The Causes and How to Fix Inner Tire Wear

Maintaining your tires in top shape should be your main concern. This is why it is important to check your tire pressure regularly and conduct regular inspections. What causes inner tire wear? And how do you fix it?

Bad alignment can lead to inner tire wear. Defective control arm bushings or worn-out balls joints can cause alignment problems. 

We will discuss the causes and offer solutions.

The causes of inner tire wear

1. Bad Camber Angles

The camber angle of the wheel is checked every time it's aligned. The measurement measures the angle of the tire's lean, either inward or outward. It can be taken from the front or the back. 

When it’s labeled as positive camber, it means the tire is angled out from the upper end. The opposite is true for the negative camber. It means that the tire faces inward toward the car. Inner tire wear can be caused by too much negative camber angle.

2. The wrong toe angle

The toe angle describes how the tires sit in relation to each other, as well as the car’s center axis. This angle is observed from the front of the vehicle, looking at both tires’ edges. 

If both tires are pointed inwardly towards each other with the toe-in condition, they will face outward. If the toe-out condition is extreme, there will be a lot of wear to the tires' inner edges, which is due to rubber being dragged along the roads.

RELATED: 5 Signs that your wheel alignment is not right (Why it's important to fix) 

3. Defective Control Arm Bushings

Control arms are the connection point between chassis and steering knuckles. Both the upper and lower control arms have rubber bushings and are used to pivot with the chassis. 

They deteriorate as the control arm bushings age. Play at the chassis junction allows for camber angle changes. This condition results in uneven wear on the interior surface. 

RELATED: 5 Signs of a Bad Control Arm Bushing (& Replacement Cost)

4. Bad End of Inner and Outer Tie Rods

Your car's steering wheel is controlled by its tie rods. The steering wheel will move the steering knuckle, and the car will turn. You have two kinds of tie rods for your car. The one that is bolted onto the steering wheel spindle/knuckle is the most visible and the second is more directly against the steering rack.

The wheel alignment will become out of line if one of them is worn. It will also cause inner and outer tire wear. To check if there is any play in the tires, you can lift them with a floor jack.

RELATED: 5 Symptoms of a Bad Tie Rod End (& Replacement Cost)

5. Broken Ball Joints

If the ball joint wears out, uneven tire wear can occur. If the inner tire is wearing out, it’s probably related to the lower ball joints.

To hold the control arms to the steering wheels, this ball-and-socket design is necessary. When the ball joints are in good shape, there’s no problem. The ball joints can become more flexible as they age. Play causes the steering knuckle to move outwardly, changing the camber angle. 

6. Bad Suspension Components

Inner tire wear can be caused by many factors, including the suspension. For example, if the springs or shocks aren’t absorbing road vibration the way they should, your tires won’t run across the surface the way they should. 

Tire wear can be caused by not aligning the wheels after installing a lift system. If you do not like the alignment of the suspension, it is best to replace the wheel.

How to Lower Inner Tire Wear

1. Regular wheel alignment

It’s important to have the wheel aligned every 6,000 miles or yearly. You drive on roads that have many imperfections, which can cause alignment problems. The mechanic will inspect the suspension components to determine if they need to be replaced.

If you are getting a regular wheel alignment, you won’t have to worry about inner tire wear. For a more comfortable ride, you can also protect the suspension components. 

RELATED: Average Wheel Alignment Cost (Front, Rear & 4-Wheel)

2. Maintain Proper Tire Pressure

You put your tires at risk of wearing if you have low tire pressure. Whenever the sidewall can’t support the weight of the vehicle, it forces unusual parts of the tire to contact the road surface. 

That’s why you should check the tire pressures often. The recommended tire pressures should be checked monthly, or whenever the temperature changes dramatically. You can find the recommended pressure on the driver’s side door jamb. 

3. Balancing the Tires

You are likely to forget about having your tires balanced once wear begins. By then, it might be too late, so it’s best to have it checked periodically. You should balance your tires at least once every two to three years. They should also be balanced after a new set of tires is put on.

Only a few minutes are required to properly balance the tires. It creates a smoother ride and absorbs bumps better. 

4. Replace Worn Suspension Components

It can have a significant impact on ride quality and tire wear if suspension parts become worn. You may notice that one tire is not wearing evenly. This could indicate a problem with the suspension. This condition can be avoided by performing regular inspections of the suspension.

Replace the damaged part as soon as possible. Sometimes you are able to have the part repaired, and sometimes it is necessary for the new component to be installed. Either way, suspension issues can create unsafe driving conditions, so you don’t want to take your chances. 

Additional Tire Wear Patterns

1. Edge Shoulder Wear

Tires that are too low in pressure can cause the edges of the tire to make contact with the road, leading to faster wear. Maintaining the correct pressure on your tires will prevent this.

If you notice the edge wear on both shoulders, it’s possible that you are cornering too hard. It can also mean the last tire rotation wasn’t performed properly. 

2. Wear to the Center

Overinflated tires can be dangerous. When there’s too much air inside the tires, the center of the tread is making too much contact with the road. 

Overinflated tires are just as hazardous as those with low tread. For a longer life expectancy and safety, ensure that your tires are properly inflated. 

3. Cupping

There could be a problem with your suspension if you notice uneven tread wear or dings. It could be that a component is worn or bent. 

It’s possible that you recently hit a pothole or curb that caused damage. You might avoid more problems by replacing damaged parts. 

4. Diagonal and Patchy Wear

When the tires exhibit patches of wear, it shows that they aren’t balanced. Tires will begin to wear unevenly as they move across the roads. 

It is important to rotate, balance and align them. This will prevent the tires from wearing in an unusual pattern.