Bad Outside Tire Wear on Front Tires after Bilstein 5100 Install

So, I just pulled my BFG KO's off and installed new wheels/tires (2017 Tacoma Take-Offs, yay).

I've known that the tires have been wearing horribly for a while now, and have had the truck aligned at least 2 times during the life of those tires, and they continued to get worse, by wearing out the outside edge of the front tires (rotated fairly well around 5-6k miles), but was negligent in rotating over the last 10-12k or so, and the problem seems to be isolated to the front end.

A little history.
Around 120k, I installed the Bilstein 5100's all around, setting the struts to the 0.885" setting.
Installed brand new BFG KO's (Load C rated, 51 PSI max). Discount Tire aired these to 35 PSI all around.
Drove to the Yota dealer, and got an alignment. The attached pictures show the original alignment at the dealer, and the tires with about 35k miles or so.
Had a buddy from a Chevy dealership have his best guy do another alignment.
Now to today, at about 55k miles, I installed the new tires. When I took a closer look at the BFG's, it is sad that their life ended short. I will have to take additional pictures, but the outside tread measures around 1/16", where the inside tread measures close to 1/4", maybe even more.

One concern I have, is that the alignment does not show the castor adjustment. Is this common? I am going to dig up the second alignment, and see what it shows. I figure the issue is with camber, but if it is set the way it is, wouldn't that have prevented the wearing issue?

What say the experts?

 

Its definitely camber. Caster just affects forward and backwards, so no tire wear, only handling. Mine does this also, and I can clearly see the bottom of the tires angled inward toward the truck. As the suspension flexes that is the direction the tire will travel, or lifted. As to why that is within the correct alignment numbers, Im not sure. To make it better it would have to be on the far end of the recommended adjustment. Possibly further.

 

I've noticed this as well, when jacking the front end of the truck up, especially. Is yours lifted as well?

So would I want negative camber to get me like / \ slightly, versus \ / like it must be now? Maybe 0.25-0.5 degrees?

 

You got 55k miles out of a set of tires and you're disappointed?

 

Hahaha, you know, I was surprised, that was in 3 years, so more driving than I thought I did. I guess I'm not that disappointed, but it seems like I could have gotten at least another 10k out of them, if they had worn evenly. I got 70k out of the OEM Bridgestone Dueler's, and they wore perfectly even.

 

I'm lifted 1.75" on the bilsteins. Id have to look it up to see which direction degree wise..

Mine only have about 7k miles or so and I'm seeing significant outer wear on my fronts. Surprised me Tuesday morning that it was that bad.

 

And KOs for that matter - not exactly known as a long-wearing tire.

If alignment is in spec OP you should check your balljoints. At your mileage they might be due for replacement.

 

Front tire




Rear tire.


You can see at the very corner of the tire on the front no longer has a defined edge like the rear.

 

You don't want negative camber. I'd read up on alignments, and I'd let a quality technician do another alignment for you.

Don't instruct him on what numbers to get.

 

I think he means he just needs less positive camber.

 

You want ~ -0.2 to -0.4* of camber. (thats top of the tire in) so the tire wears evenly as during turns the tire will fold under itself and wear the outside edge more.

Your quite high positive camber is what is wearing your outside of your tires.

 

I think DCSB is mistaken as people often are about positive or negative camber. Negative camber looks like this /---\ when looking at the vehicle from the front dead on.... positive looks like this \---/ ... you most certinatly want no more than zero camber preferably a smidge of negative so that the nature of the bead to roll over as you make a turn wears the tire even.

 

Ok, makes sense guys, thanks for all the input. So if I understand correctly, I want 0 to slightly negative camber.

Do I tell them to do it over, if it comes back with number like I had last time, or if they are positive? Or do I just ask them for a gift certificate so that when my tires look like my old BFG's, I can get some new ones, LOL?

 

take it back, looks like they just did a toe n go.

 

Just got the toe and go special myself. I took it back and they adjusted it to Toe total .015, Camber .5 both sides and 2.2/2.5 Caster. 5100 set @ 1.75.

(Edit .15 Toe total)

 

Stock UCA'S?

 

yes

 

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/bad-alignment-numbers-after-alignment.467235/

 

Interesting, I'm guessing it's difficult to get negative camber then, almost all posted alignments I've seen have had a positive camber of 0.3-0.5 on a decent alignment. May be as good as it's going to get.