Need advice! Front tire "cupping"
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 2,127
Likes: 6
From: Port St. Lucie Florida
Cruise-In II Veteran
Need advice! Front tire "cupping"
Gents, My good friend has a 98 coupe with 26,000 miles. He tells me he found the inside edge of the right front tire cupped so bad he has to replace the tire. Anyone care to venture a guess as to what the cause of this problem is ? Could this be caused by under inflation or is this an alignment problem? Any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks in advance.
Bill aka leo the lion :confused:
Thanks in advance.
Bill aka leo the lion :confused:
Instructor
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 247
Likes: 0
From: Green Bay WI
Re: Need advice! Front tire "cupping" (Leo the Lion)
Cupping can be caused by underinflation and incorrect camber along with excessive toe-in or toe-out. Bottom line, have the alignment checked.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 6,500
Likes: 717
From: Sausalito CA
Re: Need advice! Front tire "cupping" (Leo the Lion)
Hi Leo,
If I am not mistaken a bad shock can cup a tire also.
I do not recall anyone ever asking about a cupping tire here on our forum. So, I guess I would start from scratch...1) Ride height 2) Bent Rim, 3) Loose A-Arm? 4) Broken Sway Bar Link...Other suspension?
Kenny
If I am not mistaken a bad shock can cup a tire also.
I do not recall anyone ever asking about a cupping tire here on our forum. So, I guess I would start from scratch...1) Ride height 2) Bent Rim, 3) Loose A-Arm? 4) Broken Sway Bar Link...Other suspension?
Kenny
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 19,557
Likes: 1,470
From: I love you & miss you Linda
2017 C7 of the Year Finalist
St. Jude Contributor
Re: Need advice! Front tire "cupping" (Leo the Lion)
Has the car been lowered? If so, was it aligned after the lowering? If you answered Yes & No, you now have a good idea why!
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 2,127
Likes: 6
From: Port St. Lucie Florida
Cruise-In II Veteran
Re: Need advice! Front tire "cupping" (Leo the Lion)
Thanks for the info. I also felt the cause was from caster or camber problems. No Glenn the cpe has not been lowered, its pure stock. Low air pressure could coupled with a bad alignment, we better get this car in for an alignment before new tires are installed. Thanks again everyone.
Leo :yesnod:
Leo :yesnod:
Former Vendor
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 1,703
Likes: 1
From: Defending the US Constitution in Northern CA
Re: Need advice! Front tire "cupping" (Leo the Lion)
Could be alignment, Shocks... ...Check the runout on the brake discs too. Warped rotors can cause cupping. It was a big problem on the 1988 thru 98 GM trucks. However on the trucks, warpage was often caused by excessive & uneven torque on lug nuts. My front Rotors were warped by 17,000 miles. I love the eradispeeds.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 2,127
Likes: 6
From: Port St. Lucie Florida
Cruise-In II Veteran
Re: Need advice! Front tire "cupping" (clem zahrobsky)
Thanks for your advice Clem, my friend runs 30 psi cold all the way around. No problems at with the remaining tires. I'll pass on your recommendation.
Mark "Beer" Stein.....never though of the rotor being bad. We'll also take a look at it. Thanks again.
Leo... :cheers:
Mark "Beer" Stein.....never though of the rotor being bad. We'll also take a look at it. Thanks again.
Leo... :cheers:
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 3,510
Likes: 43
From: Tulsa OK
Re: Need advice! Front tire "cupping" (Leo the Lion)
If it is just the one tire, then there is a problem. If it is both front tires, this is somewhat normal, as they cannot be rotated for even wear. Good luck.
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 11,470
Likes: 764
Re: Need advice! Front tire "cupping" (Leo the Lion)
just before i put my 2000 coupe away for the winter, i noticed slight cupping on both front inside tires. my coupe has 13500 miles on it, never been lowered, and i run about 32 psi cold in all tires. a friend of mine has a pewter 2000 coupe - about the same mileage, and his tires are cupped the same. i'm going to have a 4-wheel alignment check done first thing this spring, at an alignment specialty shop, but i'm wondering if slight cupping maybe a characteristic of the c5's suspension geometry (slight negative camber), plus slight toe-in. ??? my understanding is that the inside cupping is caused by excessive toe-in plus negative camber. does anyone have the alignment specs for the c5???
Pro
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 736
Likes: 0
From: Breese Illinois
Re: Need advice! Front tire "cupping" (Leo the Lion)
Leo,
Another problem (if the tires are the GY's) is what they call flat spotting. Had this problem on mine. It happens when you've been out driving, then put the car away for 4-6 days (as I have a tendency to do). Hot tires on cool garage floor causes the tire to go "flat" on the spot where it cools down. Do this enough and the tire gets flat spots at various points. I went to the Firestone SZ50's and have not had a problem. The FS's aren't quite as soft as the GY's. Just wanted to throw this out.
later,
[Modified by THRAP 42, 6:37 AM 1/29/2002]
Another problem (if the tires are the GY's) is what they call flat spotting. Had this problem on mine. It happens when you've been out driving, then put the car away for 4-6 days (as I have a tendency to do). Hot tires on cool garage floor causes the tire to go "flat" on the spot where it cools down. Do this enough and the tire gets flat spots at various points. I went to the Firestone SZ50's and have not had a problem. The FS's aren't quite as soft as the GY's. Just wanted to throw this out.
later,
[Modified by THRAP 42, 6:37 AM 1/29/2002]
Racer
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 277
Likes: 0
From: Brentwood Calif
Re: Need advice! Front tire "cupping" (Leo the Lion)
Funny you should mention this. I just noticed that the right front
tire is cupping on my 01. I just went over 13,500 miles and have
always had the tire pressure at 30 PSI +/-2psi. Its not badyet but
noticiable. I was woandering if the alignment was a problem. I have never touched a curb with it yet but have hit some holes in the road.
tire is cupping on my 01. I just went over 13,500 miles and have
always had the tire pressure at 30 PSI +/-2psi. Its not badyet but
noticiable. I was woandering if the alignment was a problem. I have never touched a curb with it yet but have hit some holes in the road.
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 1999
Posts: 41,793
Likes: 153
From: Houston,Texas USA
Re: Need advice! Front tire "cupping" (Leo the Lion)
My front tires started to show some cupping at about 9,000 miles. I had the alignment checked. The alignment was needed badly. I was told that the front tire cupping is a common problem on the C5's
