M916 Front tire wear problem

[Castle Bravo]

The passenger side tire on my M916 is wearing in a weird pattern. The driver's side tire does not display this and is wearing just fine. The toe is set correctly and I have run between 90 and 105 psi in the front tires.

There is one stripe that is worn away around the entire tire and several points towards the center of the tire contact patch that are worn as well. The dark area in the tread in the photo is where the dirt is not sticking to the tire. This all happened within 3000 miles on a new tire. I don't think this is indicative of too much or too little air pressure. Usually too much air pressure shows up as a worn spot down the center of the tread, not towards one side like this. Too little shows up as worn edges and that is not what is happening either.

The front tires have quite a bulge in them, almost like they're low on air, even with 105 psi in them. It is to the point that people say "hey, that tire is low on air." Maybe this is because there is so much front axle weight? One time I got a tire back from being worked on with 120 psi in it and I mounted it on the truck before lowering the pressure and it had the same tremendous bulge as 90 or 105 psi does. The TM says 90 psi for the front tires, but that is likely for the 11.00x24 bias ply tires that were originally OEM on the truck. I have run 105 psi in the tires also, which is the max allowed by the stock wheel.

Maybe its a balance issue? I'd say lack of shock absorbers, but the other side is doing just fine. The spring looks okay and measures the same from spring to frame on both sides.

Any ideas?

 

[av8or]

I would rotate the tire to a different location to see if it is the tire or location.

 

[Swamp Donkey]

I'd also check the tie rods and wheel bearing for play. I'm not familiar with the steering setup on those trucks but if there is a drag link connecting the two knuckles, like the one behind the axle on the M939 series, then you need to check the tie rod on both ends of the link. Even though the toe looks good sitting still, doesn't mean things don't change while driving due to worn parts. Different forces come into play while moving.

 

[Scar59]

I would rotate the tire to a different location to see if it is the tire or location.

That may be that tire, something not all right during manufacturing. Rotate it to the back and continue observation.

 

[av8or]

The tire appears to be a goodyear 286 which have not made for awhile. Even though it is New it may be defective. As Scar59 said try moving to rear.

 

[Castle Bravo]

It is a 2009 manufactured Goodyear G286. I spoke to a Goodyear tech rep today and he told me that with that much front axle weight, I should be running 120 psi in the front tires and that may be a large part of my issue. The Accuride wheels that I have are only 105 psi wheels, so that is not possible with the setup I've got.

 

[infidel got me]

Have you had the camber checked on the front? Camber can show similar wear as to what you have on heavy truck steer axles.

 

[Vintage iron]

Hey Matt, I didn't realize you were Castle Bravo.

 

[Artisan]

Matts truck is insanely cool. He has upgrades I can only dream of.

Most interested in this thread I am. Fortunately I enjoy
wonderful wear on all my tires, I have Bridgestones
on my M916 Centaur 20Ton and I run a full blown
Hemtt type square towbar "At the Ready" daily
on the front of my M916.

If I were faced w/ that I might consider jacking up each side
of the front of the truck and w/ a 6' long lever, wiggle things
around and look for issues.

Did you redo front bearings?
Were they done same day, same temperature, same mechanic, same grease, same parts?

 

[86m1028]

Kingpin bushings ???
I know I'll probably catch flak for this but when it comes to tires, I don't care what the tm says, go by what's on the tire !
Tm for that truck is going by late 70's early 80's tire tech. Tires have come a long way since then.

 

[Castle Bravo]

Have you had the camber checked on the front? Camber can show similar wear as to what you have on heavy truck steer axles.

I have not. Its a solid front axle and isn't "adjustable" - I suppose it could be out.

Matts truck is insanely cool. He has upgrades I can only dream of.

Most interested in this thread I am. Fortunately I enjoy
wonderful wear on all my tires, I have Bridgestones
on my M916 Centaur 20Ton and I run a full blown
Hemtt type square towbar "At the Ready" daily
on the front of my M916.

If I were faced w/ that I might consider jacking up each side
of the front of the truck and w/ a 6' long lever, wiggle things
around and look for issues.

Did you redo front bearings?
Were they done same day, same temperature, same mechanic, same grease, same parts?

Nothing wiggles, everything is tight. I have not touched the front bearings. Who knows if they were the same temp, etc...

Kingpin bushings ???
I know I'll probably catch flak for this but when it comes to tires, I don't care what the tm says, go by what's on the tire !
Tm for that truck is going by late 70's early 80's tire tech. Tires have come a long way since then.

Yeah, I imagine the TM tire pressure numbers are for the bias ply tires the truck came with. I don't think I want to go any higher than what the wheel is rated to, though.

-----

I'm now kind of leaning towards a bad tire - Thinking back, this isn't the first tire I've had on this position on the truck, and I don't recall it wearing like this before.

 

[quickfarms]

It is a 2009 manufactured Goodyear G286. I spoke to a Goodyear tech rep today and he told me that with that much front axle weight, I should be running 120 psi in the front tires and that may be a large part of my issue. The Accuride wheels that I have are only 105 psi wheels, so that is not possible with the setup I've got.

Sounds like you have drive tire rims on the steer tires. Drive rims are rated for less pressure and weight than steer tire rims.

 

[Castle Bravo]

Sounds like you have drive tire rims on the steer tires. Drive rims are rated for less pressure and weight than steer tire rims.

They're all the same on an M916.

 

[Valence]

Well, I know I'm of no help. I had similar wear on my deuce running the original bias ply 9.00R20 tires - except that wear was on the outside edge of the passenger tire - yours appears to be on the inside...

 

[Castle Bravo]

Well, I know I'm of no help. I had similar wear on my deuce running the original bias ply 9.00R20 tires - except that wear was on the outside edge of the passenger tire - yours appears to be on the inside...

Outside edge wear is usually incorrect toe, I think.

 

[zebedee]

Outside edge wear is usually incorrect toe, I think.

Yup - I lost a front tyre (34K original miles) on my 916A1 last year/'14 going to and from the Sussex NJ and Weare NH events. Found out that I had almost an inch of 'toe in' - got a pair of G-177's and put the toe in back out to only 1/8" and wear since seems acceptable.