Cupping/Feathering & Recommend New Tires

Hello.

2000 Silverado 1500 RCSB w/ ~123Kmi
I'm running 265/60/18 Yokohama G52s on 18x8 Centerline wheels

1st issue is cupping/feathering....
My tires have about 30Kmi and the edges of the front tires show signs of cupping or feathering. Front end has always seemed tight and does not pull to one side or the other down the highway. Last alignment was ~30Kmi ago when I got the new tires. Truck was also in a front-end accident years ago and the frame was pulled. I had the frame measured by another shop after the repairs and they said it was just slightly out of spec but they felt it was safe and would not cause any issues.

Any ideas on what may be causing the cupping?

Maybe the shocks/suspension?...if so, how often do the shocks have to be replaced if mostly street driven?

Can a slightly tweaked frame cause tire cupping?

2nd issue...
What size and brand does anyone recommend running on an 18x8 rim to get the best street traction?

I am thinking about 275/55/18 Kumho Ecsta STX.

Thanks.

Yokohama Advan ST 285/50/18 its the stickiest street tire in a 18" without going to a drag radial. How often do you rotate your tires. Are your wheel hubs tight? or do they need replacing?

kinda of an open question. cupping could be caused by tires being out of balance, worn shocks, or just plain junk tires. feathering could be just a toe adjustment.
is this the first set of tires this happened to? how/where was the frame hit? how bad is the alignment? sometimes the factory spec cause tire wear. I personally just read my tire and adjust accordingly if its excessive.(or tell the guy/girl that is doing the alignment to change it)

If youre looking for better tires in the same size range I recommend Michelin Lattitude Tours. Have them on my truck and they ride SO nice. I had 285/60/18 BFG gForce TA's and they rode like ass compared to the Michelins. Plus the Michelin hooks WAY better than the BFG's and will last a hell of a lot longer.

Thanks for all the replies. To answer all the questions and ask a few more....

It has been 15K since I last rotated and it was 12K before then, so not as often as I thought.

The last set of tires I replaced showed a similar wear pattern around the outer edges.

As far as the hubs, what is a quick and dirty way to check if they are loose?

Will running 285s on a 8" wide rim be too tight of a fit or bulge too much where the edges may not grab as well?

Frame was hit on the front passenger side and slightly pushed the frame more towards the driver side.

Here are the actual specs for the frame and alignment. Let me know if you see something I am missing. The written comments are from me. Thx!

Frame --> http://i765.photobucket.com/albums/x...Frame_0001.jpg
Alignment --> http://i765.photobucket.com/albums/x.../Alignment.jpg

Are any of the belts on the tires thrown? I have seen that cause odd and premature wear. Don't get the kuhmos they are cheap for a reason and hated mine. I love my hankooks but the 18's are hard to come by in good sizes. The nittos are quite often compared to hankooks and have some raving fans out there.

are the tires cupping on the inside or outside? any pics of the tires? are the adjustments to the truck maxed out? how does the truck follow road crown at 75?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by 2Kchevy

Will running 285s on a 8" wide rim be too tight of a fit or bulge too much where the edges may not grab as well?

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just mounted some 285/60 r17 on my 8" wide wheels yesterday, the fit well on the wheel and dont bulge much at all

Is that 8 mm in by the suspension points. If this is after repairs than that can cause several problems. General tolerance is 3/-3 mm or less. Its been a while since I have measured a frame.

You already have 30k+ miles on them and they are a 50-60k mile tire. You are more then half way past their life expectancy, and if you are now just noticing "tire wear", I wouldn't worry about it, I would recommend rotating them more often to keep them more " square". And the alignment specs you posted were from 2008, has the truck been re-aligned or checked for worn parts. You should be rotating your tires every 3-5k ...well every oil change, and most people drive 12-15k a year, so if you are rotating your tires once a year, there is going to be a considerable amount of tire "wear". And a quick way to check the hubs is to jack up the truck one side at a time just enough to get the front tire off the ground and stick a large pry bar under the tire,and pry against the ground and "lift up and down in rapid succession" this up and down movement should transfer any "free play" through the pry bar into your hand and it will signify worn hubs. If it is tight and you don't feel anything, write down the mileage of the truck when you checked the hubs and then check them again in the next 15k miles. I hope this helps you out

Quote:

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Originally Posted by MrHorsepowerLSx

And a quick way to check the hubs is to jack up the truck one side at a time just enough to get the front tire off the ground and stick a large pry bar under the tire,and pry against the ground and "lift up and down in rapid succession" this up and down movement should transfer any "free play" through the pry bar into your hand and it will signify worn hubs. If it is tight and you don't feel anything, write down the mileage of the truck when you checked the hubs and then check them again in the next 15k miles. I hope this helps you out

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lower ball joint is what you just described, hub is grab the top of the tire with one hand and the bottom with the other and push/pull opposite of each other

That method works for both joints upper and lowers as well :) or for hubs that are sooo shot they wobble in all directions as soon as you touch them. You should also grab the wheel in a diagonal section and shaking the front down as well.... Either way both methods will work. And tell you if you have any worn suspension parts.
The pry bar method always yields me my best results :) Just sharing some helpful info, and thanks you for the correction :)