Symptom Related Diagnostic Procedures
Condition(s):
Tires show excess wear on edge of treads
Possible Source(s):
^ Tires under-inflated
Action(s) to take:
^ Correct pressure to specification.
Possible Source(s):
^ Vehicle overloaded
Action(s) to take:
^ Correct as required.
Tires show excess wear on edge of treads (having the correct tire pressures).
Possible Source(s):
^ Incorrect toe setting
Action(s) to take:
^ Set to specification.
Tires show excess wear in center of tread.
Possible Source(s):
^ Tires over-inflated
Action(s) to take:
^ Correct pressure to specification.
Other excessive tire wear problems
Possible Source(s):
^ Incorrect tire pressure
Action(s) to take:
^ Correct pressure to specification.
Possible Source(s):
^ Incorrect tire / wheel usage
Action(s) to take:
^ Install correct tire and wheel combination.
Possible Source(s):
^ Loose or leaking dampers
Action(s) to take:
^ Tighten or install a new as necessary.
Possible Source(s):
^ Geometry out of alignment
Action(s) to take:
^ Check and adjust.
Possible Source(s):
^ Loose, worn or damaged suspension components
Action(s) to take:
^ Inspect, repair or install a new as necessary.
Possible Source(s):
^ Wheel and tire assembly out of balance
Action(s) to take:
^ Balance wheel and tire assembly.
Possible Source(s):
^ Excessive lateral or radial runout of wheel or tire
Action(s) to take:
^ Check, repair or install a new as necessary.
Wheel mounting is difficult
Possible Source(s):
^ Incorrect application or mismatched parts, including wheel studs and wheel nuts. Corroded, worn or damaged parts
Action(s) to take:
^ Clean or install a new part.
Wobble or shimmy affecting wheel runout
Possible Source(s):
^ Damaged wheel (eventually damaging wheel bearings and causing uneven tire wear)
Action(s) to take:
^ Inspect wheel rims for damage and runout. Install a new wheel rim as necessary.
Excessive vibration, rough steering or severe tire wear
Possible Source(s):
^ Loose or incorrect attaching parts
Action(s) to take:
^ Tighten or install new parts.
Vehicle vibrations
Possible Source(s):
^ Tires / wheels mismatched
Action(s) to take:
^ Install correct tire / wheel combination.
Possible Source(s):
^ Inflation pressure too high or low
Action(s) to take:
^ Correct pressure to specification.
Possible Source(s):
^ Uneven tire wear
Action(s) to take:
^ Refer to Diagnosis and Testing in this section.
Possible Source(s):
^ Out-of-balance wheel, tire, wheel hub or disc assembly
Action(s) to take:
^ Determine the out-of-balance component and balance or install a new part.
Possible Source(s):
^ Damaged or distorted wheel from road impact hazard or incorrect handling
Action(s) to take:
^ Install a new wheel.
Possible Source(s):
^ Excessive radial runout
Action(s) to take:
^ Install a new wheel or tire. Check for incorrect wheel and tire specifications.
Possible Source(s):
^ Excessive lateral runout
Action(s) to take:
^ Install a new wheel or tire.
Possible Source(s):
^ Incorrectly seated tire
Action(s) to take:
^ Remount the tire.
Possible Source(s):
^ Loose wheel mountings - damaged wheel studs, wheel nuts, worn or broken wheel hub face or foreign material on mounting faces
Action(s) to take:
^ Tighten or install new parts. Clean mounting surfaces.
Possible Source(s):
^ Defective wheel bearings
Action(s) to take:
^ Install a new bearing set.
Possible Source(s):
^ Brake disc imbalance
Possible Source(s):
^ Water in tires
Action(s) to take:
^ Remove water.
Possible Source(s):
^ Loose engine or transmission mounts
Action(s) to take:
^ Tighten or install a new mount.
Possible Source(s):
^ Incorrect front end alignment
Action(s) to take:
^ Align front end.
Possible Source(s):
^ Loose or worn driveline or suspension parts
Action(s) to take:
^ Repair or install new parts.
Possible Source(s):
^ Excessive driveshaft runout or imbalance
Action(s) to take:
^ Install a new driveshaft.
Possible Source(s):
^ Worn or damaged flexible drive joint
Action(s) to take:
^ Install a new drive shaft.
Damaged wheel hub stud threads
Possible Source(s):
^ Sliding wheel across the wheel studs during installation. Loose wheel nuts
Action(s) to take:
^ Install new wheel studs.
Broken wheel studs
Possible Source(s):
^ Loose or overtightened wheel nuts
Action(s) to take:
^ Install new wheel studs.
Corrosion / contamination streaks from the wheel hub wheel stud holes
Possible Source(s):
^ Loose wheel nuts
Action(s) to take:
^ Check complete assembly. Install new parts. Follow correct torque procedure.
Damaged wheel nuts
Possible Source(s):
^ Loose wheel assembly
Action(s) to take:
^ Install new wheel nuts. Follow correct torque procedure.
Possible Source(s):
^ Over-tightened wheel nuts
Action(s) to take:
^ Install new wheel nuts. Follow correct torque procedure.
Frozen wheel nuts
Possible Source(s):
^ Corrosion or galling
Action(s) to take:
^ CAUTION: Do not permit lubricant to contaminate wheel hub stud holes or wheel nut seats.
If corrosion is light, wire brush away corrosion. If corrosion is excessive install new wheel studs and wheel nuts. Lubricate the first three threads of wheel studs with a graphite based lubricant.