calling all with Sumitomo tires

**1999slpss** · 05-30-2011, 05:31 PM

I have 275/40/17 htrz's up front and 315/35/17 htrz's on the rear. I have had 3 sets of these tires and they have been good except the wear pattern is very strange. They always wear on the outsides on the front and wear in the center in the back. I have tried different psi and it doesn't change anything. Currently my fronts are at ~35psi rears are ~28psi. 2 of the sets were on my LT1 and the current set was on my Lt1 for a short time and now they are on my Ls1. They all wear the same between both cars.

Anyone else have this problem? Is it just the way they are made?

**Smittro** · 05-30-2011, 06:21 PM

If you spin them alot the centers will wear first..

Front possibly either needs alignment or the rear suspension is too soft.. Worst case ball joints and ties..

The fronts will caster when the weight transfers to the rear under take off and pulling hard on the road while rolling, such as when passing..

It's the nature of a double wish bone front end..

**1999slpss** · 05-30-2011, 06:39 PM

I don't really play on them much. My Lt1 had an alignment done at least twice and my ls1 has not had one since I have owned it but it does not pull to one side.

**robcas47** · 05-30-2011, 07:56 PM

I've got the same problem right now with the rears, of course I tend to spin them on ocassion.

**reaper ws6** · 05-30-2011, 09:05 PM

i also have that problem at the back, but man i love the tires they make a great rain tire. Not so good for launching do, but is fine because there on my z my DD.

**cammed goat** · 05-31-2011, 06:41 AM

That's what happens with staggered tires. When I bought my wheels/tires from a buddy, my rears were shot after two years and there was a month period I didn't check my psi. I had 40 psi in the rear instead of 32. Stripped the rear centers. I replaced the rears and same thing. I run 35 in the fronts and 32 in the rears. However, I plan to run nitrogen in the next set of tires as nitrogen does not heat up/expand as regular air does.

As far as the fronts, the outer edge wear is from steering. If you park your car with the front wheels turned either way, you will notice the tire pointing outward will point downward.

Turning left-the left front tire rolls on the outside edge and the right front rolls on the inside edge

Turning right-the right front tire rolls on the outside edge and the left front tire rolls on the inside edge.

You could try a front camber adjustment but cars need some negative camber to grip upon steering.

**TransAmX2** · 05-31-2011, 09:09 AM

I ran them on all 4 corners and they wore pretty well but I was ablt to rotate them front to back, I wear the outer treat off all tires I put on the front of mine (onramps/offramps too addicting).

**Y2KArcticSS** · 05-31-2011, 09:30 AM

Running exact setup with exact same wear patterns. I know I need a front alignment, but fronts tend to wear on the outsides anyway. Rear tires always wear out in the center for me as well, even with 99% highway driving. I believe it has something to do with the stagger, as well as some spinning. I don't know about you, but my car will sometimes spin a little on take off, especially when the tires start wearing down. That has an effect even if you're not playing. Also, these tires do not have full tread, so they wear down pretty quick anyway.