Other: Front end question - uneven tire wear

[michelle]

Hi there!

Our 60 Lark has some seriously uneven tire wear on the front tires and they are visibly bowed out at the bottom.... we haven't been able to figure out the cause of this issue and are looking from suggestions from the experts here on the forum.


Thanks in advance for your help!!!!
Jim and Michelle

[AKAchamptrucking]

My 61 suffers as well. I too await some input.

[rusty nut garage]

tire wear is the least of your problem

Hi there!

Our 60 Lark has some seriously uneven tire wear on the front tires and they are visibly bowed out at the bottom.... we haven't been able to figure out the cause of this issue and are looking from suggestions from the experts here on the forum.


Thanks in advance for your help!!!!
Jim and Michelle

[41 Frank]

Car is probably due for a front end a- arm inner and outer bushing replacement, maybe king pin bushings and relining the front end.

[Alan]

It is also due to the weight on the front end. The lower a-arms are not parallel to the ground. The upper arms are much shorter and travel on a different arc. the more the lower arms go down the more the upper arms pull the top of the king pin in. That is where the inner edge of the tire gets worn. Once you get all the weight back on the front end you can adjust the front springs and suspension parts to get those lower a-arms parallel to the road.

[1962larksedan]

Car is probably due for a front end a- arm inner and outer bushing replacement, maybe king pin bushings and relining the front end.

Agreed. My 1962 Lark has that same malady and as soon as I finish off my 350 Chevy engine conversion; I'll address the my front end issues. Note I'm a brake, suspension and alignment tech by trade and have some experience with fitting kingpins.

[bezhawk]

If is till doesn't align after weight is back on the front end, then check the upper cross shaft. The attachment holes are offset allowing gross camber adjustment. Of course, the bushings MUST be in good shape for proper alignment.

[michelle]

This is great info everyone! Thanks so much! This is the next thing we're going to tackle, so I'll let you know what the fix was when we get there.

[JoeHall]

Even with everything in the front end newly replaced, if the car sits high, it will have negative camber. This is easiest to see by removing the engine, and then looking at the tires (in at top/out at bottom); this is what usually causes inner tire wear. Around 1961, Studes began using an offset upper 'A' arm, inner pivot pin, but it is only offset by about 1/8", and has its limits in correcting this condition. You can either sit the car down lower, as most 'C' and 'K's sat in the 1950s, or rotate the tires front to rear, every 5,000 miles or so.