uneven front tire Wear

[matt-jenkins]

My passenger front tire has significantly less tread remaining then the other three tires on my truck, its basically bald and the others have some life left.
Before I go get a new set of tires I would like to know why that corner is wearing so much faster. I know the TTB/D50 is known for having **** poor tire wear but should I be checking ball joints or something? The tire isn't wearing just on one side and its not an inflation issue. I'm going to book an alignment next week but is there anything else I should investigate before dropping it off?

 

[plywood]

I highly recommend Energy Suspension Polyurethane bushings for TTBs.

Axle Pivot Bushings are a big one for tire wear, but even moreso, ball joints, tie rod ends, wheel bearings.

Is it worn evenly?

 

[opusd2]

Sounds like worn components on that side, like shocks, worn or loose bearings, or pretty worn out linkages on that side. Even a weak spring can cause that. All I know is that I am NOT a fan of TTB suspensions systems and would even take the IFS that my GMC has over it. But to me a solid axle means the most strength.

 

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

How many sets of tires have you had on the truck ??

How did the fronts wear on the previous tires ??

Sure, you probably have a dozen or more expensive components that are in need of replacement; but, don't be disappointed if, after all that work and money, the tires wear no better than they did.

I was born in and grew up in a big tire shop a long time ago and I have seen everything.

One of the things I have learned is that Ford Twin-I-Beams and Ford TTBs will eat up tires and often have drivability issues no matter how many parts and fixes you throw at them.

 

[matt-jenkins]

Tire wear is even, both sides and the middle are worn all the same.
I dont wanna drop big cash on new tires and have one side wear out before the other three.
This is the only set of tires that I've had on my truck, I've only owned it about a year and a week.

 

[plywood]

My TTB drives beautifully and wears even, but it's got all the right stuff.

Good steering box, properly torqued bearings, good control arm and tie rod ends, camber adjusters, polyurethane axle pivot bushings, steering stabilizer with poly bushings, factory add a leaf.

Only thing left I could do is poly bushings for the leaf springs which I will do at some point but I don't think they are as crucial.

 

[matt-jenkins]

Until now I have not had an issue with my front end, I have ad a leaf and a steering stabilizer. No play in the steering wheel so my steering box is good, I need new bushings in my shocks but other then that everything feels tight when i jack up the front end and give it a wiggle.

 

[lotzagoodstuff]

Welcome to the joys of the TTB front axle. I really wanted to convert my truck to a Dana 60, but in the end I couldn't justify the money for the upgrade, so I rebuilt my old TTB.

The add-a-leaf will change the camber significantly on a TTB. I had to make some significant camber changes after I installed my add-a-leaf, but after replacing all wearable parts in the front end, it's wearing tires pretty OK.

Was the truck aligned after the add-a-leaf was installed? I would check the camber and ball joints, but that's just my .02.

Good luck.

 

[Shadetreemechanic]

My passenger front tire has significantly less tread remaining then the other three tires on my truck, its basically bald and the others have some life left.
Before I go get a new set of tires I would like to know why that corner is wearing so much faster. I know the TTB/D50 is known for having **** poor tire wear but should I be checking ball joints or something? The tire isn't wearing just on one side and its not an inflation issue. I'm going to book an alignment next week but is there anything else I should investigate before dropping it off?

I bet it is worn evenly, it just looks like it has about 10K miles more on it. The front passenger tire on my 94 does the same thing, and the front passenger tire on my last 94 did as well. I just add a side swap to my rotation.
I did just have my front end on a lift and everything checked, axle pivot bushings replaced and axle aligned, but they couldn't explain the wear.

 

[plywood]

Just had a thought, does it pull when you hit the brakes?

I wonder if only one front brake is working.

 

[matt-jenkins]

Truck drives bang on even while braking. I dont think the alignment is out, if the road is flat level and straight the truck will drive its self.

 

[MIDNIGHT RIDER]

Truck drives bang on even while braking. I dont think the alignment is out, if the road is flat level and straight the truck will drive its self.

If it drives that good, I would not change a thing --- PERIOD.

There are more Ford trucks that have a slight pull to one side or the other --- with all new components or nay --- than not.

I would far rather buy a few more tires and the truck drive good, than have a truck that had a nagging pull to the side.

 

[Shadetreemechanic]

So I guess its just us with the problem.
I figured more folks would have seen the same thing.
My experience is that it doesn't seem to get worse. My current truck does it with 158k on the clock, and my old truck wore tires the exact same way at 330k.

 

[smolkin]

I have I-beams but my truck eats driver-side tires like no one's business...I'll be replacing the tire AGAIN as soon as I have the cash. And this is with all new bushings...hopefully I'll get more than a year outta this one.

There are more Ford trucks that have a slight pull to one side or the other --- with all new components or nay --- than not.

Very true; but at least I don't have a van. Has anyone ever noticed that all 90's+ Ford vans drive down the road crooked? I've driven ones brand-new off the lot like that...You can really tell if you're following behind one on a straight stretch of road and you try to sight along the sides of it.

 

[Brianedwardss]

I've got 8k on new tires, and my fronts are down to 2/32nds on the edges. My '97 stroker with TTB's did the same thing to tires.