Tyre Wearing On Outside: Causes of Excessive or Uneven Wear

Tyres are designed to last for 3 years at the least, with an average at 5-6 years and an impressive lifespan of 10 years. If your tyres are wearing out too quickly, however, then there's a problem that needs addressed.

This may be the case with:

• Tyres that need replaced before 30,000 miles
• A tyre wearing on outside before the rest of the surface
• One or more tyres wearing out faster than the others

Each of these problems indicate something amiss with the tyres themselves, their balance, the wheel alignment, or some other aspect of the car. This shouldn't be ignored. A prolonged issue could impact the overall frame of your car, as well as your budget when you need to change the tyres earlier than expected.

What causes excessive or uneven tyre wear, and how can you prevent it? Let's explore the reasons and their solutions:

Why Is My Tyre Wearing On Outside Or Inside?

The most common reason for tyre wear on the edges is underinflation. In normal, healthy tyres, the tread should begin thinning in the middle and branch out to the edges. This area has the most contact with the road, after all, and is thus sanded down more consistently.

However, wear exclusively on the sidewalls or edges of the tyre means they don't have enough air. Underinflated tyres will distort the tread away from the road, so the edges take brunt they weren't designed to handle.

Ensure that your tyres don't have a slow puncture, as this will cause them to become slightly underinflated. If you're frequently putting air in your tyres, there could be a leak. Get the tyre looked at by a shop like Autofusion to ensure there isn't any damage in the:

• Tread
• Sidewalls
• Rim

Problems in these areas could lead to escaped air.

Why Are My Tyres Wearing In The Middle?

In contrast, tyres that wear too heavily in the middle are the result of overinflation. With too much air, the tread will bulge in the centre, causing a disproportionate amount of contact with the road.

Instead of spreading weight and contact evenly across the face of the tyre, the middle is forced to handle the burden. This can result in more wear in the centre, as well as damage to the sidewalls and rims over time.

Resist the temptation to overinflate your tyres. You may hope to avoid pumping them up again for a while, but this causes damage to the wheels and actually inhibits your car's performance. Likewise, overfilling the tyres to counteract a puncture isn't healthy for the tyre, the vehicle, or your future repair budget.

Wear Spots On Properly Inflated Wheels

If your tyres are wearing out in a particular spot, but you don't have a problem with under- or overinflation, then your wheels could be misaligned. Wheel alignment, or tracking, refers to the angle at which your tyres are positioned.

You want them to be absolutely straight to ensure that your steering is accurate. However, tyres may tilt one way or the other due to time, bumpy roads, or changed tyres. You'll know this is the case if your vehicle pulls to the side or your steering wheel vibrates.

To confirm, check the level of wear on your tyres.

• Is there wear on the inside edge of the tyre, but nowhere else?
• Is there wear on the outside of the tyre?

If you answered "yes" to either of these, your tyres may be "toed." A toed tyre will tilt either right or left slightly. In doing so, the full weight of the car isn't on the flat part of the tyre, but to the side.

This can be fixed by a local garage that has a laser alignment tool. Using this tool, a mechanic will be able to tell if one or more of the wheels aren't misaligned. Correct wheel alignment could make your tyres last for an additional 12,000 miles, so it's important to ensure they're perfectly straight.

How To Check Your Tyres For Wear

If you're unfamiliar with cars or tyres as a whole, it can be difficult to assess what's normal wear and tear, and what's excessive or uneven. The quickest and easiest method to check your tyre tread is the 20p test.

• Take a 20p coin and place it inside one of the main grooves of your tyre.
  • It might be easier to start up the engine and turn the steering wheel.
    • If you're checking the right tyre, turn the wheel to the left.
    • If you're checking the left tyre, turn the wheel to the right.
• Each 20p coin has a border around it. Once you've placed the coin inside a groove, check if you can see the full border of the coin.
  • If you can't see the border, the tread is deep enough, which is good.
  • If the border is visible, your tyres are quite worn and may be below the legal limit.

When performing this test, don't exclusively test one place on the tyre. Your tyres could wear unevenly, depending on inflation or wheel alignment. Check at least three different places on each tyre.

If your tyres are worn down in any of the places that you check, take it to a garage to be examined by a mechanic.

Do Cheap Tyres Wear Quicker?

Cheaper tyres are best for people who drive fewer miles or who drive at slower speeds. For example, driving in the city more than on motorways or dual carriageways is a fine use for cheaper tyres. However, low-cost tyres do wear down faster than premium kinds.

This wear and tear should be even across the tyre, even if it's made with lower-grade materials. If you still notice uneven wearing, or they wear out before 20,000-30,000 miles, you may still have an issue with your car. Checking with a mechanic at Autofusion can allow for fine-tuning and ensure your tyres reach their best lifespan, even if they're lower-cost.

Need Your Tyres Checked?

If you're concerned about the condition of your tyres, get in touch with your local Autofusion for a free tyre inspection.