Jump to content

Tire Cupping 2011 tahoe

NEWCHAPTER

By NEWCHAPTER
in Ask A GM Technician

Recommended Posts

NEWCHAPTER Enthusiast

NEWCHAPTER

Posted
Posted

So the tires have been rotated about every 5000 miles , alignment is good but the tires started cupping on the front tires at about 20,000 miles.

 

its a 2011 tahoe 4wd / z71 ,

DaveH71 Enthusiast

DaveH71

Posted
Posted

You sure the alignment is good, have you had it done by a good shop? Also check shocks and struts, bounce test at every corner. What pressure do you have them set at? Is it all 4 tires or just the front or back?

NEWCHAPTER Enthusiast

NEWCHAPTER

Posted
  • Author
Posted

just the front was running about 38-40 , the truck drives straight have not had the alignment checked

DaveH71 Enthusiast

DaveH71

Posted
Posted

That's not to high for pressure but try taking it down to about 32-35psi. I'm willing to bet it's an alignment problem, since the struts should still be good at 20,000 miles. Take it to the dealer and ask them to do a free alignment check. Most will do it for free. They will get it up on the alignment rack and do a quick sweep and be able to tell you if it needs aligned or not.

gmtech4 Senior Enthusiast

gmtech4

Posted
Posted

do not mess with pressures or the TPMS system will NOT like you,,set to pressures on dvrs door frame sticker,,, ,free alignments ....i don't think so ,,,,

 

vehs are kicked from the factory with a BARE minimum alignment that does not affect wear so much ,,,i was told that by my co worker who was a front end guy

 

,please do not quote me to the alignment shop or dealer,,,it was his opinion only from experience on the rack

 

have it aligned

 

my 2 cents

68haywagon Enthusiast

68haywagon

Posted
Posted

My 2012 with only 2800 miles had the alignment off. My brother is an alignment tech and fixed it on the side for me. The toe was out bad on the right side and slightly out on the left side. It was not noticeable while driving but was definitely noticable on the rack. I was told by a Chevy tech that they do not align every truck that is assembled. They are set based on the alignment check of a sample made after a certain amount built.

 

Mike

DaveH71 Enthusiast

DaveH71

Posted
Posted

do not mess with pressures or the TPMS system will NOT like you,,set to pressures on dvrs door frame sticker,,, ,free alignments ....i don't think so ,,,,

 

vehs are kicked from the factory with a BARE minimum alignment that does not affect wear so much ,,,i was told that by my co worker who was a front end guy

 

,please do not quote me to the alignment shop or dealer,,,it was his opinion only from experience on the rack

 

have it aligned

 

my 2 cents

I didn't say anything about a free alignment, i said most dealers will do an alignment check for free, not the actual alignment. An you can set your tire pressure to 32-35 with no problems with the TPMS, i run mine at 35psi with no problems. 32-35 is the most common psi from factory for a comfortable ride and good tire wear. The tpms usually wont trigger until the low 20's or teens.

Jsdirt Senior Enthusiast

Jsdirt

Posted
Posted

I found one of my struts to be completely smoked at 50k miles .. so being bad at 20k isn't out of the realm of possibility. Noticed something not right in the handling, but only knew for sure when I swapped them out for Bilsteins. Could push down on the passenger side one with one hand, minimal effort, and it would stay compressed. The driver's side required most of my body weight to move down, and would instantly return when I released it. The Bilstein's wouldn't hardly move at all with my body weight on them - that's how much of a difference there is.

 

Between that & a smoked ball joint at 38k miles it's a wonder my alignment wasn't off. Might have to have that checked ...

 

Yeah - TPMS = PAIN IN THE ASS. Haven't set the thing in years. I have a summer set & a winter set of wheels. Much easier to just have the light on all winter.

 

I suppose there are people out there that can't tell if a tire's low within the first mile of travel .... but to me, this is the most ridiculous system ever devised. Well, besides the EVAP system - the epitome of uselessness ....

gmtech4 Senior Enthusiast

gmtech4

Posted
Posted

I didn't say anything about a free alignment, i said most dealers will do an alignment check for free, not the actual alignment. An you can set your tire pressure to 32-35 with no problems with the TPMS, i run mine at 35psi with no problems. 32-35 is the most common psi from factory for a comfortable ride and good tire wear. The tpms usually wont trigger until the low 20's or teens.

 

sorry it was late ,i didnt read it again lol,,,,

 

thats a good idea to offer a free alignment hook up ,lol,who would decline the repair when its on the rack all hooked up lol

  • 3 months later...
smfsemperfi66 New Member

smfsemperfi66

Posted
Posted

My 2011 Silverado (crew cab, half ton) has severe cupping on the inside edge of the tires now, very noticable at only 28000 miles. Tires are properly inflated to 35 PSI and are rotated at every oil change, usually 3500 miles or so. The tires are the factory Firestones, and I'm not sure if this is a heavy truck on a tire not designed fot that weight, or some other issue. All tire rotations have been at the Chevy dealershipn, and nobody has bothered to mention that they saw a problem. My son noticed the front tire wear this weekend, and sure enough, with the frequent rotations all four tires are equally cupped, all on the inside edge.

 

Am taking off work early today to get the alignment checked. WIth such a low mileage vehicle, if the alignment is within specs, this is a very troubling situation. At least the truck is still under warranty.

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing

  • Latest Articles

  • Posts

    • Atlas
      Wow I'm in a pickle. (Broke down truck) and a story.

      By Atlas · Posted

      True. My statement needs qualification. "For a shade tree mechanic, re-assembling the front engine to achieve a rough baseline timing of 0 degrees, as is approximated and indicated by common visual indicator mark alignment, measured with a human eye capable of 20/20 vision *with correction, I am reasonably confident that I have followed the outlined procedures/ prescribed methods for verifying baseline timing."   😉   In the end, the computer sets the timing, it's continuously variable based on sensor input, and the distributor only has a degree or two of physical adjustability intended for dialing in the final setting for cam ****** once everything is back together. But even that final value is acceptable within, I believe, +/- 3 degrees.   I thought my exhaust project was going to be a bear. To my surprise, the old clamps came right off last night, and I was able to unbolt all the hangers instead of having to muscle the rubber mounts. The old cat is ready to slip off the factory y-pipe. The rest is ready to come out with one or two cuts, and I've got a fresh blade waiting. I love living where rust isn't a thing.    
    • Bloody Marty
      PF63 Oil Filters Going Away?

      By Bloody Marty · Posted

      I work at a Chevrolet dealership & hear it all believe me.  Just reads like there's going to be a fist fight over filters.  Can't get enough, continue!!
    • Chuck FB
      Tire psi

      By Chuck FB · Posted

      I just can't think of the exact term GM uses for that higher gvw package without looking at the website but basically sort of a trailering package and I imagine it may also have been created to skirt around the licensing fee differences between a3/4 and 1 ton that apply in some states although ironically I believe in some states its the reverse that a 1 ton is the cheaper truck to license over a 3/4 ton. It makes no difference here in Alberta but oddly enough a 1 ton through my insurance company is a bit cheaper to insure over a 3/4 ton as its based on the insurance statistics they generate.    For sure when ever you do have the chance to weigh your truck and to be fair, try to have the fuel tank full or nearly so rather than give yourself a false sense of the truck being lighter by having an almost empty tank.    In my other comment I was mentioning stock sized tires and partly in case someone was reading this and thinking they could lower their pressure down to what your aftermarket tires are able to do with your empty truck as that is a vastly different picture in the leeway you have to play with for running minimum pressures while remaining safe. I will say also that its easy to see from reactions of truck owners that may have been more used to owning a half ton in the past or a car and be it on a forum like this or in person etc that they get so wrapped up in that placard pressure sticker that they can't get their head wrapped around the fact that an HD truck due to how much it can carry can also vary the tire pressures drastically lower than those pressures ( typically more so for the rear axle on stock sized tires ) when empty vs some car that isn't made to carry much so the tire pressures can't be lowered since it needs almost that much pressure just to carry the empty car.    If I ever do find myself in the states with this truck, I will only be too happy to switch it over to the US measuring system as then I will understand all the dash readings. The only thing that is off for me slightly with US measurements is US miles per gallon as I grew up with the Imperial gallon and to this day up here anyway speak in Imperial miles per gallon ( I don't do that on this forum though as that would confuse everyone for no good reason ). 
    • jgaudet99
      Tire psi

      By jgaudet99 · Posted

      Yes that's right, it's the upgrade that includes the overload spring and all that stuff.   Someday when I'm empty and going by a scale I'm going to stop in and get some weight readings.   Exactly  you should have the ability to change individual settings, in in Canada so I'm driving with kph but then I'm stuck with kpa when I want psi lol    
    • Chuck FB
      Tire psi

      By Chuck FB · Posted

      You must have that upgraded gvw package which is only available or at least was in 2025 with the diesel engine for the 3/4 ton and that gave the truck physically the larger 12.0 ring gear rear diff and the 3500 rear spring pack. There is a difference in what the diff housing looks like externally as one tell tale and also your truck should have the upper overload spring pack and the frame pads that the pack goes up against.    The pressure the tpms system kicks the alarm in on a stock setting truck, that is a good question and was just from what I recall but I doubt I made any notes on it as I knew for the rear that it was not at all what I was after regardless either. Being that you have a diesel and if running on stock tires the minimum pressure on an empty truck seems to be around 50 psi from hearing of those that have weighted the front axle but the rear axle is very similar in weight to a gas truck and again a near empty truck on the rear could go down to 35 pounds at minimum. However the weigh scale is the proper way to know for sure as a guide.    As to changing the readings on the dash from metric to the US measuring system, oh yes that is done easily but what I was attempting to explain was that I can't pick and choose items I want to have in US and those I still want in the metric system at the same time as its either all or none. For example lets say you drove into Canada and switched your dash over to metric so your speedometer read in km an hour, well then your reading kilopascals on your tpms readout and your wife looks over and says what the hell is that saying in the tpms screen and you say "darned if I know, I think its Chinese" !

  • GM-Trucks.com Clubs

  • Popular Contributors

×
×
  • Create New...