The condition of your tires significantly impacts your driving experience. But as much as you’d want your tires to stay in pristine condition, they will always wear out. One example of a common tire wear pattern is tire cupping.
Tire cupping is a wear pattern that looks like irregular dips or cups on the tire treads. It’s also called tire scalloping because the small and concave depressions along the tire tread resemble scallops. The worn parts in a scalloped tire are usually three to four inches in diameter.
Cupped or scalloped dips appearing around the surface of the tread could indicate loose, worn, or sometimes bent suspension parts. Sometimes the cause is as simple as failing to rotate the tires as often as you should. Worn shock absorbers or unbalanced tires, wheels, and brake rotors can also cause cupping, but the cupping would typically be more of a concentric pattern.
Cupped or scalloped tires can cause a rumbling noise, especially when traveling at high speeds.
Some drivers also feel excessive vibrations from the steering wheel, which is why some mistake this issue for a worn wheel bearing.
Your ride will feel less stable and handling will be difficult if you don’t replace cupped tires. If you notice issues like rumbling noise and vibrations, check your tires for signs of wear. Stop by an auto repair shop for a more thorough inspection.
Here are some of the common causes of tire cupping:
Misaligned tires don’t roll smoothly. They scrubbed against the pavement, causing irregular wear patterns, like tire cupping.
A tire is unbalanced when the weight across its circumference is not distributed evenly. The imbalance can cause some areas of the tread to rub against the road surface with more force compared to other areas.
As your ride gets older, suspension components like shock absorbers, struts, and bushings wear out. When this happens, your tires will no longer roll smoothly on the road, creating uneven wear patterns like those of cupped tires.
When buying tire replacements, make sure to shop from legitimate sources. Some low-quality tires are more prone to cupping tire wear because they have steel belts that don’t provide adequate support for the tread. Low-quality rubber is also more prone to wear.
Cupped tires can make driving risky because they can cause handling issues. Luckily, there are ways to prevent this type of wear.
Maintaining your tires is critical to your safety, and one way to keep them in good condition is to have them balanced and rotated regularly.
Experts recommend rotating your tires every 5,000 to 8,000 miles. The tires must be rebalanced every other rotation. If you’re not sure about your tires’ maintenance schedule, you can consult a licensed mechanic.
It’s always a good idea to have your car’s suspension checked every year to ensure your tires are rolling as they should.
Uneven tire wear is not the only problem suspension and alignment issues can cause. They can also cause difficulty steering and poor fuel efficiency. Your vehicle can also dip when braking or pull to one side when turning corners.
Always make sure that your tires have the correct air pressure. Underinflated tires are more prone to wear because they have a larger and softer contact patch with the road. This increases friction, which raises rolling resistance and accelerates tire wear.
In general, it’s recommended to maintain tire pressure between 32 to 36 PSI. This value can vary depending on the vehicle that you own.
Severely cupped tires are irreparable and need to be replaced. However, if you catch the issue early, you can prevent your tire from wearing out. All you have to do is solve the issue that’s causing uneven tire wear.
If you notice that your tires are wearing out prematurely, don’t think twice about taking your vehicle to an auto repair shop. A mechanic will know how to diagnose the underlying problem that’s causing your tires to wear out abnormally.
But if you’re a seasoned DIYer, you can try and diagnose the issue yourself. Follow these steps:
Make safety your priority by making sure that you don’t take the condition of your tires for granted. Have your tires inspected regularly. Take your ride to an auto repair shop once you notice anything wrong with your tires or any other parts of your vehicle.
Any information provided on this Website is for informational purposes only and is not intended to replace consultation with a professional mechanic. The accuracy and timeliness of the information may change from the time of publication.