What causes this kind of tire wear? (pics inside)

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s164/VIRULOSITY/DSCF0301.jpg

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s164/VIRULOSITY/DSCF0302.jpg

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s164/VIRULOSITY/DSCF0304.jpg

Forgot to add, I have stock suspension and had an alignment done (to factory specs) when I had the tires installed.

something something camber something.

 

But seriously, camber out of spec? just my guess.

 

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http://autos.yahoo.com/maintain/repairqa/tires_wheels/ques094_2.html

 

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I'm curious, have you checked your LCA bushings?

 

See if they are a bit torn... Does the car "wander" a bit before settling into a sweeping curve?

My camber is within spec. I had a lowered prelude with a buttload of negative camber and still didn't have wear this localized.

I think that toe being off is more likely for that type of wear. Camber would have to be very negative for that. If the toe is off like this in the car:

 

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The front inside of the tire will get scrubbed coupled with some neg camber

are both tires the same, or only one side? If one side, which side?

 

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I had the same problem with my car when I changed the second set of tires at 70k. The tech said the alignment was way off. I also had a rear wheel bearing replaced a while back.

 

http://www.sixthsphere.com/storage2/images/4r1b2s8qieta80wvj9r.jpg

It may be that your front is aligned and your rear is aligned, but is your front aligned to your rear? (tracking)

Is it only on one tire?

 

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It happens on both sides, but more on the drivers side. I had this problem before I put the tires on, so I had it aligned. I suppose it could have lost the alignment from driving, but for the exact same symptoms to come back is suspicious to me. Is an alignment just a scam? It comes with a 6 month guarantee, but you wont notice any wear at all until well after that. Then when I finally have the same problem before the alignment again, they say that its because I have to align the car every 10000 miles?

 

I did check the lower control arm bushings and they look worn (unless they are designed with slits in them, it looks uniform to me?). Are there any other signs that would point to this? The suspension does feel and sound a little "clunky" over bumps.

 

Volta: It is interesting to me that your car has exactly the same problem. I wonder if it is inherent in the suspension design. The tech that aligned my car last said that the caster was out of spec, but that he couldn't fix it because this car has fixed caster.

significant under inflation combined with negative camber (within spec even)?

it's not rubbing on something maybe?

You are all retarded.. this is obviously a rubbing issue on the strut housing/Spring perch or possibly the spring.

Yeah but obviously why is it rubbing Mr. genius?

 

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You are all retarded.. this is obviously a rubbing issue on the strut housing/Spring perch or possibly the spring.

 

if It was me I'd would probably be able to find some wear area in the wheel well.. but it isn't and all we get is tire pics..

It would have to be a seriously oversized tire to rub on the spring perch or spring. I'm betting a camber issue combined with a tire pressure issue.

 

...now the camber may be caused by something else...worn LCA bushing, blown strut, etc.

^ Way to steal my thunder by being logical about it.

Do you have a print out from the alignment shop of what each reading is? Have you taken it to a different alignment shop? Getting your car aligned every 10k miles? That's a scam...

wouldnt the tire wear be more worn if that was camber?

In regards to the rubbing, that is a possibility. I didn't see anything obvious when I was changing the brakes though. Also, I wouldn't think the stock suspension would allow this? It is definitely not under inflation. I keep my tires at 36psi and check them every time I put gas in it.

Are these aftermarket wheels? Do your wheels have the correct offset?

It turned out to be the Lower Control Arm Bushings. Thanks guys! What happened is that with the worn bushings, the tire would rub against the spring perch, causing the wear.