Tires that wear faster on one edge, develop a scalloped or cupped pattern, or show feathering across the tread are sending a clear diagnostic signal about your suspension or alignment. Inner edge wear typically means excessive negative camber; outer edge wear points to positive camber or under-inflation; cupping and scalloping indicate worn shock absorbers or struts allowing the tire to bounce and skip across the road surface. Replacing the tires without fixing the underlying alignment or suspension problem will result in the new tires wearing the same way. Suspension and alignment diagnosis should always precede a tire purchase when unusual wear patterns are present.
Uneven tire wear diagnosis starts with measuring all four alignment angles—camber, caster, and toe—and inspecting struts, shocks, tie rod ends, and ball joints for wear. We'll show you the alignment measurements before and after adjustment so you can confirm the correction was made. We'll also advise whether the existing tires can be rotated to even the wear or whether the wear pattern is too severe to recover. Learn more about our Strut Replacement service.
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The wear pattern tells a diagnostic story. Inner edge wear usually means excessive negative camber from worn suspension or misalignment. Outer edge wear points to positive camber or chronic under-inflation. Scalloped or cupped wear across the tread is almost always worn shocks or struts allowing the tire to bounce and skip rather than maintain road contact.
Always. Replacing tires without correcting the underlying cause will produce the same uneven wear on your expensive new set. Depending on severity, you can sometimes rotate tires to even the wear before replacement—but the suspension or alignment cause must be addressed first regardless.
Mild feathering or slight edge wear can be improved with rotation to a position where the load profile is reversed. Scalloped or cupped wear from bouncing is permanent—that material is gone and the irregular surface won't smooth out. We'll advise whether rotation helps or whether the tires are too far gone to recover.
These are the most common reasons drivers experience this symptom.
Failed dampers allow the tire to bounce and skip, creating a scalloped or cupped wear pattern.
Incorrect camber or toe angles cause one-sided or feathered wear patterns across the tread.
Under-inflation causes shoulder wear; over-inflation causes center wear on the tread.
Not sure if this is your issue? Browse other common problems we fix.
Contact Scott's Auto and Clutch today for honest service and expert repairs.
144 W Crystal Ave, South Salt Lake, UT 84115