What Causes Back Tires To Bow Out?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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When the

tops of the wheels are leaning in –

and the bottoms are bowed out – this is negative camber. Camber and other alignment angles can be out of specifications due to worn or bent components such as control arms, wheel hubs, or weak components such as springs or shocks/struts.

What would cause my rear wheel to camber in?


A control arm or some other part of the suspension could have been damaged in an accident

, going over a pothole, or just from uneven wear on your tires. Over time, this can cause them to bend and cause the negative camber situation.

What causes back tires to lean in?

If you have one of the rear tires leaning in then you

have damaged the upper control arm or spindle is bent

. Have the vehicle suspension checked for damaged components and have alignment done.

Can a bad wheel bearing cause tire cupping?

Middle cupping is usually a result of

severe underinflation

, failing shock absorbers or wheel bearings, tire imbalance, or damaged suspension.

How do you fix a cupped tire?


Take the vehicle to the auto repair shop

and have them change the shocks. Then have the shop put the cupped tires on the rear of the car until they wear smooth again. If the cupping is too severe, the tire shop may be able to use a tire-shaving machine to even them out.

Why are my rear tires wearing out so fast?

A rear wheel drive vehicle will wear its rear tires

faster than its front tires due to the drive (pulling) wheels being on the back of the vehicle

. Most vehicle manufacturers recommend rotating your tires every 5000 to 7500 miles. An easy way to remember to rotate your tires is to do it with every oil change.

Why is my rear wheel not straight?

Camber on the rear wheels of your vehicle

is not adjustable

. … With negative camber, the top of the wheels are leaning inward (again, by design) which lean will tend to wear the inside tread of the tire, just as you are observing. Regular rotation of the tires, every 6,000 miles, tends to minimize that effect.

Is rear negative camber good?

1. A negative camber

can improve the handling of the vehicle

. When a vehicle comes equipped with a negative camber, then it will have improved handling because the tire is kept perpendicular to the road as the vehicle moves along. This design makes it possible to keep the entire contact patch evenly loaded.

Will an alignment fix camber?

Have an auto repair shop perform an alignment on your car, which will

reset the camber of the wheels

in both the front and rear of the suspension. Allow the technicians to readjust your suspension to its factory settings using their alignment tools.

How do I know if my tires are cupped?

Tire Noise: You may notice a

rhythmic sound, louder than your usual road noise

, if your tires are cupped. This is due to those unevenly worn patches of tread rubber causing odd noises while rolling. Vibrating or Shaking: You may feel some excessive vibrations either in the steering wheel or in your seat as you drive.

What are the symptoms of bad tires?

  • Cracking or cuts in the sidewalls.
  • Uneven tread wear. …
  • Excessively worn tread. …
  • Alternatively, you can use a Lincoln-head penny as a tread-wear indicator. …
  • Bulges or blisters. …
  • Excessive vibration.

Will cupped tires fix themselves?

Provided that you’ve replaced the worn shocks, bushings or relevant suspension component, driving on a cupped tire

will eventually smooth it out to some extent

. … Considering the likelihood and consequences of tire failure after cupping, you’re best off replacing the cupped tire sooner rather than later.

Can you drive on cupped tires?

For some reason, they seem to get cupped more often than better-quality rubber. TOM: Unfortunately,

it’s really not safe to drive on cupped tires

. … So every time the tire rotates, there are high spots that aren’t touching the road. That means you have less traction, and less ability to stop and turn.

What is the main cause of tire cupping?


Suspension components

like shock absorbers, struts, bushings and others wear out with miles travelled. The result can be a tire that is no longer able to roll smoothly down the road; instead, it bounces slightly. This bouncing creates uneven points of pressure on tires, leading to tire cupping.

What does it mean if my tires are cupped?

Cupping, also known as tire scalloping, refers to

when a car or truck’s tire tread moves from high to low in random spots

. And, typically, not like it does when the tire alignment is off or when tire rotations have been skipped.

Do rear tires wear out faster?

Rear-wheel drive (RWD) vehicles and part-time four-wheel drive (4×4)

vehicles may wear the rear tires faster

. Your FWD minivan customer’s intuition is that since the front tires wore out first and there is still about half of the tread remaining on the rears, the new tires should be installed on the front axle.

Emily Lee
Author
Emily Lee
Emily Lee is a freelance writer and artist based in New York City. She’s an accomplished writer with a deep passion for the arts, and brings a unique perspective to the world of entertainment. Emily has written about art, entertainment, and pop culture.