I have a 2004 Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback Station Wagon (I know not the most sporty car in the world but that is what happens when you have kids.) Anyway, I was changing the oil and breaks today and found a surprise that I wasn't expecting. I found that on the passenger side front type I have a 13-14" space on the inside of the tire where I can see metal just showing through. I have noticed some vibrations coming from the front of the car and figured the balance might be out on one of the wheels but I wasn't sure. Does this sound like a balance issue or do y'all think it could be something different?
My mother had one of those. You have NO IDEA how badly I wanted to buy a rear-ended Evo VIII/IX and make an Evo wagon out of it.
If it is on the tread, it sounds like the tire is question is massively toed out, due to hitting a curb or pothole that bent or forced the suspension slightly. Either that, or a bushing has failed, allowing that wheel to toe out when driving. Could also be a failed tie rod end. All of these would allow the tire to track pointed outward, making the inside edge of the tread scrub the whole time the car is driving.
It *could* also be excessive negative camber from a similar problem as above, but in my experience, you need radically incorrect (and immediately visible as wrong) camber to cause any serious uneven tire wear.
With the car jacked up, can you shake that wheel more than just a tiny bit?
Sounds like just a straight tyre replacement. If you can, replace the whole set. The camber on those cars is set for performance, so it eats through tyres unevenly that way.
Not on a plain Lancer, it's not. It's FWD and really doesn't carry any significant camber - at most, half a degree negative. In many years of tinkering with alignments, I've never seen camber cause excess wear unless it is radical, like 4 degrees negative.
I just replaced a set recently for the same reason, except it ways the rear tyres that were badly worn on the inside treading. Once I did, the car was smooth again. I wasn't expecting it to ride so good after replacement, thought I would have to replace rotors and brakes, and also get it alligned. But it worked out with just the tyres replaced.
If you have severely uneven wear, you have an alignment problem. Nerw tires will feel better, but will not stay new very long.
Morrac: You should always replace tires in pairs, unless they are extremely new and one gets an unfixable puncture within a couple thousand miles of installation. This is especially true at the front tires, which do all the steering, 85% of the braking, and (in your case) 100% of the driving. I'd put a fresh tore on the other side, too, and get the car aligned.