Tire wear a bit uneven - pos camber adjustment?

[brulaz]

2016 RAM 2500 Cummins. Treadwear on OEM LT275/70R18E Firestone Transforce ATs at 34K kms (21K miles) is sightly uneven:
currently 8/32" deep on the inside groove, 6/32" deep on the middle and 5/32" deep on the outside groove. They're all like that as I rotated them at about half the total mileage.

Guess that means there's a slight positive camber in the front end?
Can the front end be easily adjusted to take that out or does it require somebody really special with an expensive machine? (Not sure I trust the local dealer although they claim to do front ends...)

And what about the tires? Worth it to have them removed and put on reverse-wise? (they're not directional) Seems a little early for new tires.

We tow about 75% of the time.

[brulaz]

Found this link over in cumminsforum.com

Thuren's recommendation

At lot of people swear by his advice:

Thuren wrote:
0.00 to 0.05 TOTAL toe, and 3.8-4.2 degrees caster on Diesel trucks, and 4.2-4.8 degree's caster on Hemi trucks.

[Grit_dog]

brulaz wrote:

dpatt67 wrote:

...
I've always heard not to reverse tires, even if they aren't directional. Is it a valid option to try?

Hmmm, never heard that before.
Always thought you could mount either side on a non-directional tire.

Mine have white letters on the outside, and the same lettering but in black on the inside. Always just assumed that was so you could choose one or the other?

This is definitely not a thing. Swapping a tire side to side changes the rotation. And it helps reduce tire wear as tires wear with respect to the direction they're rotating and the forces on them. Reversing can "even them out."
Probably a tire shop told you that.....sell more tires that way!

[Me_Again]

brulaz wrote:
Thanks for the great advice folks.

Both sides show the same wear pattern and depth as best I can measure.

Think I'll just get the tires reversed for now, and then get the alignment done next spring when I buy new tires. Will ask for before and after readings and ask them to look closely at the toe adjustments.

DO NOT, set toe in to factory spec. 1/32 - 1/16. It is most likely at 1/4+. Chris

[brulaz]

time2roll wrote:

brulaz wrote:
Thanks for the great advice folks.

Both sides show the same wear pattern and depth as best I can measure.

Think I'll just get the tires reversed for now, and then get the alignment done next spring when I buy new tires. Will ask for before and after readings and ask them to look closely at the toe adjustments.

I would be into the dealer and make a warranty claim now. Let them do the alignment and install new tires for this assembly defect. Nothing to lose.

That's a thought. I've got some routine maintenance that is going to cost me an arm-and-a-leg, so maybe they'll give me a break on this.

[theoldwizard1]

Outside tire wear on the front axle is (somewhat) normal. Tire rotation will help even it out. You might even want to pay to have the tire re-mounted, inside out.

[mich800]

brulaz wrote:

dpatt67 wrote:

...
I've always heard not to reverse tires, even if they aren't directional. Is it a valid option to try?

Hmmm, never heard that before.
Always thought you could mount either side on a non-directional tire.

Mine have white letters on the outside, and the same lettering but in black on the inside. Always just assumed that was so you could choose one or the other?

Never heard that. How would you do the standard tire rotation if that was true?

Oh, meant remount the opposite. Should still be able to do that unless one side is White lettered like you said.

[time2roll]

brulaz wrote:
Thanks for the great advice folks.

Both sides show the same wear pattern and depth as best I can measure.

Think I'll just get the tires reversed for now, and then get the alignment done next spring when I buy new tires. Will ask for before and after readings and ask them to look closely at the toe adjustments.

I would be into the dealer and make a warranty claim now. Let them do the alignment and install new tires for this assembly defect. Nothing to lose.

[brulaz]

Grit dog wrote:
I've read, not experienced, that some newer Rams HDs are coming off the line toed in far too much.
It's an old trick to make a car that wanders or has loose steering feel tighter going down the road.....seriously.
The other thing is, if you drive a lot of curvy highways and roads, outsides will naturally wear a bit more and usually feather a little, especially on a solid axle truck.

Prolly why it's happening so early. Manufacturer's toe-in.
No feathering yet though. Will definitely get it fixed when we get new tires.

[brulaz]

dpatt67 wrote:

...
I've always heard not to reverse tires, even if they aren't directional. Is it a valid option to try?

Hmmm, never heard that before.
Always thought you could mount either side on a non-directional tire.

Mine have white letters on the outside, and the same lettering but in black on the inside. Always just assumed that was so you could choose one or the other?

[Grit_dog]

I've read, not experienced, that some newer Rams HDs are coming off the line toed in far too much.
It's an old trick to make a car that wanders or has loose steering feel tighter going down the road.....seriously.
The other thing is, if you drive a lot of curvy highways and roads, outsides will naturally wear a bit more and usually feather a little, especially on a solid axle truck.

[dpatt67]

I had the same issue with my 15 3500. I had the alignment done and it was the toe-in. Apparently the factory sets it that way. I've always heard not to reverse tires, even if they aren't directional. Is it a valid option to try?

[brulaz]

time2roll wrote:
First I would measure the front frame height when connected and compare to unloaded. Probably a long shot.
...

The front frame (measured at the wheel well) does lift ~0.5" when initially hitched but I do reduce it to about 0.2" with the WD bars.
Tongue weight is around 1200#.

[brulaz]

Thanks for the great advice folks.

Both sides show the same wear pattern and depth as best I can measure.

Think I'll just get the tires reversed for now, and then get the alignment done next spring when I buy new tires. Will ask for before and after readings and ask them to look closely at the toe adjustments.

[garyp4951]

Tow should be zero or 1/16 in, and if thats not it they make offset balljoints to correct camber on straight axles.
I don't think a new truck would have camber issues, and I rotate mine every 5k miles.