I checked the inflation with a pretty good gauge, and I check pretty
regularly so I don't think that's it.

The tire shop guy did say it was the tread design. More open channels around
the circumference of the tire are for the road and the chunky blocks [like
the ones I have] are for off road mostly. But he said the geometry of the
wheel suspension is different on driven vs. non driven tires so that chunky
tread doesn't cup on driven wheels.

Thanks for the idea.

Mike

On 7/22/05 4:40 AM, "Christopher Gronski" <gronski@gmail.com> wrote:

> If the tires were alligned and balanced they still could have been
> improperly inflated, thta is what I think has happened.
>
> I have never heard of 4 wheel drive tires (except of course a more
> aggressive tread for off road, but I do not think that is what you
> mean here. I moved my 215/65-15 Michelin Agilis 51 tires from my 1980
> 2WD to my 1986 4WD and have had no issue.
>
> Chris
>
> On 7/22/05, Mike Miller <mwmiller@cwnet.com> wrote:
>> Vanettes,
>>
>> Today I had my tires checked as they were making lots of noise. Tire shop
>> said they were cupped [which I knew] because they were 4 wheel drive tires
>> and the front axles on the van aren't driven and cupping is the result of
>> that.
>>
>> I never heard of 4 wheel drive tires but he was right the ones in back were
>> fine, my alignment was right and the tires were in balance.
>>
>> Anyone heard of this before?
>>
>> Mike
>>
>
>