Which option correctly defines shoulder wear and its cause?

• A. Shoulder wear is wear on the center of the tread due to overinflation.
• B. Shoulder wear is uniform wear across the tread due to balanced load.
• C. Shoulder wear is excessive wear on the inner or outer edge due to excessive camber, aggressive cornering or misaligned suspension.
• D. Shoulder wear refers to cracking at the shoulder due to aging.

Answer: (C)

Shoulder wear is wear along the edges of the tire tread, not in the center. It happens when the tire spends more time loading the edge—caused by excessive camber, aggressive cornering, or a suspension misalignment that pushes the inner or outer edge to carry more load. This pattern shows up as faster wear on the shoulder areas, indicating edge loading and improper alignment or handling. The option that describes this exact scenario—excessive wear on the inner or outer edge due to excessive camber, aggressive cornering, or misaligned suspension—is the correct one. Center wear, on the other hand, comes from overinflation; uniform wear suggests balanced load; cracking at the shoulder points to aging damage rather than a wear pattern.