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Excessive Front Tire Wear...Does Warranty Cover Items Like This?

jetrinka said:
Again looks pretty normal to me especially for a right front tire. Most roads are crowned for water runoff which makes people compensate to the left causing light outer edge wear. The Firestone tires that come stock are not known to do anything well (even wearing) anyway. Personally I would not be concerned.
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It may be hard to tell from the photo, but this is beyond what I'd expect and beyond any other truck that I've owned. This is my first solid front axle truck, so possibly there is something there that I'm not aware of, but otherwise I cannot imagine that RAM would consider this normal. The left front tire is identical to the right from a wear perspective. Googling this problem with RAM HD trucks brings up many hits about alignment so I'm hoping that a trip to the dealer will take care of it.
 
roegs said:
It may be hard to tell from the photo, but this is beyond what I'd expect and beyond any other truck that I've owned. This is my first solid front axle truck, so possibly there is something there that I'm not aware of, but otherwise I cannot imagine that RAM would consider this normal. The left front tire is identical to the right from a wear perspective. Googling this problem with RAM HD trucks brings up many hits about alignment so I'm hoping that a trip to the dealer will take care of it.
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If your tires are wearing evenly like that on both sides then yes it is likely due to too much toe. An alignment setting it to 0 total toe will likely help. Your picture indicated only one side was wearing that way which put things into question
 
Truck certainly drives much better. Had to adjust the drag link a couple times to center the steering wheel to my liking but overall it seems much better mannered. Still have to compensate some for road crown but it doesn't feel as laborious due to the front tires not fighting each other anymore.

Overall very happy with Thuren's toe suggestions!
 
jetrinka said:
Truck certainly drives much better. Had to adjust the drag link a couple times to center the steering wheel to my liking but overall it seems much better mannered. Still have to compensate some for road crown but it doesn't feel as laborious due to the front tires not fighting each other anymore.

Overall very happy with Thuren's toe suggestions!
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Jetrinka....thanks for not only the feedback, but for taking time to set for zero on your own truck!

Just to confirm when I bring my truck to the dealer, zero degrees is the low end of RAM's spec's, and I should request the tech to set mine at zero. Correct?
 
roegs said:
Jetrinka....thanks for not only the feedback, but for taking time to set for zero on your own truck!

Just to confirm when I bring my truck to the dealer, zero degrees is the low end of RAM's spec's, and I should request the tech to set mine at zero. Correct?
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Yessir. Set total toe to 0 and enjoy.
 
Also I would ask for a before/after printout to be sure they did what you want
 
roegs said:
Jetrinka....thanks for not only the feedback, but for taking time to set for zero on your own truck!

Just to confirm when I bring my truck to the dealer, zero degrees is the low end of RAM's spec's, and I should request the tech to set mine at zero. Correct?
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Go to the Thuren website and read their article on RAM straight axle trucks. Very informative. Then print out the page with their specs and take it with you and ask them to use those specs. Worth a try.
I lowered my castor to 3.5 degrees from their advice. Truck drives great. Turn in is a little quicker, but easy to control.
 
Went to the dealer today, and the first question they asked was if I tow a lot. The logic was that towing would take weight off the front axle causing the tires to tip in at the bottom and wear the outside. I can see that happening on a independent front suspension (such as GM uses) but would that be the case with a solid front axle like we have? Spoke to the tech (super guy to talk with...) and he suggested that I rotate more often. Said he checked ball joints to make sure they were in spec. I asked about toe-in and he agreed that it could be that but was willing to tell me that there is some question about their alignment rack right now and he did not trust it. Gotta say I appreciated his honesty. Next step? Probably look for an independent alignment shop and let them take a look at toe setting.
 
I think the tow thing is BS, trying to hide something. Unless you have a really heave trailer that you bumper tow.

But I haven't towed anything and at 3200 miles, the out side had enough wear that I could see it.

I'd say its worth it to just spend the $100 and have a good independent shop do the alignment to the Thuren specs and be done with it.
 
Crusty old shellback said:
I think the tow thing is BS, trying to hide something. Unless you have a really heave trailer that you bumper tow.

But I haven't towed anything and at 3200 miles, the out side had enough wear that I could see it.

I'd say its worth it to just spend the $100 and have a good independent shop do the alignment to the Thuren specs and be done with it.
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Agree. Camber should not change on a solid axle truck regardless of load. Sounds like an independent shop is going to be your best bet.
 
Just to close this out for my problem....I took the truck in for an alignment back in late October. Since then I've put a couple thousand miles on it and the front tires seem to be wearing much better. I don't fully understand before and after measurements but am wondering if the total toe that they did could have been closer to 0.0?
 

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Hate to break it to you but according to those sheets those alignment numbers are actually worse. They put .07 more toe into it and the alignment took them all of 13 minutes. The "total toe" number should read "0"

Edit: I should clarify - The alignment you posted up looks great for factory specs. If you were trying to align to the better Thuren specs total toe should be zero
 
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