Rear tire wear on my dodge dakota???

[dylansword]

In addition to my supra, i have a 2000 dodge dakota. I am having problems some where in the rearend of the truck. the tires are wearing unevenly, on the drivers side they are wearing on the outside of the tire, and on the passenger side they are wearing on the inside of the tire. It is a solid axle. I have been trying to figure this out for the last couple weeks, and cant find anything bent, broken, or worn. Unfortunately i suspect a bent frame, axle housing ,or leaf springs, but have not been able to confirm this. Any suggestions would be great!

 

[dylansword]

Oh, and btw, it is 4x4, 4.7L and auto trans.

 

[lowtaco]

Uh... looks like you had your tires rotated. If you have, your front end needs an alignment. If no rotation, you have a bent housing.

 

[dylansword]

They have not been rotated, the only thing I did was switch the rear tires one I saw that they were wearing. How ever I Am suspecting a bent housing. Anyone know how to check if it is?

 

[bioskyline]

bent frame? what have you been doing to your truck!!

 

[dylansword]

I just got it a few months ago.

 

[bioskyline]

bent housing one way to check is measure the front of the tires side to side(driver tire to passenger tire), then measure the rear same way they should be the same measurement or very close. if there off then its bent.

 

[DreamerTheresa]

Moved to Other Cars where this belongs....

 

[lowtaco]

They have not been rotated, the only thing I did was switch the rear tires one I saw that they were wearing. How ever I Am suspecting a bent housing. Anyone know how to check if it is?

take measurments... or the best way is to go to a competant alignment shop and have them check.

 

[fixitman04]

looks like dog tracking wear to me.... follow your truck on a straight road.... can you see all 4 tires from directly behind it..... if you can it has a swayed frame(its been wrecked and repaired poorly).

the only way to fix it if this is the case is a competent frame shop.... and time on the rack! if you cant see the front tires you have a bent axle housing.

 

[dylansword]

I have checked the frame with center line gauges, these are four gauges that are hung From the frame to check it. Frame is good. and I have done copious measurements on the rear end to check its validity. And everything says its good. I took the wheels and tires off, and the drums, and measured from backing plate to backing plate on the front, top, back and bottom, and they all came up the same. I am stumped!!! Only thing peculiar I found was when I tried to turn the hub, it was extreamly hard! Like I've never dealt with one that was this hard to turn. It has 3.55 gears. So I'm thinking maybe if the air locker is screwed up then maybe that's causing the tire wear when I turn corners.

Please give your input. Thanks

 

[shaeff]

Before jumping to any conclusions, have you checked that all your tires are at the proper pressure? I do realize that the picture you posted shows more wear to the inside of the tire, but that center tread screams "overinflated" to me.

Ever do the chalk test? Draw a straight line across the tires (usually you do this on new tires), keep the vehicle perfectly straight, drive forward about 25ft. Get out, look at the chalk line. If it's worn perfectly even across, the tire pressure is good. If the center is worn, your pressure is too high. If the sides are worn, your pressure is too low.

I've always had good luck with that on my Pickup with relatively knobby tires. Obviously you'll have to change those pressures if you haul heavy loads or put a plow on it, and also check pressure periodically, especially when the seasons change.