# Chevy 2500 excessive front tire wear



## redduck

Ok, I have owned four General Motors trucks (three GMC and now 2500 Silverado) and only had one that did not wear out front tires in less than 20,000 ,miles. I have 17,000 miles on this 2500 Chevy and already the right front tire is worn bad on the inside and is wavy (best way I can describe). It is bad enough that it makes a loud thump, thump, thump as you drive down the road. Is this something that is typical of General Motors trucks or have I just gotten bad ones. I like everything about this new diesel 2500 Chevy except this. I have tried getting front end alignments but they do not work. Problem is it takes 15,000 to 20,000 miles for problem to show up again and every place I get the work done says sorry it is out of warrenty or not covered. This stinks. I will be taking it back to dealer next week to see if something can be done.


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## slade

Haven't had the problem on my 2500HD. (two wheel drive) 
I had a 1500 4x4 that did the same thing you describe.
Maybe something bent on that side?


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## redduck

Mine is 2 wheel drive also and never been wrecked or hit anything in the road while driving.


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## BROWN

I have a 2500hd 4x4, and I have not had any problems with the tires. The truck is pushing 100,000 miles and has had only 1 alignment and I am on my second set of tires.


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## 6.5 shooter dude

do you rotate your tires ? I recommend every other oil change to my customers


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## redduck

I have not rotated tires. Besides that seems like just moving the problem to another tire then all four will wear out quicker. I would rather fix the problem if it can be fixed.


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## CaptPb

*?*



redduck said:


> I have not rotated tires. Besides that seems like just moving the problem to another tire then all four will wear out quicker. I would rather fix the problem if it can be fixed.


Rotation is how you get all four tires to wear evenly. GM trucks (especially 4x4) are built with alot of caster or camber can't remember which into them. They wear the outer edge or develope "cupping" like yours have. It's an inherant design of the IFS front end. I have mine done about every other oil change, otherwise I'd never get the mileage rating out of a set of tires. It does seem that some trucks are worse about it than others.


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## galenbriese

Redduck, My son had the same problem with the Yukon, it wore out tires in about 25-30000 miles, found out nothing to be done, problem was with frame, a number of them went out with this defect and it was not enough to warrant a recall. There are a number of the 1/2 and 3/4 framework utilized on different applications. The local dealer told them to upgrade, they had the problem fixed. He gave them a good deal and they are happy. Myself I drive Fords, and the 150 and 250's I get 70, 75,000 miles on a set of tires and great service. I drive most to about 200,000 miles and buy new.


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## bigdav160

^^^^ In the past I was very close to people at GM and never, ever have heard such a thing with the frame. A good alignment guy should pick that out in a hurry.

The factory tires are not likely to last long anyway. They *must *be rotated! Once the wear pattern is worn into the tire will continue to wear those same areas. I once owned a 4x4 Suburban that took 240,000 miles to wear down three sets of Michelins. It never had an alignment adjustment done.


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## galenbriese

I just talked to him this morning after the post and they had about 75,000 on it when they got rid of it and on the 4th set of tires. And that is exactly what his dealership told him about the frame, I did not make this up!! Anyhow no matter, I only offered some input that was in my family. Don't mean to up set any people out there who are having problems. It was not meant as any criticism of any brand or year model. Oh by the way the alignment shop told them the same thing also, and to upgrade or get rid of it. At $150.00 a tire, it was costing a lot of money. It was used only on highway and no accidents. Normal maintence was performed including the rotation of tires at 8000 miles, I think that should have been sufficient. And yes it was bought new off the lot.


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## redduck

I am aware of the problem of wear pattern staying there even if you get the front end worked on because of previous GM vehicles. The problem I do not like is wear pattern appearing before 20,000 miles (more like 15,000-17,000 miles). That has to be vehicle problem. Rotating will not solve this problem it will only move a good tire to a bad spot that will wear out before it is supposed to. The vehicles I have had in the past could not be fixed even after getting wheel alignments from supposedly some of the best wheel, tire, and frame places in town. I don't mind paying $150.00 per tire if I can get normal use out of them. That is not happening now. My original post was to try and find out if others had similar problems with these particluar trucks and did they ever solve the problem and how.


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## Shallow_Sport

You said that the tires were wearing on the inside right. One of two things either it's misaligned with instead of having toe in... it is toed out (the truck would probably feel squirly on the highway). Other one, there is a lot of negative camber on the tires (improper alignment, loose ball joints). This can be caused if you tow a very heavy load and it causes the back of the truck to lower quite a bit you front suspension will deflect down and the IFS will in most trucks/cars cause additional negative camber. 

My S-10 ZR2 has a bit of negative camber on both fronts yet wears the outside edge faster. I rotate them every year or so. Whenever I throw more than 700 pounds in the bed the front suspension deflects down and the bottom of the front tires bow out (negative camber). Looks kinda funny but normal. 

I got more than 40,000 out of my first set of BFG All-Terrain 31" tires. They would have lasted more but one developed a bulge on the tread when they had a little more that 1/4 inch of tread left to the wear limit mark. I replaced all 4 after this.


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## mallarduck

I own a 2002 Z71 and a friend who does front end alignments, said trucks assembled in Canada had neg. camber for some reason. Had mine realighned and the problem has been resolved.


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## General CoolBro

You most likely have a more serious problem. Lift the truck on each front side. Once the tire is off the ground, grab it at the 12 and 6 positon. If you can move it back and forth any at all, you have a bearing issue and they will need to be changed. It is normal to have a little play when grabbing and shaking at the 3 and 9, but not the other. You will be floored on the shop replacement cost. You can buy the bearings at the auto parts store for about $225 each. 

If this is your issue and you want to change them yourself, PM me and I can walk you through it.

Fords and Dodges have this issue as well - Heavy Dutys, especially if you run larger tires.

I have seen the bearings last 5,000 miles to 100,000 miles. I changed both of mine. One at 60,000 and the other at 65,000. Both had a distinct thumping noise when they started going out. Don't wait too long if this is your issue. It can eventually leave you on the side of he road....then you have tow costs.

One other thing, the shocks form the factory are basically worthless. I changed mine out to Bilsteins to get rid of the front end float. When the factory set was pulled (about 40K) they were shot and 98% of my driving is on pavement.

EDIT - never mind the costs, those should be covered under warranty - bearings.


GCB


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## redduck

I finally took the truck in to see what they could do. I wrote a statement out explaining the problem and asked if it could not be fixed to tell me straight up. When the guy that took the note read it he turned to another lady in the office and stated " looks like we have another one". The lady must have been his boss cause she read the statement and said "General Motors will not cover this unless you have rotated the tires every 6-8000 miles." I told her I did not rotate the tires cause I wanted to see if this truck was different than the previous ones. She said she woul have the technician look at it anyway. Later in the day the manager called and said all look normal and perhaps it needed a wheel alignment. I asked if that was going to solve the problem. He said it will help but I really need to rotate the tires. I said are you telling me the problem can not be fixed. He said he was not a technician but a wheel alignment will help. I said go ahead. When I picked the truck up the guy I originnally spoke with when I got there showed me where the alignment was off slightly. I do not think it was enough to cause the kind of wear I was having. He said all pickup truck wear like that. I aske him why my wife's town car did not wear like that. He said all vehicles are different but all trucks wear like mine and the only solution is to rotate the tires. I pointed to his lot of over 200 new trucks and stated "are you telling me that everyone of those trucks will have tire wear like mine unless the tire are rotated". HE said yes. I said " I find that hard to believe". He just smiled. I will wait to see if the wheel alignment has solved the problem but I doubt it.


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## drred4

that is a BS answer they gave you. All trucks tires won't wear that way unless rotated. HA. The last truck I had a F150 supercrew FX4 BFG's allterrrain 75,000 miles on them. rotated them once. absolutely even wear. My 06Dmax BFG's 25,000 miles right now and absoultely even wear all around with only one rotation.

That guy is full of milarky!!!


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## GimmeDeal

You're right, that's ****. Tires should be rotated but wear like that IS a problem. I've got 65k miles on a set of BFG AT's on my 02 F250 and have only had em rotated twice, the last time was 40k ago (I know, my bad). The fronts are starting to show a little uneven wear and I'll probably replace them soon. 

Fred


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## boashna

i have a friend that has a 2006 with same problem, i dont rotate my tires and no problem on my none gm truck with 35000 miles . if you always make left turn ,your truck will wear weired ,same as if you alwasy make right turn.


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