Bad struts are wearing down my tires?

[Rudder]

2007 Nissan Versa - 87k miles

Midas guy told me that my original struts are bad and are actually wearing down my tires faster than normal and recommends that I get them replaced. Tires are almost slicks. But I also need new brakes. If I can only afford to do one at this time, should I go for the struts and new tires or brakes and new tires. How fast will bad struts wear down my new tires?

Thanks all

 

[Gabe]

How many miles does your tires have on them now?? Are you sure it was the strut and not the strut mount??

 

[zzyzzx]

Originally Posted By: Gabe

How many miles does your tires have on them now?? Are you sure it was the strut and not the strut mount??


I would think alignment would more than likely be the real problem. However, yes worn struts can cause funny tire wear, but if the tire wear is even I am not inclined to think that it is being caused by a strut. Can you describe the tire wear?

The last time I saw a strut damaged tire, it was a single tire on the back of a 2000 Camry that had around 120K miles on it and the original struts. Those cars are almost famous for bad rear struts. One tire had a low spot on it.

Are the struts leaking or is there any visible damage on them?

Do some reading here:
http://motorheadsdiygarage.com/?p=979

Having said that, given the miles on your car, you are due for struts at some point in the near future anyway. I don't trust them past 100K miles.

 

[Corvette Owner]

Assuming original tires, that mileage is not too bad.

If you can only afford brakes, I would do that now.

Are your tires down past the tire bars ? Can you see lincoln's head on a penny? If so, you need new tires also. If not, wait until you can get struts and new tires.

Bad struts should produce a cupped tire wear pattern (irregular). Also you should notice more bouncing while driving over bumps.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

If the shock portion of the strut wear out, the tires will cup from the car always bouncing.

If the spring portion is bad, it could cause negative camber.

 

[Rock_Hudstone]

Originally Posted By: Rudder
2007 Nissan Versa - 87k miles

Midas guy told me that my original struts are bad and are actually wearing down my tires faster than normal and recommends that I get them replaced. Tires are almost slicks. But I also need new brakes. If I can only afford to do one at this time, should I go for the struts and new tires or brakes and new tires. How fast will bad struts wear down my new tires?

How many struts does a Versa have anyway? Are they suggesting all four need replacment? I'm not surprize a Midas shop is pushing new struts, that is their bread and butter. Ca-ching$$.

I'd do the brakes and tires for now then get a second or even third opinion on the struts, but hang on to the abnormally worn tires for inspection. There is little to be saved on labor costs replacing struts and brakes simultaneously.

Also, consider a high mileage tire like the Firestone Affinity or FR710 and rotate them frequently, every 5000-8000 miles.

 

[Donald]

I would take it to a good indy mechanic. How bad are your brakes? Toss in new pads yourself and focus on the struts.

 

[Bottom_Feeder]

I was thinking I might have the same issue on my wife's Corolla. She's gone through a set of 65k mile tires in only 25k. The car was aligned when we they were mounted and they have been rotated a few times. Something ain't right and I'm guessing/hoping it's the too-soft worn factory struts, specifically the rears.

 

[Rock_Hudstone]

Originally Posted By: Bottom_Feeder
I was thinking I might have the same issue on my wife's Corolla. She's gone through a set of 65k mile tires in only 25k. The car was aligned when we they were mounted and they have been rotated a few times. Something ain't right and I'm guessing/hoping it's the too-soft worn factory struts, specifically the rears.

Certain vehicles are know for wearing out tire faster than others, especially some of the Jappy cars and SUVs

Hence the need for a high mileage warranty tire and frequent rotation, preferably done where you purchased the tires. Thus, there should be no argument if a 65,000 mile tire is shot in 25,000 mi.

In my experience Firestone is pretty good honoring warranties.

 

[Bottom_Feeder]

Originally Posted By: Rock_Hudstone
In my experience Firestone is pretty good honoring warranties.

The problem with that is that you need to buy Firestones.

FR710s... never again.

 

[gathermewool]

A good mechanic will tell you how many mm you have left on the pads, not that they simply need to be replaced; a great mechanic will show them to you on a slow day.

FWIW, my buddy was told that all four of his pads/rotors needed to be replaced. His rotors had almost no run-out, the front pads had probably a couple of years worth of meat on them and the rears had even more than that!

IMO, replace the tire if they're worn and, as has been mentioned, get a second and third opinion on the struts/brakes.

 

[Rock_Hudstone]

Originally Posted By: Bottom_Feeder
Originally Posted By: Rock_Hudstone
In my experience Firestone is pretty good honoring warranties.

The problem with that is that you need to buy Firestones.

FR710s... never again.

I've gotten in excess of the 65,000 mile warranty with the FR710 on two cars.

 

[eljefino]

This is a meat and potatoes job, shop around.

You probably need an alignment after struts as well, so budget for that. Might be good to get struts and tires and alignment all in one fell swoop.

Struts are one of those things you don't notice degrading so slowly over time. If you're planning to hit 200k, struts halfway through at 100k are a good thing.

But Midas being a chain might be overly pushy and expensive for what you get. I may not want to give them that satisfaction. Of course they might also be quite good at it.

 

[The Critic]

I really doubt that the struts are truly needed. Struts with 87k miles are probably getting marginal, but I have difficulty believing that they are worn to the point where tire wear is beginning to be affected. I've seen quite a few Nissans at my buddy's shop with > 100k on the original struts and while they're marginal, they did not seem bad enough that they would warrant immediate replacement.

 

[Quest]

I'm with Critic on this one.

@ OP: if you seriously want to investigate this matter, consider (a) get a second or third opinion from reputable tire shops, indy mech, or similar. don't just count on 1 single report from a service franchise to tell you that.

(b) read up on tire cupping online: weak or bad struts oftentimes bounce along on the road so bad that eventually your tire(s) will develop uneven wear (aka "cupping"). Cupping will lead to excessive road noise due to uneven thread contacts to the road surface.

If you aren't confident/competent on these, might as well get someone other than the franchise to look into this matter.

Q.

 

[bigjl]

Worn struts can increase wear of tyres, but not like alignment might do.

It will not be worn on one edge or down the middle like poor alignment or too high a tyre pressure might.

I am sure you have seen a car with worn dampers on the highway, and you can see the wheel "pattering" against the road.

Though you need to do brakes and tyres first, it will takes many miles to start sewing the new tyres.

Are there not tread depth laws in th US. Anything less than 1.6mm across the central 2/3's with visible tread elsewhere gets you three points and a fine in the UK, think the minimum is 3mm in Germany.

 

[Corvette Owner]

I also thought that struts should last more than 87,000 miles. My 2006 Nissan Murano showed signs of a bad wheel bearing. With 130,000+ miles on it I took it to a dealership. They replaced the wheel bearing and also found lower ball joints were bad (causing cupped tires), they replaced those, but the struts were okay. There was steering wheel vibration before I got it fixed.

A second opinion may be worth it.

 

[Nyquist]

At that age I'd be concerned also about the suspension links. Take it to an independent shop to get a second opinion. Just tell them what the other tech said, and ask if they'll look it over for you. If the indy shop is reputable and well-qualified, you might be better off going there for the repairs as well.

As far as what you should do first, if the brakes are truly worn out those have to be first along with any safety items like a loose tie rod end.