Quick answer: what uneven wear usually means

Short answer: uneven wear is almost always a suspension or alignment fault. Inner-edge wear commonly means excessive negative camber from worn lower control-arm bushes, especially on L322 and L405 models; outer-edge wear points to positive camber or excessive toe-in; cupping usually means failed dampers.

Practical hit list you can use now: check tyre pressures monthly, run your hand across the tread front-to-back for feathering, measure tread at inner/centre/outer points in millimetres, and book a four-wheel laser alignment, typically priced around £60 to £120 for most Range Rover models.

Reading common wear patterns

Inner-edge wear: narrow high-wear along the inside shoulder indicates negative camber, typically down to worn lower control-arm bushes. On L322 and L405 expect this fault to appear before 80k miles on cars that have not had bushes renewed.

Outer-edge wear: heavy wear on the outer shoulder indicates positive camber or persistent toe-in, or simply repeated hard cornering; check steering arms and track-rod ends, and note whether the car understeers during corner entry.

Centre versus shoulders: centre-only wear means over-inflation; both shoulders mean under-inflation. Legal tread minimum is 1.6 mm in the UK, but replace premium SUV tyres at 3 mm for safe ADAS and off-road performance.

Feathering, scalloping and cupping: feathered ribs are a sign of toe or worn ball-joints; scalloped or one-corner scalloping often comes from a failing wheel bearing; cupping across the tread surface points to tired dampers or excessive suspension play.

Top mechanical causes and model notes

Worn lower control-arm bushes, especially on L322 and L405: these allow the lower arm to rotate, creating excess negative camber and inner-edge wear. Replacement per side typically costs £150 to £350 in parts and labour depending on OEM versus aftermarket bushes.

Damper failure and suspension play: failed dampers generate cupping and vibration, replace in axle pairs; OEM dampers for Range Rover Sport L494 can cost £200 to £420 each fitted, or £350 to £750 per axle for premium units.

Air suspension faults and ride-height errors: an air spring or height sensor fault that leaves the car sitting low will adjust camber across all four wheels; sensors, valves or compressors can all be at fault, and unresolved rolling-radius differences will trigger EAS or ADAS faults.

Wheel bearings, drop-links and anti-roll bar bushes: a worn wheel bearing causes one-corner scalloping; loose drop-links or anti-roll bar bushes cause feathering and instability. Expect wheel bearing replacement to be around £120 to £300 per side depending on hub assembly.

DIY checks you can do today

Visual and tactile check, tools: park on level ground, jack the car and spin the wheel by hand; check for play at the top and bottom of the hub with a 12 mm spanner or pry bar, and feel for roughness that indicates a failing bearing. Measure tread depth at inner, centre and outer with a tyre gauge; a 2 mm difference suggests a camber or inflation issue.

Feathering test and pressure routine: run your hand across the tread front-to-back, never sideways; if one direction is smooth and the other ragged you have feathering from toe or worn steering linkages. Check pressures monthly and at every long trip; rotate tyres front-to-rear at each service or roughly every 10,000 miles to even out wear on heavy SUVs.

Professional diagnostics and proven fixes

Start with a four-wheel laser alignment, this resolves most alignment-related wear patterns and typically costs £60 to £120. A full diagnostic scan for air suspension and ADAS fault codes often costs from £45 to £90 depending on the workshop’s tooling.

For control-arm bush replacement, wheel bearing or damper work you want workshop-level checks: torque figures, ball-joint tension and steering geometry checks are necessary. Damper replacement in pairs, wheel bearings per side, and bushes per arm are common repairs; getting a written quote with part numbers and labour hours is essential.

If you need a professional scan and guided repair plan, book a targeted Range Rover diagnostic and wear assessment here: Range Rover diagnostics and uneven wear assessment, we include a free wear-pattern check and a written alignment report.

Prevention and maintenance for long tyre life

Routine checks and rotation: check pressures monthly, rotate tyres every service or about every 10,000 miles, and replace tyres before the inner shoulder drops below 3 mm on a weighty SUV to avoid ADAS and handling issues.

Suspension servicing and sympathetic driving: renew worn bushes and drop-links when flagged; avoid kerb strikes and aggressive lane-change cornering because heavy lateral loads on a 2.5-tonne chassis accelerate outer-edge and shoulder wear. Keep EAS warnings addressed promptly to avoid persistent low-ride camber effects.

When to call a specialist

Call a specialist if you see inner-edge wear on an L322 or L405, if you have repeated EAS warnings, if tyres show cupping, or if you feel vibrations at 40 to 70 mph. These symptoms usually need workshop checks: four-wheel geometry, suspension bush inspection, damper test and wheel-bearing checks.

If an alignment and basic bush replacements do not stop uneven wear, a full suspension strip and component-by-component inspection is the next step; this typically includes part numbers for control arms, dampers and bearings, with a written quote and recommended replacement mileages.

Wear Pattern, Likely Cause and Typical Fix

Final Thoughts

Uneven tyre wear is a diagnostic gift; the pattern tells you where to look. Read the tread, check pressures monthly, rotate tyres at service intervals, and get a four-wheel laser alignment when in doubt. Small, timely fixes to bushes, dampers, bearings or air-suspension sensors stop expensive tyre replacements and restore safe handling.