Tires Chop Out

[Smitty]

What will make front tires chop out? Unbalanced wheels, out of true rims, shocks? All of the above?

Thanks, Steve

[Gary WA]

I'd be checking your Caster adjustment. plus jack up the front end checking for anything loose.!!!

[Smitty]

Front end is newly rebuilt, toe is right on. Checked the axle when I rebuilt the front end.

[Gary WA]

Are both front tires doing it? Jack up front spin tires see if bent?

[Patrick L.]

All of the above can do it.. The only real alignment adjustment is toe which should 1/16" in.. Improper toe will chop tires.. Camber will wear inside or outside of the tires.. Caster will cut tires regardless of what some will say, but, ours is fixed at 5º so that shouldn't be an issue.. So it everything in the front end and steering is correct and tight , including the radius ball, then that leaves tires or wheels.. That said, for that to cut tires they have to really be bad..

[Smitty]

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Guess I need to look at the wheels...if they are out of true even a little it can cause that?

[Brian T]

Its the first time that I have heard caster causing tire wear, I must have missed something all these years, please enlighten me.

[The Hot Rod Grille]

Proper tire pressure? I had an issue many years ago with underinflated front tires that led to "cupping" at the outside areas.

Jim

[Napa Skip]

There are a couple of good articles (imho) on alignment of the Model A front end: “Model ‘A’ Ford Front End” by Dick Valot from the Model “A” News (I neglected to note the issue but there are indexes available on line); “Tuning Up A Model A Front End” by Milton Webb in the January/February issue of The Restorer; and “Proper Front-End Alignment Using Modern Day Tires” by Steve Smith in the March/April 2004 issue of The Restorer. Valot’s article also gives easily understandable illustrations and directions for measuring caster, camber and toe-in.

Although toe-in is the only adjustment that can be easily done in the home workshop, caster (5 degrees backward tilt) can be adjusted – as pointed out in the first of the articles listed above – by “…raising or lowering the position of the radius ball (with shims) in the ball socket beneath the flywheel housing…”

Lastly, although hopefully never needed, the above article by Steve Smith discuses how camber can be changed – as is done with solid front axles on commercial vehicles – by having a professional alignment shop re-arch the axle (that ought to take your breath away).

Of course all these adjustments are only effective after ensuring the correct tire pressure, straight (as possible) wheels, properly operating spring shackles, correctly adjusted front bearings, king pins/thrust bearings/bushings, etc.