Inside Tire Wear? Ball Joints?

Over the past year to year and a half, my tires have been wearing pretty significantly on the inside. I kept them rotated every 6-8000 miles. I did let them go for a while to confirm it was the front end causing the problem. Took it to a reputable alignment shop and they claim everything is in spec but the ball joints could be the problem even though there is no play. Problem is, I had the Toyota Ball Joint Recall done last summer. Could the upper ball joints be causing this? I just got new Kuhmo MT's and want to remedy this problem asap. 2003 DC 4x4 114k miles all stock all original suspension minus whatever Toyota replaces in the recall.

 

Might need to replace the front shocks.

 

sounds like the shocks are worn out to me. if the ball joints are bad, you'll be able to tell fairly easily.....the boots on them will be cracked/dry/full of dirt, or they will be able to be moved by hand.

 

What brand tires are they and how many miles on them?

I had a set of Bridgestone Dueler A/T's on my 96 for about 5 years - they had about 40K miles on them and had atleast another year or longer of tread on the flats. They started wearing on the insides also. My allignment was checked and my shocks were only a few years old (OME's). I rotated my tires every 5K miles. The balljoints were fine.... I had an OME 881 lift (2") with OME struts on the truck for about 3 years. Normally, if the shocks are bad - you get CUPPING on the tires.

I never did find out what the problem was....(sold the truck).

Sometimes I wonder if the tires just start 'wearing funny' as they get older??

 

When i had eneven wear on the inside of my front tires it was because my truck was out of alignment and needed a shim put in so that the tire didn't turn inwards. I know you already had the alignment checked but thats just my two cents.

 

any other thoughts?

 

Janster, they were a cheapo set of tires, Roadian Spartan SUV to be exact. They appeared almost new when I bought the truck and wore awesome for about 65,000 miles but over the last 15,000 miles the front insides started wearing pretty bad. This could point to worn shocks I guess. I'm not complaining, I think 80,000 miles out of any tire is great, I just want to correct the problem before it destroys my new Kumhos.

 

I'm having the same issue, on my 1998 RWD...

New Bilstein HDs...

I read somewhere where they mixed up Prerunner/4WD balljoints with RWD balljoints.

And Amazon says they'll fit my RWD.

 

The 5-lugs and the 6-lugs (4wd/prerunner) are entirely different suspension designs with completely different lower balljoint designs.

There is no way to confuse them, and yet, according to this, Amazon seems to have found a way.

Amazon sells books and games. Don't buy your car parts from them.

 

If you have the 5-lug.... beware......a lot of vendors will tell u it fits.....
and guess what.........

You have to double, triple, quad check to make sure .....any part below the knees.....

just had to do a hail mary with bandsaw and belt sander......to mod steering bushings from energy suspension that was supposed to FIT....

I can always go find part# form u guys....or even causiously ebya..
and then go find it on amo, advance auto, napa, ect...

If you order wrong part on ship to store,,,,they allow returns if not installed....
so paying a little more may not be a bad thing....

 

I believe it was the upper, that got mixed up.
I now seem to remember more, it was on a high lift suspension, and the company had you install non 4WD upper balljoints.

Then again, I read it on the internet, and not something I figured out.

I know its a long shot, but could a worn rag joint allow the wheels and tires to move back and forth a little, causing the wear on the inside.

 

Oh, that sounds kinda like the dreaded Trailmaster lift which used VW Jetta struts to work. And I use the word "work" loosely.

That lift was (is) absolute garbage.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/suspension-with-6-lift-kit.433718/

 

I think its the ball joints causing it... Would it be the upper, or lower ball joint causing inside tire wear?

Thanks!