Would over-inflating a tire minimize tread wear on outer tread?

[edyvw]

OK--but as far as tire rotations have gone, I've gotten them fairly regularly, at 4K, 7K, and 7K. Is the same outer tread going low on all four tires that unusual?

I personally had equal, but excessive wear on Sienna, rotating every 5k or earlier if I had to switch between summer and winter tires and I didn’t reach 5k.
It could be that your alignment is bad and just further inhibits this. What brand of tires you have?

 

[ARCOgraphite]

Big problem around where I live. highly crowned roads always countersteering to the left. Then they cut Rumble channels (?) into the centerline stripes so I cant straddle when there is no oncoming traffic like I used to.

Cars has soft sloppy suspension bushings, I would go with a neutral toe and 1/4 to 1/2 deg negative camber up front.

To keep you from looping the thing in the wet, manufacturers will heavily camber and toe-in the rear wheels. If the rear has adequate neg camber, you could minimise the rear toe - but still maintain some rear toe.

 

[SubieRubyRoo]

How would more frequent tire rotations reduce excess wear on one tread, especially when each of the tires is showing the same pattern?
If more frequent rotations is the answer, I'm all for it; its just that I'm wondering how that would work.

It will simply help keep the wear similar between all 4 tires. If the rears are also wearing the outside edges equally to the fronts... some of it may be due to (mis)alignment, but it also sounds like Siennas are set up to plow from the factory, since for a family hauler, plowing "promotes" safer driving habits than oversteer where the back would break loose and come around.

If the rears are wearing, and your van has adjustment capability (some are fixed even though there is a spec), you could likely have them dial in a little more negative camber.

 

[CapriRacer]

OK--but as far as tire rotations have gone, I've gotten them fairly regularly, at 4K, 7K, and 7K. Is the same outer tread going low on all four tires that unusual?

I wonder if going up a size would help.

I looked at Tire Rack and it appears there are tires available in both 16" and 17". I don't think that fully solves the problem, but it might make it tolerable.

 

[paulri]

Cooper CS5 Grand Touring

I personally had equal, but excessive wear on Sienna, rotating every 5k or earlier if I had to switch between summer and winter tires and I didn’t reach 5k.
It could be that your alignment is bad and just further inhibits this. What brand of tires you have?

 

[paulri]

I don't know if it would. Its probably worth a try, although those bigger sizes are more expensive. Another issue with paying more for a longer lasting tire, is that since this vehicle is only putting on 4K/yr the last few years, it is unlikely I'll get any prorate. When I need new tires, I'll see what prorate I'm offered, as well as what I could get in that bigger size. But yeah, the manual does allow for that larger diameter.

I wonder if going up a size would help.

I looked at Tire Rack and it appears there are tires available in both 16" and aa7". I don't think that fully solves the problem, but it might make it tolerable.

 

[Quantico]

It will not decrease wear on the outer, just increase wear on the center.

Its a balance deal. More tread off the center will actually reduce tread wear on the outer edges. Dont know exactly how effective it will be once poor tread balance starts.
Tires are wear items. At some point your going to need to replace them.

 

[HangFire]

Many years ago, when radial tires were just becoming dominant, I remember seeing a tire treadwear chart that identified outer edge treadwear on radials (but not bias-plys) as being the result of over-inflation. I remember it clearly, because it seemed so counter-intuitive.

Thinking about it now, maybe that is (or was) the case with certain tread belt and sidewall belt constructions. If so, I doubt it ever applied to all radials.

 

[Dave9]

It will not decrease wear on the outer, just increase wear on the center.

Not true at all.

It will most definitely decrease further wear on the outer no matter what the problem is! The key word here is "decrease", not that it will no longer have further wear on the outer.

That does not mean, blindly increase pressure without determining if it was a low pressure caused problem when it is as likely an alignment problem, AND, going beyond the spec'd pressure can cause poor traction so it's a bit of a band-aid that creates another issue trying to fix an existing issue, so not a simple "fix" without more specifics considered.

Silly question: Do you drive like a maniac? That will wear the outer edge on the front tires excessively, then even after rotation, you just wear the rotated-to-front, tires outer edge excessively too.

If you don't drive like a maniac, and have rotated them regularly as stated, then it is time for an alignment -OR- look at your suspension components, it could be they are due for replacement BEFORE you do an alignment, not after.

 

[The Critic]

Not true at all.

It will most definitely decrease further wear on the outer no matter what the problem is! The key word here is "decrease", not that it will no longer have further wear on the outer.

That does not mean, blindly increase pressure without determining if it was a low pressure caused problem when it is as likely an alignment problem, AND, going beyond the spec'd pressure can cause poor traction so it's a bit of a band-aid that creates another issue trying to fix an existing issue, so not a simple "fix" without more specifics considered.

Silly question: Do you drive like a maniac? That will wear the outer edge on the front tires excessively, then even after rotation, you just wear the rotated-to-front, tires outer edge excessively too.

If you don't drive like a maniac, and have rotated them regularly as stated, then it is time for an alignment -OR- look at your suspension components, it could be they are due for replacement BEFORE you do an alignment, not after.

And then there are cars that just wear tires “terribly,” no matter what you do. It is a normal characteristic. Nothing you can do.

 

[Dave9]

^ I don't agree with that, there is always something you can do even if it's a crap design that needs suspension components replaced more often.

It's not that I advocate that, but you lie in the bed you made.

There is no "no matter what you do" that is just stating defeat because you encountered morons who couldn't do this simple thing. This is within the context of a vehicle not eaten up by rust yet.