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Cupping on inside of rear tires

5K views 8 replies 6 participants last post by  Michelle0984 
#1 ·
Good morning,


I own a 2011 Mazda 3s Hatchback with ~67,000 miles. I am the 2nd owner and have put ~50,000 miles on the car myself. I recently purchased a set of new tires and had the rear tires rotated to the front as it was time for a rotation at that time. A wheel alignment was also completed and it was stated that the toe was a little off. When I started driving I noticed the ride was harsh and loud. Inspecting the tires I noticed cupping on the inside of both tires with the tread block being cupped the most at the rear more than the front.

My questions are:
1. I believe the tires were rotated and auto-crossed but I am not positive
2. Will the tires being in the front be worn more evenly?
3. What would cause the inside tire cupping in the back tires only?

It is my understanding these cars are tough on tires and I had put over 10k on the tires (mostly highway) since last rotation.
Is this wear expected for these cars as some people have said or should I look at something else such as replacing the shocks?

All advice helps, thanks!
 
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#2 ·
Inside cupping of rear tires on FWD cars is extremely common. A simple fact of life. You're only method of attempting to avoid this is to rotate early and rotate often. FWIW, I've never noticed any difference between rotating front to back (same side) and rotating in an "X" pattern when it comes to cupping or tire life.
 
#3 ·
When I used to run el cheapo Chinesium tires, those would cup horribly. I was lucky to get 20k out of a set, and it was usually about 15k. Ever since I started running quality name brand tires like Pirelli and Michelin, the problem has pretty much disappeared.

For what it's worth, I rotate my tires front to back every 5,000 miles with every oil change.
 
#4 ·
Agreed, some tread patterns and rubber compounds cup faster/easier than others. To this point I don't think I've seen a FWD and tire combination which wouldn't eventually cup the tires, but like we've both said (or at least implied), rotate early and rotate often.

Of course, I don't always practice what I preach, I'm running Pirelli Cinturato P7s on my TL and didn't rotate until I hit the 20,000 mile mark, still perfectly quiet. My wife's Mazda3 is running General G-Max AS-05s and they are well beyond 10,000 miles without any cupping; I'll probably push them to either 15,000 or 20,000 miles before rotating them as well.
 
#7 ·
LOL, summer rubber is, by a huge margin, the most susceptible rubber compound to cupping/feathering. Put a high quality set of all-season tires on your car and, with a tire rotation every so often, you will be able to get an easy 50,000 miles out of them without cupping.
 
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