Tire Cupping: Causes and Solutions
The tires on your car are important because this is your connection to the road and they get you safely where you need to go. Just like we monitor our health and watch our blood pressure, we also need to pay attention to the maintenance on our vehicles, and this includes the quality and wear of the tires and the components of suspension.
Tire cupping, also known as scalloping, looks like a pattern of alternating hills and valleys on the surface of your tires. There will be an uneven wear pattern, and it causes your tire to bounce up and down on the road. The bouncing and rough ride cause your tires to come down harder in some spots which causes the scalloped like appearance.
What Causes Tire Cupping?
There are several factors that can cause tire cupping:
Solutions for Tire Cupping
The tires on your car are important because this is your connection to the road and they get you safely where you need to go. Just like we monitor our health and watch our blood pressure, we also need to pay attention to the maintenance on our vehicles, and this includes the quality and wear of the tires and the components of suspension.
Tire cupping, also known as scalloping, looks like a pattern of alternating hills and valleys on the surface of your tires. There will be an uneven wear pattern, and it causes your tire to bounce up and down on the road. The bouncing and rough ride cause your tires to come down harder in some spots which causes the scalloped like appearance.
What Causes Tire Cupping?
There are several factors that can cause tire cupping:
- Worn, bent, or cracked suspension components
- Look for oil on the body of the shocks
- Look for worn shock bushings
- Check for loose bearings
- Check for loose axle mounts and worn suspension bushings
- Be sure that the axle is securely mounted
- Inexpensive or low-quality tires
- Avoid tires with low treadwear ratings such as 200 or less
- Find tires that rate over 300 or 400
- The higher your treadwear rating, the more miles you can get from your tires before they need to be replaced
- Underinflation of Tires
- Regularly check the pressure of your tires
- You can find what your tires should be filled to in the owner’s manual or the decal that is located on the door pillar usually on the driver's side of the vehicle
- If you are supposed to have 30-35 pounds of pressure in your tires, and you notice the tire cupping, try to inflate your tires to 40 pounds
- How to Check Tire Pressure
- Make sure that the vehicle is parked on a level surface
- Remove the caps from the valve stems and put them to the side
- Press the tip of the tire gauge onto the stem valve so that the gauge can provide an accurate reading
- If the reading seems too low or too high, then repeat the steps and check the pressure again
- If the pressure is too low, then inflate the tire to the recommended pressure level that is found in the vehicle’s manual
- Always check the pressure when you are done inflating the tires Over-inflating the tires can cause the sidewalls and the tread to become hard, and this can greatly reduce the performance of the tires and can ultimately cause uneven wear.
- Finally, replace the caps and remember to regularly check the tire pressure and seek a professional if you notice any other problems while inspecting your tires.
- Tires Are Not Properly Aligned
- Uneven treadwear
- Vehicle could pull more to one side or another
- Steering wheel can become off centered while driving
- There will be steering wheel vibration
Solutions for Tire Cupping
- If you notice any tire cupping, you should first examine each tire individually to see which tires may be affected. If you bounce your tires and they bounce up and down more than once then, your shocks could be the reason for the tire cupping problem.
- If the tire cupping is on the front tires, then it could very well be due to misalignment, especially when the tire cupping is located on the inside of the tread.
- Consult a professional if you are unsure of the cause of the tire cupping. A professional will be able to diagnose the source of the problem, especially if the cupping is severe.
- Replace any cheaper or lower quality tires with better tires. Unidirectional tires were designed to provide maximum traction, better road gripping, and improved handling.
- Higher quality rubber reduces the risk of tire cupping and provides better longevity and allows you to clock more miles before having to replace your tires again.
- Regularly get your tires rotated and balanced. If there is tire cupping, rotating the tire so that the cupping on the inside will cut down on the wear of the tire.
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