I'm being really cheap this year and don't want to buy new tires for my 17" rims.

The tires I have now have a bit of cupping on the inside (being the side closer to the engine compartment) of the tire which makes some noise. You can also describe the cupping as wavy if you were to run your hand around the tire.

What are peoples thoughts on flipping the tire on the rip so the inside is on the outside so it wears down the wavy side?

I know its not the best solution but I really dont want to buy tires. And theres lots of tread left - the tires have been used for 3 summers and have about 60,000kms on'm

I guess my big concern is how dangerous could it be flipping them?

Or if I was to keep them as is and run them with the cupping on the side like I have them now, for another season?

Thoughts?

Thanks.

if you change the way the tread is facing won't that prevent them from pushing water out correctly when it rains?

Jimmy C wrote:if you change the way the tread is facing won't that prevent them from pushing water out correctly when it rains?

depends if there directional tires. if they are and you flip the tires around, then you will have to change your rims from passenger side to drivers side and visa versa so the direction is going the right way

You could flip them, and rotate the wheels front to back, put the @!#$ty cupped tires on the rear, roll with them for a while, hopefully the cupping will even out alittle, and if it does, you can put them back on the front. If you flip them and leave them on the front, they will most likely cause a bad vibration.. And your still likely to get that slapping sound. It might even worsen.

If all 4 tires are cupped badly... Get them all flipped, and just put the least cupped ones on the front... Thats your best bet.



Draggin' That A**

Can you post some pics? I have no idea what you're describing as "cupping".

Have you found the source of the problem and fixed it? If you've got uneven wear, there's likely a reason for it.

Ya you should get that checked out before you flip the tires, or your goin to run into the same problem agian with the tires cupping, and chopping up on the inner edge. If you've put on about 60,000km's before the cupping, it might just be from being lowered, or some alignment issues. Either one could be recent, or just over time, but likely camber wear from being lowered, or some sort of alignment problem... Get your alignment checked, and go from there.



Draggin' That A**

thanks for the replies.

i have tried to find the source of the problem but dont really have an answer.

i did have some tie rods changed in the fall so that may have been something that led the tires to go awry.

i've always had them balanced and an alignment done when putting them on in the spring. and rotated at 10k kms.

i thought my rear shocks were going but they seem to be ok - not leaking anyways

my rear sway bar was loose last year and had to be tightened up so maybe that helped the tires go funny as well ?

weasel - the cupping is hard to explain - if you were to lay the tire flat the outter edge would be smooth/straight - the inner edge would be wavy (up and down)

if i run my hand around the outter edge of the tire its smooth but doing it around the inner edge of the tire you can feel it going up and down as if the tread is not being warn on the inner side only the outer.

looking at them visually they look ok - i just put them on the car today - i'll try driving around on'm for a bit and see if anything corrects itself with the tie-rods and sway bar fixed.

thanks guys
Topher

Is the cupping you are talking about like this?

/|/|/|/|

Where the front edge of the tread block is worn, while the back edge of the tread block is worn "normally"...?

You rear shocks can be junk and not leaking. When I changed my g/f's 97 Sunfire SE coupe rear shocks, they appeared fine, but they were shot after I got them off the car. The shock body weight would make the shock compress.



<img src="http://www.webgraffiti.it/gif/smile12/smile197.gif"></img>

i don't think its worn as you describe.

what i can see/feel is that the tire looks worn normally all around but you can see that every other patch of tread pattern is higher than the other patches - it only affects the inner side of the tire for about 1-2 inches from the sidewall to the middle of the tire - then the rest of it looks and feels like normal wearring

this might describe it if you looked at the tire right on the inner edge

__||||__||||__||||

where the ||| is higher than __ and goes all around the tire

does that make any sense?

Theres so much noise from the tires its driving me bonkers - like a loud hum - specially when you get on the highway sometimes even turning up the radio doesnt help.

granted 17" and low profile tires are louder than normal but this is louder than 17" low profiles.

Is it possible to replace just the front tires two?
or should i do all around? I can't see the backs giving off that much noise - so if i changed the fronts might it reduce the noise?

- T

[URL=more tread wear patterns here]http://www.procarcare.com/includes/content/resourcecenter/encyclopedia/ch25/25readtirewear.html[/URL]

check the charts they may have what you are talking about and what caused the cupping


<a href="http://users.adelphia.net/~rdbryant1/index.html.html"><img src="http://registry.gmenthusiast.com/images/mrgoodwrench/personal_pic.jpg" border=4></a>

here for more tread wear charts


<a href="http://users.adelphia.net/~rdbryant1/index.html.html"><img src="http://registry.gmenthusiast.com/images/mrgoodwrench/personal_pic.jpg" border=4></a>

Thanks Mr G!

Looking on that site i'm pretty sure cupping/scallops is the issue i have.

the tires have always been balanced in the spring and an alignment done in the spring when i put them on so i guess that could only leave other suspension parts. the shocks look ok but as thoughthardtocomeupwiththis said that could mean they're still sh*t

i did have a wheel bearing and tie rods replaced in the fall so maybe that was part of the cause - i can only hope - is there

does anyone think its ok to change out just the fronts? i'd like to get at least 2 more seasons out of whatever i put on - granted if i have further suspension issues the tires will just get the same thing happening to them but what else can I look for?

thanks for the help.

- T

I see no problem with changing just the fronts. I did that late last fall on my g/f's 03 Civic EX coupe. Note they are the same brand and model of tires as the rears.

I have done that on my non-j-body also, but take note of these oddities...

I have ran snow tires in the winter on the fronts, switching out whichever tires are worn the most.

I have ran snow tires in the winter on the fronts, with the snows staying mounted, and the rears staying mounted (I have a dedicated summer wheel and tire combo).

Some people or businesses will say it is unsafe though...




<img src="http://www.webgraffiti.it/gif/smile12/smile197.gif"></img>

That is the one problem with directional tires. uI think i know what he is talking about.

Go to the shop and have them switcht the front tires so the left is on the right and right is on the left. That wasy the part wearing out is now on the out side.


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