the tread wears out. If you are making turns at speed, they have to flex. I am running a 10 ply truck tire that is heavy and stiff at 42 psi rated for 80 psi. This tire can handle the the weight of the truck nicely and I never worry about tire flex on the sidewall at speed. They are like a nice pair of steel-toed boots.

 

I replaced my stock duelers with Michelin defenders at around 25k miled and it was the best thing I have done to my truck. They wear evenly (barely any wear 10k miles into them) ride smooth, outstanding wet and snow traction. They look very average but are a wolf in sheep's clothing

 

There doesn’t have to be guessing on correct tire pressure, there are utube videos in chalking tire pressure. Get on a straight, flat road or parking lot and draw chalk stripes across the width of the tires, 6-8 lines per tire. Drive straight for 100 feet or so and check that the chalk lines show even wear across the tire. Less chalk left on the outside means more air needed, less left on the center of the tread means less air needed. I generally get 85-90k miles on a set of tires doing this. I hate paying for new tires

 

I was in the same situation, Everytime I took it to the dealer I complained. They kept showing me the print out of the alignment showing all green yet I still pulled to the right. Service Manager even said it pulled yet when I picked it up after he personally drove it, it still pulled. I took mine to a local shop that's been around for decades, paid him to make it right. He said they had things backwards, what that meant exactly I don't know but my truck now holds center of the road all day long.

Call the man...

 

I tried a set of those and couldn't get them to balance no matter what I tried. The truck rode like a box truck and my steering wheel shook like crazy. I had it balanced 5 times and road forced once. Didn't fix it. Even had them removed and reinstalled on the rims. I gave up and Discount Tire ended up buying the set back and I went to Dueler H/L's. I am happy with the Dueler's. Truck rides smooth on 18's.

OP - try running 36 PSI cold. It should help with some of the wear.

 

Still on factory tires and 18s. At 31k I'm at 55% tire tread. As other have suggested outside wear starts with improper inflation.
These tires wear fast and are prone to flats from road debris. Next tire will be BFG AT.

 

If there is no modifications to the truck, and the alignment is perfect double check your air pressure and worn or loose parts.

If all checks out are you taking turns to fast? Racecar drivers call it “scrubbing tires”. It is where the sidewall is pulled underneath during sharp turns therefore the outer edge wears. Hope this helps.

 

That is typical of low tire pressure. I run 50 in my BFGs and looking at them last night I bet they go 70k. Lots of hwy. I use to have that problem on boat trailer if I forgot to check pressure often enough. Just a couple of trips on low PSI would do it.

 

The tires are below average they put on. With tires like what is on your truck including Michelins I couldn't get past 50000 miles. I now use an aggressive AT Hybrid Nitto Ridge Grappler and the truck drives as it should. I will probably never go back to a regular tire. The tire pressure I run is 38 front 34 rear.

 

What brand of tires do the tundras come with for OP's year?

Its not uncommon for new vehicles to have softer, quieter tires stock. I guess that's probably the case for Tundras also?

 

I don’t think I’ve ever gotten more than 30,000 miles out of any tire. Lots of street driving and corners. It doesn’t help that I like to squeal a tire now and again. I guess you could call me an aggressive driver.

 

My wife does 95% of her miles in the city with her Honda, the tires are just toasted after 30k compared to their 60k mileage “guarantee”

They are worn on the edges from all the turns and braking is what the tire shop says. Pressure has been kept perfect their entire lifetime

 

If it’s a MacPherson strut design, but tundra is a double wish bone, when the truck turn it should add toe out and more negative camber

 

I had the same problem
-.125 camber fixed the problem