So this happened on a drive across the state and back. Doesn’t seem like a reasonable wear pattern. Just the one area.

[Jason Petri]

Well here’s an anti-climactic update. I went to get my new tires and asked them to examine the passenger rear tire and let me know what they thought. When I picked her up they said I needed to rotate them more often. That seems unhelpful. I rotated them within a few 1,000 miles of what was recommended. I don’t think a lack of rotation would account for the wear on just 1/3 of one tire. But that’s what they said.

No problems with alignment, shocks, or suspension.

Seems like an unsolved mystery to me.

Also they didn’t have the tires I ordered online because there is a glitch that lets you order tires that aren’t in stock so I had to settle for tires that were $20 cheaper.

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[davidg4781]

Also they didn’t have the tires I ordered online because there is a glitch that lets you order tires that aren’t in stock so I had to settle for tires that were $20 cheaper.

What tires did you end up getting?

 

[Mark S.]

No problems with alignment, shocks, or suspension.

If they confirmed no issue with these then I would chalk it up to tire balance, although it seems unreasonable that you wouldn’t have noticed an imbalance bad enough to cause that wear pattern.

If I were you I would commit to a detailed inspection regimen for the new tires. Just because the shop blessed your suspension components doesn’t mean there’s nothing wrong there—people make mistakes. Check your new tires very carefully every 500 miles or so for that unusual wear pattern. If you see indications of it, stop driving until you get the issue squared away, or you’ll rapidly chew up a new set of tires.

 

[NMhunter]

I would have wanted a second opinion. I never rotate my tires, and I've never had wear like that.

 

[Stradasphere]

That is not from lack of tire roatation. If it was a balance issue it would have been a sever out of balance or out of round which you would have felt. To me it looks like a belt seperation occuring. Some times you can feel it at low speeds. If it was on the rear it would feel like the back end is wiggling. I worked at auto centers when I was in high school many years ago and would see something like this from time to time. (just my 2 cents worth, maybe more with inflation)

 

[Jason Petri]

I was supposed to get Maxxis Razr ATs but they didn’t have them so I ended up with Dean Back Country A/T2s.

 

[leftbehindmtb]

The tires have 43,000 on them. Here’s a picture of another tire and some close-ups of the bad tire.

@Falken QA

 

[NMhunter]

Sounds like you're using a front wheel hitch carrier. Have you actually checked your hitch weight on a scale? I would think almost 1/2 of the weight would be on the back wheel. If you haven't weighed it, go to a truck scale (usually at truck stops) and pull forward until just the back bike tire is on the scale. Subtract that from the weight of the bike and hitch and it will tell you your tongue weight.

Alternatively, you might want to consider a lightweight folding trailer. Harbor Freight sells one for $520 with a capacity of 1195 lbs.

 

[Poolmanz Sport Bronco]

This is unusual tread wear. I would NOT go to Ford, I would go to a tire dealer for your tire brand first. Because it is worn in an "oblong wear pattern" that indicates a "belt separated" within the tire. Tires have a warranty, Pro-rated, but they may base it on mileage for a replacement or free for a defective replacement. Sure would like to know what happens.

Sorry late to the post. Yes, I believe those tires have a 55k tread life. I recently was researching them. So don't know how much of a pro-rate would of help here. I have 27k miles on mine and they get rotated with oil changes at the dealer. However , I do more long drives and off roading than "mall crawling"- so I might need to get new tires way before I hit 55k.

UPDATE: FREE replacement for up to 2 years or for the first 3/32nds of tread life. *Restrictions apply. (Basically tires are free- your responsible for installing.) My 2 years are up- so no more warranty from Falken!

 

[petegee77]

Nothing really unusual happened, until…I was about 420 miles into a 540 mile drive. I felt a vibration in the steering wheel so I stopped at a truck stop. The tire was the cause of the vibration (or the vibration was the cause of the tire?).

Probably the vibration was cause by that tire being out of balance. That would happen with a huge section of it basically gone. Glad you stayed safe.

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