Front tires wearing on outer edge

[1quick6]

I have Nitto 555 245/45 ZR17 tires on my Cobra with about 5000 miles on them. The car has 46k on it. The fronts are wearing very unevenly with the outside edges having a lot more wear than the center or inside edge. From a terminology standpoint, I guess you would consider this cupping? The backs are wearing very evenly and are like new. I fear I have already ruined the fronts. The pressure in all of them is correct and the car doesn't pull to either side nor does the steering wheel shimmy like wheels are out of balance. If I take it to a shop, what do you think they will tell me?

Kind of bummed.

 

[TURBOTWIN2]

Cupping wear is usually weak shocks, sometimes ball joints. Wear only on the outside is many times caused by too much toe-in, sometimes excessive positive camber.
Your deal sounds like too much toe-in with weak shocks, but pictures would be needed to be sure.
Any worn out front end parts need to be replaced before proceeding, i.e. steering linkages, bushings, etc.

 

[03FatBoy]

Cupping you can generally feel... almost like scallops in the tread. Deeper in some areas, shallower in others. If it is camber wear, generally it will be smoothly worn. Run you hand across the tread.. and post a picture or two

 

[charlief1]

If the car has never been aligned then you might want to start there. Ford never has had a good rep for having the cars set right from the factory. You probibly have to much camber and if the caster is high you may be experiencing wear from turning. A pic of the tires would be nice to see what you're talking about though.

 

[1quick6]

Thanks, guys. I ended up taking it to a good alignment shop in town. They told me the toe was off on both sides and it had too much positive camber, so I got it realigned. The tires are unevenly worn, but hopefully I can get some mileage out of them before the fronts get too bad. They only have about 5k on them. I should have noticed it sooner.

 

[03FatBoy]

Buy a tread depth gauge... you can periodically check the tread depth and see the wear before it becomes apparent to the eye.