Technical Inside edges of front tires worn

Hey fellas, my 56 Pontiac is eating front tires in fairly short order. The inside edges about 2" wide are showing cord and the rest of the tire looks dang near brand new. Guessing it's a toe in or toe out alignment problem, but never had a problem before.
Took less than 3000 miles from new to how they are now. The car drives smooth and doesn't pull to one side or the other. Shocks don't feel bad. Bearings are fairly new and feel ok. The kingpins seem to have a little play, but doesn't feel excessive.
I can't find anyone locally so far that will attempt an alignment.
Any suggestions?
Thanks,
Johnny

 

I would suspect to much negative camber. Not sure what you mean by can't find anyone to attempt an alignment? Just take it in for an alignment.

 

sounds like too much toe out.

 

I've called around to a bunch of local places and when they asked about the year, they said "their computer doesn't go back that far". Haven't found one yet that will even try!

 

You need a front end Mechanic not an "alignment tech". There has to be more than one old front end shop in the Pittsburgh area that probably doesn't have a computer alignment machine but uses a caster camber gauge that sticks to the hub with a magnet. Probably a spring shop that does alignments on motor homes and trucks.
Quick question. Have you lowered the car recently? If so the tires may be leaning in at the top with the negative camber Sheep Dip mentioned if not the toe out that Fordor41 mentioned is probably the problem.
Do this, go out and slide your palm and fingers across the tread of the tires. from one side to the other and back. Does tread feather to the outside? Meaning that the rubber on the tread is pushed to the outside.

You can check the toe in yourself rather easily with a tape measure, Pencil and a floor jack. Plus a helper to hold the other end of the tape.
Jack the car up so the tires are a couple of inches off a flat garage floor or driveway.

With something solid to steady your hand hold a pencil to the center of the tread and rotate the tire so you get a pencil line all the way around the center of the tread. Then do the other tire the same way. That gives you an accurate spot to measure from and compensates for any wheel or tire runout. I've done probably 500 front ends that way when all I had was a front end rack, a SnapOn caster/camber gauge and a tape measure. That was in the 70's and 80's when most shops didn't have the fancy stuff they have now.

Then set the car down on it's wheels and bounce it a bit and maybe gently roll it forward and back just enough for the suspension to settle out.

Then stick the end of the tape under the car behind the wheels and have your helper hold their end to the line you drew on the opposite side and you measure at the line on your side. write down the measurement.
Move to the front and measure at the same height off the floor as you did on the backside of the tire.
Write that measurement down.
On that car the ideal toe in would be right at 1/8 inch meaning your front measurement is 1/8 less than the back. If the front is more than the back it is toed out.

What I usually do is set the steering wheel straight ahead and sight down the sides of the tires to the back tires and see which front tire is angled off the most and make my primary adjustment on that side.
Then I repeat the measuring process.

Don't do the frigging lay the 2x4 beside the tire thing that someone no doubt will suggest, that is rank amateur and doesn't take into consideration any bulge in the tire at the bottom or any wheel runout. It sounds great but is real hit and miss and not accurate.

 

I just went thru this . I notice a negative camber on both front tires on my '59 apache. the inside on the tread was wearing too. it turned out to be way loose spindle nuts from not enough preload on the Timken tapered rollers .


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Thanks for the replies guys!
I'll try to re-torque the spindle nuts, but I used a calibrated torque wrench to put them on. Can't imagine they've worked loose considering the cotter pins. Stranger things have happened though!
Mr48chev, excellent advice! Would you suggest I build a simple trammel gauge (I think it's called) or can I get a really accurate measurement with the tape measure? Would a magnetic angle finder work for caster and camber? How do you account for the car or floor not being level?
Also, I UN-lowered the car not too long ago. Half the reason was the front tire wear on the inside!

 

@quicksilverart46

Do you have the p/n's for the bearings you used? Or did you buy a kit with adapters?

Thanks, and sorry for the hijack.

 

From Motors Manual 1956 Pontiac caster -1/2 to -1 1/2 desired -1 camber 0 to +1 desired +1/2 toe in 0 to 1/16.

 

Tape measure is plenty accurate enough if you measure from the same part of the line you made on the tread.

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My '57 Pontiac had the same problem, camber was way off.
Found the specs for my front end alignment in my service manual and gave them to the front end mechanic.
He set it all up in less than an hour, $75.00 well spent!
If you need the specs let me know. KK

 

Thanks fellas! I have the Motors manual and the Service manual.....I'll take those with me to the shop.
Check this out! I just found an old timer that has an alignment shop and he agreed to do it for me, and show me what he's doing as he goes!
Regarding the bearing part numbers, I'd like to know too.
Thanks for all the help!
Johnny

 

bearing part numbers should be on the bearings. take them to a bearing supply house and they might be able to fix you up.

 

had same problem with my alignment shop. went on google and found the specs. and they went by that.