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Question

Difficulty: EasyWheels and Tires

A technician inspects a vehicle and observes accelerated tread wear along both outer shoulder edges of a tire, while the center of the tread shows normal remaining depth. Which of the following is the most likely cause of this wear pattern?

  1. A
    Worn shock absorbers causing the tire to bounce during travel
  2. B
    A warped brake rotor creating intermittent friction against the wheel hub
  3. Operating the tire with chronically low air pressureAnswer
  4. D
    An open differential delivering unequal drive torque to the axles

Answer

Operating the tire with chronically low air pressure
When a tire is operated with low air pressure (underinflation), the center section of the tread sags inward away from the road surface. This concentrates the vehicle's weight on both outer shoulders, leading to premature and accelerated tread wear along both edges.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the observed tire wear pattern
Excessive wear on both outer shoulder edges with normal center tread depth
Identifying the specific wear zone narrows down whether the issue is related to pressure, alignment, or suspension damping
2
Correlate contact patch mechanics with tire inflation levels
Underinflation causes the contact patch to support weight primarily on the shoulders rather than across the entire width
Insufficient air pressure prevents the center carcass from maintaining firm contact with the road surface

Key Concept

Tire Inflation Pressure and Tread Wear Patterns
Estimated Time:45s
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Topics

Wheels and Tires

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