Front tires wearing badly on '16 KDSS Trail Premium.

[Donovan1]

Info: Front tires wearing badly on '16 KDSS Trail Premium. 35K on tires and chassis. No suspension mods or body mods. Running 1.25 wheel spacers and 275 BFG K02s on stock wheels.

I noticed this weekend that the front tires on the 4Runner are wearing pretty badly on the inside. My wife drives the car and it's always in the garage so I've not seen the front of it during the day in a while. I can't really see if there is any obvious camber issue, but I'd guess that's what would cause it or sever toe in. Not experiencing any unusual steering wheel movement or any horrible wheel hop. The tires are at about 35k (Swapped out stock craps with 50 miles...). I'd ASSUME that the rig should have been aligned from the factory.. Am I wrong in this thinking? Anybody else have a similar issue and fix??

Pictures later tonight possibly when I get home.

 

[03_4x4Runner]

Have the tires ever been rotated?

 

[Donovan1]

Have the tires ever been rotated?

Well......... Like I said, it's the wife's truck... I believe tire rotation is done every time she brings it in for service but I cannot be sure of that. I asked that my tires be rotated on my FJ at the same dealer when I brought it in and marked the 5 tires prior. They were not rotated....
Should there be that significant of wear, about 1/2 as much on the tires in the case that they have not been rotated in a while?

 

[cb1111]

When was the last alignment?

Was the car aligned after the spacers were installed? Further, you can't assume that car was properly aligned from the factory when you consider that it was bouncing around on a ship and tied down.

 

[mteolus]

When was the last alignment?

Was the car aligned after the spacers were installed?

+1 Spacers is the first thing I would be suspicious of.

 

[Dillusion]

Tire rotation prolly not done either but still add me to needing alignment after the spacers list.

 

[Donovan1]

When was the last alignment?

Was the car aligned after the spacers were installed? Further, you can't assume that car was properly aligned from the factory when you consider that it was bouncing around on a ship and tied down.

That's a good point. I'm talking about wheel spacers though remember. If you where thinking about spring spacers which could change the front geometry dramatically.

 

[Mutant138]

Well......... Like I said, it's the wife's truck... I believe tire rotation is done every time she brings it in for service but I cannot be sure of that. I asked that my tires be rotated on my FJ at the same dealer when I brought it in and marked the 5 tires prior. They were not rotated....
Should there be that significant of wear, about 1/2 as much on the tires in the case that they have not been rotated in a while?

If you don't tell them to change the oil they wont even do it. Even if you do you are rolling the dice. So no they prob have not been rotated. That's why I use them for warranty work ONLY. I don't even want other people rotating my tires. Want something done right do it yourself.

Alignment may also be the cause. It sounds like you haven't done that since you bought it. Every two to three years and some will say wheels, tires, and spacers are reason enough too.

 

[cb1111]

That's a good point. I'm talking about wheel spacers though remember. If you where thinking about spring spacers which could change the front geometry dramatically.

Wheel spacers change the geometry as well.

Get an alignment done - you'll be surprised.

 

[Donovan1]

If you don't tell them to change the oil they wont even do it. Even if you do you are rolling the dice. So no they prob have not been rotated. That's why I use them for warranty work ONLY. I don't even want other people rotating my tires. Want something done right do it yourself.

Alignment may also be the cause. It sounds like you haven't done that since you bought it. Every two to three years and some will say wheels, tires, and spacers are reason enough too.

We got a service package thing that was for 10 oil changes and some stuff when we bought it so she goes in specifically for oil changes. I do know those are being done and keep the paperwork. I don't particularly like taking any of my cars in to the dealer for the exact reasons you're describing and ESPECIALLY when my wife takes in the truck because she just doesn't know. We got the service coupons for the same price it costs at the jiffy lube and we had some other crap thrown in as well as multi vehicle repeat customers so that part was a good deal at least.

I have not had any alignment done however, and I guess we should have had that done. I assumed that it was part of the presale inspections but it's also been 3 years. I've been wanting to sneak some Bilstiens in there to level the nose..... This may be my opportunity....

My FJ is a '10 and I run 1.5 inch spacers and have a 3 inch lift that I put on the truck when it was three days old. Never had to realign and it's been beat up a little. BUT... It was aligned professionally (read: not at the dealer) after the lift. We'll start there and see how it goes.

 

[nb rob]

While you're buying new tires....

-Have an alignment done.

-Get involved with the frequency of tire rotations.

 

[flyrv9]

The question is - does adding spacers change the alignment specs? If so, doing an alignment to the original factory specs might not help.

 

[Tejas]

I'd like to know how much wheel spacers change the alignment.

 

[Hydguy]

Toe is way off inboard, making the tire put more of a contact patch on the inner edge. Needs an alignment to adjust the toe in back to acceptable specs.

What tires are you running?
ATs and MTs will have feathering on the tread blocks, making them uneven if they are not rotated every few K miles.

If the wear was on the outer side of the tire, the toe would be too far out.
Inflation issues show up as wear on the outside in inside edges if under inflated, and wear in the center for over inflation.

To find the proper inflation for your tires, when you replace them, use the chalk method.

 

[Donovan1]

Toe is way off inboard, making the tire put more of a contact patch on the inner edge. Needs an alignment to adjust the toe in back to acceptable specs.

What tires are you running?
ATs and MTs will have feathering on the tread blocks, making them uneven if they are not rotated every few K miles.

If the wear was on the outer side of the tire, the toe would be too far out.
Inflation issues show up as wear on the outside in inside edges if under inflated, and wear in the center for over inflation.

To find the proper inflation for your tires, when you replace them, use the chalk method.

Did you read my original post?? Lol.

 

[Donovan1]

I'd like to know how much wheel spacers change the alignment.

I don’t know that they’d change it much at all if anything. The just put the tires out more on the same alignment I’d imagine. There is more force exerted on the suspension as the weight is moved away from center pivot.

 

[Hydguy]

Did you read my original post?? Lol.

I missed the KO2 part. Hopefully you found my post useful.