Front Tire Wear

Discuss all things Model T related.
Forum rules
If you need help logging in, or have question about how something works, use the Support forum located here Support Forum
Complete set of Forum Rules Forum Rules

Topic author
Mountainrider
Posts: 171
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 4:23 pm
First Name: Neil
Last Name: Haywood
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1915 roadster
Location: Stockbridge, MA

Front Tire Wear

Post by Mountainrider » Sun Mar 22, 2020 5:33 pm

I spent most of the day working on my 15’s front end. Pulled all the steering and spindle bolts, wired brushed cleaned and reassembled. Then adjusted the wheel bearings. I have some bad front tire wear so it was time to check alinement. Camber was 1 inch both wheels. Should I leave it as is. Toe in was 3/4 to 7/8 depending how I measured it. Brought it back to 1/4”. Was this causing the wear?
Attachments
5821648C-C152-4367-9449-9E6F0F4D5885.jpeg
5821648C-C152-4367-9449-9E6F0F4D5885.jpeg (35.39 KiB) Viewed 4258 times
683CB236-FBC9-49C7-B983-53C48E45BC2A.jpeg
683CB236-FBC9-49C7-B983-53C48E45BC2A.jpeg (27.89 KiB) Viewed 4258 times


Topic author
Mountainrider
Posts: 171
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 4:23 pm
First Name: Neil
Last Name: Haywood
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1915 roadster
Location: Stockbridge, MA

Re: Front Tire Wear

Post by Mountainrider » Sun Mar 22, 2020 5:40 pm

Foot note. Haven’t started it in a month. Two pulls switch off and choked. First pull switch on, almost. Second pull started.


Scott_Conger
Posts: 6430
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 11:18 am
First Name: Scott
Last Name: Conger
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: '13, '15, '19, '23
Location: Clark, WY
Board Member Since: 2005

Re: Front Tire Wear

Post by Scott_Conger » Sun Mar 22, 2020 6:00 pm

Was this causing the wear?
Didn't help, that's for sure

How loose are your kingpins in the axle and how loose are the spindle bushings on the kingpins? The top axle hole should be a very close fit to the kingpin and the bottom axle threads should be "no shake" when the castle nut (lock nut) is slack. If you had that kind of toe-in, I'd bet dollars to donuts that the kinpins and tierod bolts along with all bushings are pretty well worn out too, and the axle likely needs some straightening (so many do that it's a high probability) and repairs with a Stevens Axle repair tool.

On the other hand, if you do find wear and leave it as is, I think you're in a really big club. Not one I'd be a member of, but still, a big club.

The fact that you're doing maintenance and asking questions puts you on a good path.
Scott Conger

Tyranny under the guise of law is still Tyranny

NH Full Flow Float Valves
Obsolete carburetor parts manufactured


Topic author
Mountainrider
Posts: 171
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 4:23 pm
First Name: Neil
Last Name: Haywood
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1915 roadster
Location: Stockbridge, MA

Re: Front Tire Wear

Post by Mountainrider » Sun Mar 22, 2020 6:10 pm

I’ve had the car over 10 years, only ran it a little due to a used up engine. Just got it back on the road for last year. Kingpins and steering went back together today with almost no play. Whole front end seems nice very tight.


Mark Osterman
Posts: 1011
Joined: Mon Jan 07, 2019 10:18 pm
First Name: Mark
Last Name: Osterman
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1923 runabout
Location: Rochester, NY
Contact:

Re: Front Tire Wear

Post by Mark Osterman » Sun Mar 22, 2020 6:28 pm

I went through a pair of front tires in about four moths of driving because I left the tie rod as I received the car. Then it came to me that the toe in was screwed up. I adjusted it after I installed another set of front tires and it still wasn’t quite right so I adjusted it again using a different approach. Bingo .... no more uneven wear .... just the usual wear from crappy new tires that we get today. 😄

User avatar

Steve Jelf
Posts: 6463
Joined: Fri Jan 04, 2019 9:37 pm
First Name: Steve
Last Name: Jelf
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1923 touring and a few projects
Location: Parkerfield, Kansas
MTFCA Number: 16175
MTFCI Number: 14758
Board Member Since: 2007
Contact:

Re: Front Tire Wear

Post by Steve Jelf » Sun Mar 22, 2020 11:29 pm

The bottom line is that excessive gather, as the Bible calls it, can eat up your tires PDQ. Not having enough will do the same.
The inevitable often happens.
1915 Runabout
1923 Touring


Topic author
Mountainrider
Posts: 171
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 4:23 pm
First Name: Neil
Last Name: Haywood
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1915 roadster
Location: Stockbridge, MA

Re: Front Tire Wear

Post by Mountainrider » Mon Mar 23, 2020 5:05 pm

Ford Service book shows 1 1/2” camber for each wheel for my car. Is that because of the poor roads back then? Is 1” per wheel OK.


Dan McEachern
Posts: 1180
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 11:08 am
First Name: DAN
Last Name: MCEACHERN
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: too many. '14 touring, 2 depot hacks, 2 speedsters
Location: ALAMEDA,CA,USA

Re: Front Tire Wear

Post by Dan McEachern » Mon Mar 23, 2020 6:27 pm

Camber is the amount of king pin inclination when viewed from the front or rear of the car. That 1" value you refer to is dependent on how you measure it, tire diameter etc. The OP was asking about toe in and tire wear.

And to answer his question, yes, that much toe- in will wear out tires very quickly.
To prove it to your self, put some chalk lines on your tire tread and drive around the block and then see where the chalk marks remain.

User avatar

TWrenn
Posts: 3389
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 10:53 am
First Name: Tim
Last Name: Wrenn
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: '13 Touring, '26 "Overlap" Fordor
Location: Ohio
MTFCA Number: 30701
MTFCI Number: 24033
Board Member Since: 2019

Re: Front Tire Wear

Post by TWrenn » Tue Mar 24, 2020 10:24 am

I agree with Dan. Too much toe-in. If indeed you brought it back to 1/4", you will really need to
try a new tire to make sure. It WON'T correct the damage that's already done to the tire.


Scott_Conger
Posts: 6430
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 11:18 am
First Name: Scott
Last Name: Conger
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: '13, '15, '19, '23
Location: Clark, WY
Board Member Since: 2005

Re: Front Tire Wear

Post by Scott_Conger » Tue Mar 24, 2020 10:50 am

Personally, I'd swap front for rear and drive 'em for as long as they last. I would not replace that tire. Unless you drove in the rain all the time...and maybe not even then. It really isn't much less adhesive to the road than a tire with tread, and the only time I ever slid was in Largo, FL when caught in a monsoon and entered a tight turn in which trucks had slowly bunched up the asphalt...the quick ripples and a 1/2" of water on the road, in a curve taken too fast resulted in a sideways slide of about a foot...all 4 wheels equally. And with good tires. Never, ever had a problem on dry roads or average rain...worn tires or new...And I've run both.

If you want to worry, then don't ever buy a tire like the ones all early cars came with...no tread at all.
Scott Conger

Tyranny under the guise of law is still Tyranny

NH Full Flow Float Valves
Obsolete carburetor parts manufactured


Topic author
Mountainrider
Posts: 171
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 4:23 pm
First Name: Neil
Last Name: Haywood
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1915 roadster
Location: Stockbridge, MA

Re: Front Tire Wear

Post by Mountainrider » Fri Mar 27, 2020 5:39 pm

I’ve had a few days off this week so I finished up the from end maintenance. Took her out today to get some fresh gas and some fresh air. Seemed to drive nice and straight and the steering seemed more precise. Got a free start at the gas station and another when I went to put her in the garage. Sweet


Scott_Conger
Posts: 6430
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 11:18 am
First Name: Scott
Last Name: Conger
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: '13, '15, '19, '23
Location: Clark, WY
Board Member Since: 2005

Re: Front Tire Wear

Post by Scott_Conger » Fri Mar 27, 2020 7:46 pm

Neil, there is just no end to the benefits to aligning the front end correctly! :lol:
Scott Conger

Tyranny under the guise of law is still Tyranny

NH Full Flow Float Valves
Obsolete carburetor parts manufactured

Post Reply Previous topicNext topic