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My front tires of my 1995 c1500 sierra pick up are wearing on the inside of tires only . This is causing a speed wobble. please advise s to how to solve problem DIY.
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tire wear is a method of diagnosing an alignment problem
abnormal wear on the insides or out sides of the tread indicates a problem with toe in/out and or camber settings
wheel wobble at speed ( 20 mph up ) indicates castor setting problems
steering wheel not self centering after turns indicates castor settings
steering wandering on the road indicates worn steering /ball joints and or alignment settings out
car running sideways ( crabbing)on the road indicates worn rear suspension parts , broken center bolts on leaf springs ,and rear alignment problems which will affect front end alignment
this is indicated by the steering wheel position off center when driving straight ahead
The first thing is how many miles does it have, if not much over 100K I would look at the suspension as the second thing to check. Cars can have a wobble because many people let the tires get down on tire pressure. Make sure the tires are a minimum of 32psi, then check to see if the tires have any bulges or spots that may be separating. This can happen if the tires are run low on pressure and build up heat. If all that checks out you are going to have to unload the suspension and check the parts for sloppiness or wear. If you aren't enough of a mechanic to check it, you aren't enough of one to fix it. Take it to a front end shop or a name brand tire store that does suspension work as you will need it aligned after replacing the worn parts or else it will be out of alignment and wear your tires.
I think a real good place to start would be to have a front end alignment, and struts and springs checked. Most alignment places will check front end all over before performing the alignment, to insure that it isn't worn parts causing the problem, as well as insuring that you aren't driving under dangerous conditions. Your problem could be as simple as a camber adjustment to correct negative camber.( tire is leaning inward at top, which causes tire at road surface to run on inside of tread.) Weak struts and springs are also a consideration, especially if still original on a 95' vehicle. Here's a link that explains alignment pretty well to help you understand. http://www.familycar.com/alignment.htm
Usually a vibration is due to one or more parts that have become worn or damaged. I'm not sure why you mentioned the tires but don't disregard them unless you know that they are fine. Check for correct inflation (on the door jam), for uneven tread wear, or bubbles and damage. Other things that can cause a vibration is the front-end needing an alignment, a tire that is unbalanced, worn out steering components (like a wheel-bearing), defective u-joints and/or an unbalanced drive-shaft, or low gear-oil level in the drive-axle can cause damage to the ring & pinion gear. The damage would primarily be on one side. So when you let off the gas pedal the sound goes away. Check as much as you can and let me know how it is going.
I would start by first making sure you dont have a bent rim. Check the tires for any bubbles in the sidewall or any deformation in the tire as this would suggest a broken cord inside the tire. If that checks out, get the tires balanced and see if that solves the problem.
Alignment has alot to do with the tires not shimmying.. Like zero toe setting. Loose componants like tie rod ends and the idler ar worn. You can ck for excess front end play by holding the front and back of the wheel and pushing and pulling on it, like rocking it. OR have someone rock the steering while you watch where the play is from underneath. By rocking I mean turn the steering wheel back and forth. Look at all th joints and pivot points for excess play, which is, movement not immediate to the rest of the steering system. Tire balance is very important. Wheel hop is a sign of a bad tire and it overtaxes the shock absorber. Shocks don't cause shimmy because they are a vertical movement controlA shimmy is lateral or side to side.Wheel balance weights must be spit. If a 2 oz. weight is needed to balance the tire, Oe once should be on the inside of the wheel and one ounce on the outside directly across from each outher.. Loose wheel brgs will cause shimmy, but they would not last long. Caster setting on the wheel alignment will also cause shimmy. Like on a shopping car. too much caster causes the wheel to start fluttering and is very hard on other componants. This may be why you have worn tie rod ends and a bad pitman arm. Worn control arm bushings and ball joints directly affect titre wear and can only be feltwhen the front end hits a dip and detected by side wear on the tire edges. Summary: replace the tie rod end and have the car aligned. Good Luck, -Ned_ sorry about the book
There are multiple reasons the front end could be shaking.
1. Tires are out of balance or one has become separated causing a knot.
2. One of the front bearings is going out.
3. One of the 2 front cv drive shafts are wearing out or bent.
4. Inner and Outer Tie rod ends needing replaced
Above are the 4 main causes of vibration in the front end being able to be felt in the steering wheel. i would first take the vehicle to the tire shop and have them check the balance on all 4 wheels. Also, while they have the wheels off, ask them nicely if they could check out the front end for you.
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