Weird tire wear ?

[Hedgehog]

I looked at a 2002 Diplomat a few months ago and noticed how weird the front right tire was wearing. I thought to my self, something must be wrong. Well, I passed on that unit and now I'm looking at a 2006 Monaco Knight. After a close inspection, I see that this 06 Knight also has a front right tire wearing funny. What causes this and is there a solution?

[RVDude]

If you are talking only the steer tires and a "step" wear of only about half of the outside tread band - kind of like someone took a wood plane to the edge of the tread and planed off a half inch band - and that wear band is wearing flat/uniform (not cupping) and the rest of the tire perfect, unfortunately, it is a normal tire wear pattern.

It is called shoulder step/camfer wear and is typical of radial tires on a steer axle in a slow wearing application, like RV tire designs. Different tread patterns are affected differently. Some get it bad, some hardly noticeable.



Here's some more info on it.
http://www.kaltire.com/commercial/me...ulder_step.php

There is a book published by the Tire Maintenance Council called the "Radial Tire Condition Analysis Guide" that has dozens of detailed pictures of every wear pattern you can (and can't) imagine. It is pricey, some big tire dealers might have it too.

[NALSO]

Hedgehog.

Can you be a little more precise in what you see on your tire?

Where is the tire wearing, inside, outside, the middle, both in and outsides, are the wear marks uneven like up on one side and down on the other (also called cupping).

Henry.

[Hedgehog]

The center of the tread seams fine and I beleive the very outer edge seemed OK. It looks like the tread second in from the outside and second in from the inside. When you rub your hand down the tread of the tire, these affected treads feel wavy.

[Steve Ownby]

That is the infamous "River wear" pattern. Goodyear G670's are most famous for it, but trucking fleet operators say it can appear in many brands. The only preventative measure is to run the tire pressure about 10% above the tire chart. Not to exceed max tire or wheel pressure of course. This is only in Steer tires & after it starts it will continue. You can rotate to the drive axle & it will stop.

Steve O

[NALSO]

Hedgehog.

Steve O is correct on this, what you are indicating is underinflation, just add some air pressure, 5psi at the time and check the tires again. The quickest way to see is to drive on a dusty or gravel road, then check the tire pattern.

Good Luck, Henry.

[Bill2]

I had this wear on my 06 HR Endeavor steer tires. It is called rivering. It will make the front of the coach bounce and ride bad. I just got rid of the tires and put Michelins on the front. Probably there is nothing wrong with the allignment of the coach, it is just the tires.

[Lukeaa]

Bill2,
This is the first time I have heard that rivering will cause the "front of the coach to bounce and ride badly". Where did you get that info?

Thanks,
Luke

[Richard and Babs and a Bob Tail Cat]

If you do a google or yahoo search for rivering tire wear you will get some examples. We had it with Good Year G159 and G670 275/70 R 22.5 H tires on the free rolling (steer) application. An increase in air pressure did not seem to help and this size is the worst for it. We are trying the Michelin XZA 2 Energy on the front to see if it is better. It is rated J instead of H and seems rounder.