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Corolla rear tires

My friend has owned a 92, 96 and now a 2002 Toyota Corolla. All three of them develop a growl in the rear that sounds like bad wheel bearings. In all three cars this has been the rear tires getting sort of a saw tooth tread pattern. Saw tooth might not accurately describe this, it's more like a very uneven tread surface. If you spin the tire it's very obvious. Anyone know what causes this? The 2002 is on the original tires and has about 28K miles on it. She had an 86 and it did not do this??

I take care of these cars and besides the rear tires and some ignition problems on the high tension side, they are absolutely wonderful cars. So far the 86 had to have the O2 sensor replaced and the 2002 needed the MAF sensor cleaned. Assorted plug wires and that's it:)

Al

Reply to
Big Al
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Worn out struts.

Reply to
Truckdude

Yeah, sounds like 'cupping' to me. Might want to look at the bearings, too.

I had ruled out struts, however, because of the low mileage! Usually this doesn't occur on a Toyota until 50-60,000 miles!

Must be using Monroe on the US built cars...

Reply to
Hachiroku

On my 95 Prizm I had the struts replaced at 158,000 when I started to get cupping. I also think that the 28K mileage is way too low, but the description of the tires and the sound they make is exactly what I experienced when my struts went.

Reply to
Truckdude

snip

The 92, 96, & 02 Corollas you mentioned have adjustable toe on the REAR suspension. That is why these cars MUST have a "four wheel aligment" periodically. With too much toe-in, the outter edges WILL become saw toothed. That is why zero toe or only a tiny amount (1/16th") of total toe-in is acceptable. If you also have "dents" or "flat spots" on the tread surface, this indicates possible over inflation, imbalance, and/or very weak strut dampening.

In 2003, the rear suspension was completely revised to a solid trailing arm design.

Reply to
Philip

Proper care includes tire rotation.

Reply to
Spam Hater

Jack muses:

I have a 1993 Corolla that developed "heel and toe" wear on the lugs of the left rear tire, at one point on the tread. (This is not a feathering or inflation-related issue).

It is hard to see this tire's tread without removing the wheel. By not checking it properly I mistook the noise for a bearing problem, postponing service and thus increasing the tire wear.

The brake drum was so rusted that it was way off balance. Large hunks of rust exfoliated from the outer circumference of the drum, hanging on longer on one side than the other. The drum may have been on there since the car was made.

I think the imbalance caused enormous force that was picking up the tire and slamming it on the road. Tire company sites list this as a non-drive wheel issue especially seen in trucks running unladen a lot (e.g. fuel tankers that always come home empty).

The action is like dabbing an eraser down onto the road - eventually the front edge of each lug is worn. (My shocks are aftermarket gas shocks replaced in 2003).

Good luck to you.

Jack

Reply to
Ralph

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