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Tire Cupping Causes, Prevention and How to Identify the Issue on Time

Tire Cupping Causes

Tire defects and tire-related issues are rare enough to where most drivers don’t even think about them. When someone does think of these defects, they are usually thinking of uneven tire wear. However, a defective tire can get much more bizarre than that. Tire cupping is a type of tire deformation that can cause all kinds of symptoms and problems. 

Since diagnosing tire cupping isn’t always straight forward, we’ve decided to put together this short guide and arm you with all of the necessary information. By the time you’re done reading, you should be able to recognize tire cupping. Grab a cup of coffee, and let’s get started! 

Tire Cupping Causes, Prevention and How to Identify the Issue on Time

What Exactly is Tire Cupping?

For all intents and purposes, tire cupping a form of uneven tire wear. We’ve all seen what uneven tire wear looks like on cars that have a slightly messed up alignment, but cupping is nothing like that. You won’t see a fairly uniform wear pattern on the inside or the outside of the pneumatic.

It’s called “cupping” due to the shapes that appear in the tread. Instead of one continuous and uniform wear mark, you’ll see small patches or cups appear all over the tire. These cups are often evenly spaced out as well, indicating that there’s a certain frequency to the issue.

Some of the more severe cases will look like someone scooped parts of the tread with a really sharp tool. Such obvious cases are indicative of serious underlying issues.

But what about recognizing the problem before it goes from a small issue to an immediate situation? There are a few things you can look for that give you a hint that something’s not quite right.

Symptoms of Tire Cupping – Tire Cupping Noise

One of the main symptoms of tire cupping is noise. Some describe it as growling, while others say it’s an aggressive noise coming from the wheel. Either way, it starts fairly faint and escalates in intensity. We strongly suggest that you start investigating the source of the noise as soon as it appears. 

It could be the tire cupping noise, but it could also be something completely different, like wheel bearings or similar. Whatever the case may be, you’ll want to be on top of it as soon as possible.

Unusual Vibrations

Another way to recognize tire cupping is unusual vibrations. The issue with this diagnostic method is that vibrations start appearing gradually. Unfortunately for most drivers, they won’t even notice that anything is wrong until the vibrations get bad enough to draw their attention. By that time, it might be too late to save the tire.

It’s also worth mentioning that vibrations tend to come in addition to the noise. It’s a double whammy that rewards you with a nice ‘new tires’ bill that you’ll have to cover. Be on the lookout for both.

What Causes Tire Cupping?

Much like most other tire wear-related issues, tire cupping is often a larger underlying problem. We say often because sometimes it comes down to improper tire maintenance or just plain bad choice of tires.

They say that you shouldn’t go cheap on anything that separates you from the ground, including shoes, mattresses, and tires. Yet many drivers only look for a new tread while completely disregarding the quality of the tire itself or the materials used to make it.

There has been an influx of incredibly cheap Chinese tires on the market. They look the part and feel the part, but they fall behind any of the main players when it comes to quality. Going with such unproven brands can expose you to a higher risk of tire cupping.

Aside from tire choice, here’s a few other things that can cause tire cupping:

Failing Suspension

The idea behind automotive suspension systems is to give drivers the most amount of grip while. Some suspension systems are geared toward being comfortable, others not so much. No matter which one you got on your car, its main purpose is to provide a positive grip.

That being said, modern suspension systems are fairly complex. One failing component is enough to reduce the integrity of the entire system. 

What does any of this have to do with tire cupping?

Once suspension components such as struts or shock absorbers fail, they are no longer capable of keeping the tires on the road at all times. Depending on how bad it gets, you might experience tire bounce when you hit small potholes or debris on the road.

That bouncing motion is enough to cause tire cupping over time. Shocks are not the only potential culprit, either. Bushings and other suspension components can also be the cause behind tire cupping.

Bad Alignment Job

Alignment is the cause of so many tire-related issues, yet it’s one of the most overlooked procedures out there. If you have any work done on your suspension, you should check your alignment. Even if you haven’t swapped anything out, it’s good practice to check the alignment once or twice per year. Bad alignment isn’t going to cause the worst types of cupping, but it can cause you a decent amount of headache.

How to Prevent Tire Cupping?

By now, you’ve probably figured out that tire cupping isn’t something you fix, but something you prevent. Proper vehicle maintenance is key for worry-free car ownership. More importantly, proper maintenance will keep just about any of the issues we’ve mentioned so far at bay.

There are several ways you can avoid the notorious cupped tire noise, and it all starts with properly balancing your wheels:

  • Wheel Balance – Wheels can go out of balance for a whole variety of reasons that you may or may not have control over as a driver. The important thing is to check wheel balance occasionally when you’re servicing the car. We recommend that you balance your wheels approximately every 5,000 miles. Doing so will greatly reduce your chances of dealing with issues down the line.
  • Tire Rotation – Speaking of wheel balancing, you should also rotate your wheels approximately every 5,000 miles. Not only is this a perfect occasion for you to check the wheel balance, but rotating the wheels also means you’ll get much more even tread wear.
  • Suspension System Check – Every automotive suspension system is comprised of components that wear out over time. Being able to spot when your struts or bushings are nearing the end of their lifespan can help prevent cupping. Check your shocks every once in a while, both visually and physically. If you spot anything leaking from the shock absorber body, it might be time to swap it out. Just remember, it’s highly recommended that you replace shocks in pairs.

Can You Fix a Cupped Tire?

Did you know that in 2006 there were 17.6 million retreaded tires sold in the United States? That year is often considered as the last year when retreaded tires were still somewhat popular in the passenger car segment. Why are we even mentioning this? Back in the day, you could take a lightly cupped tire and get it retreaded depending on where the damage located.

These days that’s no longer an option. In other words, one the cupping appears on a tire, that piece of rubber is gone for good. Your only option is to get a new set. Just like with shock absorbers, it’s highly recommended that you swap your tires in pairs. That will ensure an even wear per axle, which is what we want.

Fortunately for everyone, lately, there has been an influx of affordable yet decent tire brands on the market. We’re not talking about super cheap Chinese tires that we’ve discussed near the beginning of this guide. We’re talking about the bang for the buck options that provide baseline performance and, more importantly, safety. 

That being said, getting new tires won’t necessarily solve your problem. Again, make sure to check everything and anything that could potentially lead to cupping on your tread. We suggest starting with the suspension components and working your way outside towards the wheels. The chances are that you won’t take long to find the culprit!

Suspension Components and Replacement Parts

Here at eEuroparts.com, we offer one of the most extensive catalogs of parts for European vehicles. If your shocks, bushings, control arms, or any other suspension part is ready for replacement, we’re here to help you find the best possible part.

All you have to do is head over to our online store and input your vehicle’s info into our navigation tool. Once we get the year, make, and model for your car, we’ll show you all of the suspension parts that match your specific vehicle.

Alternatively, you can try our VIN tool and get the most accurate picture of spare parts you can get right now. By typing in your VIN into our system, you will get a list of parts that match your vehicle’s specific version.

If you have any questions regarding various suspension parts, you can always get in touch with us via email or via phone. Our customer support is standing by to offer help!

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5 thoughts on “Tire Cupping Causes, Prevention and How to Identify the Issue on Time

  1. In addition to your good points about shocks and bushings, the negative camber on the Saab 9-5 causes heavy wear on the inside edge of the rear tires. Is there anything that can be done to prevent this?

  2. In my experience, a bad wheel bearing, on most cars will get louder as you load it. ie, turn left, noise increases, right wheel bearing bad. Left turn, noise decreases, left bearing bad.The only car I had that did the opposite was a 2005 Volvo V50.
    Also, not that I would spend the money unless they were almost new and very expensive tires, but you can have tires “shaved” to make them smooth quiet again.

    1. I’ve never seen anyone shave street tires before, only racing tires. I’d be interested to find a shop that would shave the cupping off a set of street tires.

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