Tire Wear and Wheel Alignment - Tropicars Golf & Utility Vehicles

Over the past few months I have visited several golf courses and resorts that have cars showing excessive tire wear on the front tires. This month I have included instructions on how to do a tire alignment on the RXV. Checking the alignment on a regular basis will conserve your tires and save you money. If you would prefer NOT maintain the alignments regularly, Tropicars offers Kenda Hole in One tires (P/N 612771) with an everyday low price of $27.95.
Tire Wear Diagnosis
It is important to evaluate wear patterns on tires, in order to diagnose common suspension and tire problems. A tire that is correctly inflated and aligned will show even wear over the entire tread area. A tire that is run under inflated will show wear on the outer edges of the tread. Over inflation	will result in wear occuring at the center of the tread. Wear on either side of a correctly inflated tire indicates a tire that is out of alignment. The toe-in may be correct, but if the toe-in has not been set with the wheels in line with the body of the vehicle it will result in scuffing of the tire tread.

DARKENED AREA INDICATES EXCESSIVE TIRE WEAR

NOTES: ILLUSTRATIONS ARE DISTORTED FOR CLARITY. DUE TO LOW WEIGHT OF

VEHICLE & LOW INFLATION PRESSURES, TIRE SHAPE WILL BE LESS PRONOUNCED.

Fig. 2 Tire Wear

Wheel Alignment

Lift the front of the vehicle and support on jack stands as instructed in the SAFETY section.
Rotate each wheel and scribe a paint line around the circumference of the tire at the center of the tread pattern.
Lower vehicle with the tires in the straight ahead position.
Roll vehicle forward approximately five feet in order to allow the tires to take their normal running position.

Fig. 3 Wheel Alignment

Measure the distance between the paint lines at both the front and rear of the tires. The measurement taken at the front of the tires should be 0″ – 1/8″ (0 – 3 mm) less than the rear measurement.
To adjust the wheel alignment, loosen the tie rod jam nut (1) and turn the tie rods and equal number of turns until the correct alignment is achieved. Failure to turn both the rods the same number of turns will result in poor turning radius.
Tighten the tie rod jam nuts (1) and torque as specified.

ITEM	TORQUE SPECIFICATION
1	37 – 44 ft. lbs (50 – 60 Nm)

Fig. 4 Tie Rod Jam Nut