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

"Big Al" <sal1@qwest.net> wrote in message
news:Qhwuf.9$1e3.297@news.uswest.net...[color=blue]
> 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
>
>[/color]

Worn out struts.

"Truckdude" <unrealemail@cox.net> wrote in message
news:IlMuf.3219$Uf7.372@trnddc01...[color=blue]
>
> "Big Al" <sal1@qwest.net> wrote in message
> news:Qhwuf.9$1e3.297@news.uswest.net...[color=green]
>> 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
>>
>>[/color]
>
> Worn out struts.[/color]

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...
[color=blue]
>
>[/color]

"Hachiroku" <Trueno@ae86.GTS> wrote in message
news:tNWuf.2735$494.708@trndny07...[color=blue]
>
> "Truckdude" <unrealemail@cox.net> wrote in message
> news:IlMuf.3219$Uf7.372@trnddc01...[color=green]
>>
>> "Big Al" <sal1@qwest.net> wrote in message
>> news:Qhwuf.9$1e3.297@news.uswest.net...[color=darkred]
>>> 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
>>>
>>>[/color]
>>
>> Worn out struts.[/color]
>
> 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...
>[color=green]
>>[/color][/color]

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.

"Big Al" <sal1@qwest.net> wrote in message
news:Qhwuf.9$1e3.297@news.uswest.net...[color=blue]
> 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??
>[/color]
snip[color=blue]
>
> Al[/color]

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.

In article <Qhwuf.9$1e3.297@news.uswest.net>, "Big Al" <sal1@qwest.net>
wrote:
[color=blue]
> 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:)[/color]

Proper care includes tire rotation.

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