Rear driver side tire is slanted, causing wear on the inside.
I went to have an alignment completed on the 2008 Dodge Caliber. The mechanic told me he could not align the rear tires and I needed to purchase a $400 adjustable rear lower control arm and my car did not have an adjustable lower control arm. At the time I said no thanks, and now I see the tire is bent and think there must be another spot to adjust the rear tire because the current control arms are straight from the factory. I researched and looks like I need what's called a camber kit (bolt) I can adjust the rear tires 1 3/4 inch inside and out. Also I feel I need to replace the rear lowe
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Hi, thanks for writing in. Camber on the rear wheels of your vehicle is not adjustable. Your vehicle was set up at the factory with fixed negative camber in the range of one-half to to 1 degree although values as low as 0 degrees (i.e., no camber) are acceptable for certain wheel diameters. With negative camber, the top of the wheels are leaning inward (again, by design) which lean will tend to wear the inside tread of the tire, just as you are observing. Regular rotation of the tires, every 6,000 miles, tends to minimize that effect. I would ask the shop if your camber exceeds 1 degree negative. If it does not, then the solution (to tire wear) in your circumstance is more frequent rotation of the tires. However, if the camber exceeds 1 degree negative, the suspension parts are worn, bent or damaged because camber was set at the factory based on OEM parts. If camber is no longer within the allowed range set at the factory, obviously one or more parts has worn out although it possible the frame could be damaged, too. Before considering aftermarket fixes, you have to confirm that there is no way to restore the measurement to that which it was built with originally. If you would like help, consider having an expert automotive technician from YourMechanic come to your home or office to inspect your vehicle for you and speak with you about what’s going on with the car.
How to Identify and Fix Common car Problems ?
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If you have one of the rear tires leaning in then you have damaged the upper control arm or spindle is bent. Have the vehicle suspension checked for damaged components and have alignment done.
What causes tire wear on the inside? Inner tire wear refers to the deterioration of the treading of the tire`s inner side. This can be caused by worn ball joints, incorrect camber angles, incorrect toe settings, damaged suspension components, and worn control arm bushings.
Camber and toe angle
Negative camber is an angle adjustment of the wheels where the top of the tire leans inward from the center of the vehicle, and the bottom of the tire leans outward towards the road. This can cause wear on the inner edges of the tires, including inner tire wear.
Uneven tire wear is usually caused by improper alignment, overinflation, underinflation or a worn out suspension.
If the top of the wheel is farther out than the bottom (that is, tilted away from the axle), it is called positive camber; if the bottom of the wheel is farther out than the top, it is called negative camber.
Two common causes of early tire wear out and irregular tire wear are improper inflation pressure and out-of-spec alignment conditions.
Under Inflation
Insufficient air in a tyre shifts the weight carried by the tyre to the edges of the tread causing the shoulders to wear more than the centre.
So: Camber and caster will cause your vehicle to pull if they`re uneven, but will cause little tire wear, while toe in won`t cause your vehicle to pull, but can cause extremely fast tire wear. This is why your vehicle can pull and not wear out tires, or it can drive perfectly straight and destroy them in a hurry!
Positive camber happens when a tire is titled out, resulting in smooth wear on the outside of tires. Negative camber is the opposite—tires are tilted in at the top, leading to smooth wear on the inside of tires. Aligning the tires to factory camber specs will produce even wear across the tire.
Imbalanced tires can wobble or hop up and down, causing vibration. If a front tire isn`t properly balanced, you`ll likely feel vibration in the steering wheel. If the problem is in the rear, you`ll feel shaking in the seat or floor.
Tire cupping is an uneven wear pattern, which occurs due to irregular up-and-down motions of a wheel (bouncing).
Tire rotation is so important to increase tire life. Your front tires take the brunt of stopping and steering forces, so they wear faster than the rear tires. If you rotate them regularly, you can help guide all four tires wear more evenly.
Will an Alignment Fix Negative Camber? In some cases, yes. But as mentioned above, camber issues often result from worn or broken parts. Those parts must be replaced before a wheel alignment can be performed.
Tire Wear & Directional Control
Camber, toe and toe-out on turns are tire-wear angles. If they`re incorrect, the tires will wear unevenly and faster than normal. Because camber is related to steering axis inclination, SAI also can be considered a tire-wearing angle.
What Causes Rear Wheel Misalignment? One of the most common causes of rear wheel misalignment is hitting a curb or pothole. When you hit a hard object with your wheels, it can cause the suspension and steering components to become misaligned, which can lead to uneven tire wear, poor handling, and other issues.
Front tires wear on outside edge, as well as slight feathering closer to the center, are the first signs of wearing out and/or a failing ball joint. As the part ages and wears, it makes the wheels point slightly outward, meaning the toe setting of the wheel alignment is out.
Relevant Questions and Answers :
the most relevant questions and answers related to your specific issue
Rear driver side tire is slanted, causing wear on the inside.
ANSWER : Hi, thanks for writing in. Camber on the rear wheels of your vehicle is not adjustable. Your vehicle was set up at the factory with fixed negative camber in the range of one-half to to 1 degree although values as low as 0 degrees (i.e., no camber) are acceptable for certain wheel diameters. With negative camber, the top of the wheels are leaning inward (again, by design) which lean will tend to wear the inside tread of the tire, just as you are observing. Regular rotation of the tires, every 6,000 miles, tends to minimize that effect. I would ask the shop if your camber exceeds 1 degree negative. If it does not, then the solution (to tire wear) in your circumstance is more frequent rotation of the tires. However, if the camber exceeds 1 degree negative, the suspension parts are worn, bent or damaged because camber was set at the factory based on OEM parts. If camber is no longer within the allowed range set at the factory, obviously one or more parts has worn out although it possible the frame could be damaged, too. Before considering aftermarket fixes, you have to confirm that there is no way to restore the measurement to that which it was built with originally. If you would like help, consider having an expert automotive technician from YourMechanic come to your home or office to inspect your vehicle for you and speak with you about what’s going on with the car.
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Rear tire wear on the outside and insides of the tires, but not in the middle
ANSWER : Without looking at the tires and going on you saying the tires are wearing on the outside edges of the tires I would say your tires were driven with the pressures too low or overloaded on a regular basis. Here is a web page for you to see a picture of tire wear patterns and causes.
Read Full Q/A … : Rear driver side tire is slanted, causing wear on the inside.
The inside of rear wheels have more wear than outside
ANSWER : Yes, the inside tire wear is most likely attributed to the negative camber setting that can be accelerated by excessive toe-in as the tires are competing to determine the track of the vehicle. If you do get the alignment you can ask for the least amount of negative camber as specified by the manufacturer and the least amount of toe-in and this will give you the least amount of inner tire wear without affecting the vehicle’s handling characteristics. If you want to have this looked at and diagnosed, a certified professional from YourMechanic can come to your home or office to inspect your tire wear issue and recommend the appropriate adjustments.
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I hear a loud clicking noise on the drivers side by my tire rim when turning the steering wheel front tires vibrating as well.
ANSWER : A clicking noise on turning is very characteristic of a failed outboard CV axle joint. Sometimes, in such a circumstance, you can see that the rubber outboard boot is actually torn and leaking grease. If you see that (look behind the wheel toward the axle end), the axle for sure will have to be serviced. If you change the axle, be sure to install a new rubber seal on the transmission output side so that you do not have transmission fluid leaks with the new axle (a common mistake is to overlook that seal; if an old, left-in-place seal leaks after the axle is put in the job has to be done all over again). Vibration without actual shaking of the steering wheel "might" be related to the axle issue. On the other hand, such vibration could also be due to a failed wheel bearing, especially with over 200,000 miles on the vehicle and if those are the original bearings. If you were to need both an axle and a wheel bearing at the same time, and on the same side, that’s actually not that bad because the steering knuckle that holds the wheel bearing has to come off anyway to replace the axle. But, backing up here, the very first thing to do is get the issue properly diagnosed so you spend the minimum possible. If you want to obtain a diagnostic, please request a vehicle CV/wheel bearing noise inspection and the responding certified mechanic will get this taken care of for you. If you have further questions or concerns, do not hesitate to re-contact YourMechanic as we are always here to help you.
Read Full Q/A … : Rear driver side tire is slanted, causing wear on the inside.
Clicking noise in driver side rear tire
ANSWER : Hello there. It is possible that the clicking is due to the brake job. A few different items can cause the clicking after a brake job. The two most common would be the backing plate rubbing on the the brake rotor or the brake pad backing plate not being installed properly. A qualified technician, such as one from YourMechanic, will be able to inspect the clicking noise and perform any repairs required.
Read Full Q/A … : Rear driver side tire is slanted, causing wear on the inside.
Car pulls to the right after replacing the driver side rear tire.
ANSWER : Logically, if the car started pulling immediately AFTER you put a new tire on the rear, it would seem unlikely that the pulling is due to an alignment issue. Uneven tire inflation will cause pulling so do check to make sure that the tire inflation pressures are all correct and uniform for all four tires. Also, pulling could be due to a front tire issue so consider the status of the front tires, too (although, again, you said the pulling started after a rear tire was changed). If the pulling is occurring on braking, that might be due to varying brake pressure from side to side, or a sticking caliper, but your car is quite new. If simple checks do not resolve this, I recommend you request a pulling diagnostic and the responding certified mechanic will get this resolved for you. If you have further questions or concerns, do not hesitate to re-contact YourMechanic as we are always here to help you.
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Front driver side tire moves side to side when jacked up
ANSWER : If you can move the tire in and out when on a jack then you may have a few different possible problems. The inner or outer tie rod ends may be worn. Your steering gear may also have worn bushings. I would recommend moving tire back and forth while holding onto the tie rod ends to see if looseness is felt and replace any loose components. An alignment will need to be done after repairs.
Read Full Q/A … : Rear driver side tire is slanted, causing wear on the inside.
What does it mean if my traction control light won’t turn off and I have a creaking noise coming from the rear drivers side tires
ANSWER : Hi There,
The traction control system monitors the steering and stability of the vehicle and engages when loss of traction has been detected. This is done by the use of electronic sensors at each of the four wheels that communicate with the Powertrain Control Module (PCM) regarding steering performance and stability in adverse weather conditions. The traction control system works by reducing engine speed and determining which wheel to apply brake pressure to in order to prevent the vehicle from sliding. The anti-lock braking system and the traction control system work together to maintain the stability of the vehicle. The computer uses this information received from electronic sensors regarding the rotational speed of each wheel, the horizontal motion of the vehicle, and the vertical motion of the vehicle to determine how to direct the traction control system or the anti-lock braking system to best control the vehicle when needed. When this warning indicator light comes on in the dashboard, this could be an indication of several issues such as faulty wheel speed sensors, a faulty steering angle sensor, a faulty rotational speed sensor or a problem with the steering rack. In some cases, the traction control system may simply need to be reprogrammed. I would recommend having a professional from YourMechanic come to your location to properly diagnose your traction control system.
The traction control system monitors the steering and stability of the vehicle and engages when loss of traction has been detected. This is done by the use of electronic sensors at each of the four wheels that communicate with the Powertrain Control Module (PCM) regarding steering performance and stability in adverse weather conditions. The traction control system works by reducing engine speed and determining which wheel to apply brake pressure to in order to prevent the vehicle from sliding. The anti-lock braking system and the traction control system work together to maintain the stability of the vehicle. The computer uses this information received from electronic sensors regarding the rotational speed of each wheel, the horizontal motion of the vehicle, and the vertical motion of the vehicle to determine how to direct the traction control system or the anti-lock braking system to best control the vehicle when needed. When this warning indicator light comes on in the dashboard, this could be an indication of several issues such as faulty wheel speed sensors, a faulty steering angle sensor, a faulty rotational speed sensor or a problem with the steering rack. In some cases, the traction control system may simply need to be reprogrammed. I would recommend having a professional from YourMechanic come to your location to properly diagnose your traction control system.
Read Full Q/A … : Rear driver side tire is slanted, causing wear on the inside.
