Car tyre performance is a delicate balance. A symphony of systems, including your suspension and wheels, rely on good quality and evenly worn tyres to perform optimally. Conversely, your tyres need these systems to function as intended, in order to wear evenly, distribute vehicle weight equally, and ensure optimal speed, handling, braking, and load-bearing capacity. It's a symbiotic relationship, but sometimes, things can go wrong, leading to accelerated or in some cases, uneven tyre wear.

In this post, we examine the most common tyre wear patterns you might encounter and explore the potential problems they might signify. Understanding these patterns can help you identify issues early on, potentially saving you money on premature tyre replacement and alerting you to other mechanical problems that may need attention. Let's get started!

Types of tyre wear and the reasons behind them

Observing how your tyres are wearing down can provide valuable clues about potential problems with alignment, inflation, suspension, or even your driving habits. Let’s take a closer look at the most common wear patterns, what they look like, their likely causes, and what you can do to address them:

1. Center Tread Wear:

Appearance: Excessive wear in the center of the tyre tread, leaving the shoulders looking less worn. The center tread groove will appear deeper than the shoulder grooves.

Possible Cause: The most common culprit. An overinflated tyre becomes too rigid, causing the center to bulge out and bear the brunt of the road contact.

Remedy: Check your tyre pressure regularly with a reliable gauge and adjust it to the vehicle manufacturer’s recommended pressure (found on a sticker in your driver’s side door jamb or in your owner’s manual).

2. Shoulder Tread Wear:

Appearance: Excessive wear on one or both outer edges (shoulders) of the tyre tread. The shoulder tread grooves will appear shallower than the center groove.

Possible Causes:

• Underinflation: When a tyre is underinflated, the sidewalls flex more, causing the outer edges to carry more load and wear out faster.

• Aggressive Cornering: Frequently taking corners at high speeds can put extra stress on the tyre shoulders.

• Overloaded Vehicle: Consistently carrying loads heavier than the tyre’s load rating can cause excessive shoulder wear.

Remedies:

• Check and adjust tyre pressure on a regular basis.

• Avoid aggressive cornering.

• Ensure you are not exceeding the vehicle's Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) and tyre load limits. Consider upgrading to tyres with a higher load rating if necessary.

3. Feathering (or Scalloping):

Appearance: The tread blocks are worn unevenly, with one edge of each block higher than the other. When you run your hand across the tread, it will feel smooth in one direction and rough in the other, like feathers or scallops.

Possible Cause: Incorrect Toe Alignment is a primary cause of scalloping wear on tyres. Toe refers to the angle of the tyres when viewed from above. Excessive toe-in or toe-out can cause the tyres to scrub sideways, leading to feathering.

Remedy: Get a professional wheel alignment done to fix the problem before it becomes excessive and you end up needing a tyre set replacement.

4. One-Sided Tyre Wear:

Appearance: Excessive wear on only one shoulder of the tyre. This is different from shoulder wear on both sides; it’s localized to one edge.

Possible Causes:

• Camber Alignment Issues: Camber is the inward or outward tilt of the tyre when viewed from the front. Excessive positive or negative camber will cause wear on one side.

• Worn Suspension Components: Worn ball joints, control arm bushings, or wheel bearings can affect camber and cause one-sided wear.

Remedies:

• Get a professional wheel alignment.

• Inspect and replace worn suspension components as needed.

5. Diagonal Tyre Wear:

Appearance: Wear across the tread in a diagonal pattern, sometimes appearing as patches of uneven wear.

Possible Causes:

• Rear Alignment Issues: This often occurs on vehicles with non-adjustable rear axles or those with worn suspension components in the rear.

• Loose or Worn Suspension Components: Worn trailing arm bushings or other suspension parts can allow the wheels to move in a way that causes diagonal wear.

• Improper Tyre Rotation: Failing to rotate tyres regularly can exacerbate diagonal wear patterns.

Remedies:

Professional wheel alignment, including a check of the rear axle alignment (if applicable).

Inspect and replace worn suspension components.

Rotate tyres regularly according to the manufacturer's recommendations.

6. Cupping Wear:

Appearance: Dips or scoops in the tread, often appearing in a regular pattern around the tyre’s circumference. This can sometimes be accompanied by vibration or noise.

Possible Causes:

• Worn Shock Absorbers or Struts: When shocks or struts are worn, they can’t adequately dampen the suspension movement, causing the tyres to bounce and wear unevenly.

• Wheel Imbalance: An unbalanced wheel can also cause cupping.

• Bent or Damaged Suspension Components.

Remedies:

• Inspect and replace worn shock absorbers or struts.

• Get the wheels balanced.

• Inspect and repair or replace bent or damaged suspension parts.

When to let go of an unevenly worn tyre and get new ones?

• Any part of the tread reaches the legal minimum depth (1.6mm or 2/32") or if you prefer a safer margin (3mm or 4/32”). Use a tread depth to check the depth in multiple locations across the worn tyre. A tread depth gauge is an inexpensive tool that can save you from unnecessary replacements or an impending dangerous situation with your tyres.

• You observe exposed cords, bulges, blisters, deep cracks, or severe irregular wear.  If the wear pattern is so pronounced that it's affecting ride quality, handling, or causing vibrations, even if the tread depth is technically above the legal limit, replacement is recommended for safety and comfort.

• The tyres are nearing or exceeding their recommended age limit (6-10 years). Even if a tyre has sufficient tread, it can degrade over time due to exposure to the elements. Many manufacturers recommend replacing tyres after six to ten years, regardless of tread depth. Check the DOT code on your tyre sidewall to find the manufacturing date. For more information you can refer to our blog on reading tyre markings to better understand the sidewall markings.

We hope this blog post has helped you gain a better understanding of common tyre wear patterns, what causes them, and the steps you can take to remedy, repair, or replace your car tyres.

Remember, maintaining your tyres is crucial for your safety and the optimal performance of your vehicle. If you have any concerns about your tyres or need further assistance, we encourage you to visit an Apollo Tyres shop near you. Our experts can provide professional advice, inspect your tyres, and recommend the best course of action. You can also call us toll-free at 1800 212 7070 for more information. Drive safely!