Front Tyre Wear on Inner Edge

[anthony_d]

Evening all,

Just had my 20k service done on my 110ps TDI. There was an advisory for wear on the front tyres on the inner edge. I had a look at these afterwards and both front tyres are indeed worn right on the inner edge. The rest of the tyre is evenly worn across the width of the tyre with a 3.1 - 3.5mm tread (depending on tyre).

I would have expected any vertical wheel alignment deviation to cause a gradual loss of tyre depth across the width of the tyre. Any suggestions as to what might be causing such wear? How much do wheel alignment checks cost at independant garages?

Anthony

[manclad]

I would have expected any vertical wheel alignment deviation to cause a gradual loss of tyre depth across the width of the tyre. Any suggestions as to what might be causing such wear? How much do wheel alignment checks cost at independant garages?

Anthony

It's not the vertical alignment that needs setting but the tracking.
Sound like the car is "toeing out" ie both front wheels are not pointing in the same direction.

A simple wheel alignment at any tyre bay should correct it.

Not sure of price, but not expensive.

[Keithuk]

It's not the vertical alignment that needs setting but the tracking.

Sound like the car is "toeing out" ie both front wheels are not pointing in the same direction.

Thats a common misconception believe me. Track effects both front tyres across the tread not just the inside edge. If the wheels are out of track then it scrubs both tyres at the same time, you will feel a feathering on each tyre. Just rub your hands over the thread one way then the other, if you feel its rougher one way then its out of track. Though there is nothing wrong with having the track checked.

Is that wear on both front tyres or just one?

There are many angles set on wheel alignment, caster, camber, steering axis inclination (SAI) and track.

My last car used to wear tyres on the inside edge only. I checked all the above angles and they were within spec. I used to have my car MOTed at a local Rover dealer which I knew very well and I said it wears tyres on the inside edge only, yes they all do. Isn't there any service bulletins put out for this, no Rover know about it but don't give any modifications they just say change the tyres over.

You can of course keep on pestering VW about the tyre wear and claim for new tyres but unless they put out a service bulletin saying what is wrong or how to alleviate this then I'm afraid you are stuck with the tyre wear. You can have the tyres changed over so the wear is on the other side if you want to even the wear up, I did that with mine.


If you want a lesson on steering geometry let me know I've made a program 15 years ago on it.

[manclad]

Thats a common misconception believe me. Track effects both front tyres across the tread not just the inside edge. If the wheels are out of track then it scrubs both tyres at the same time, you will feel a feathering on each tyre. Just rub your hands over the thread one way then the other, if you feel its rougher one way then its out of track. Though there is nothing wrong with having the track checked.

Is that wear on both front tyres or just one?

There are many angles set on wheel alignment, caster, camber, steering axis inclination (SAI) and track.

My last car used to wear tyres on the inside edge only. I checked all the above angles and they were within spec. I used to have my car MOTed at a local Rover dealer which I knew very well and I said it wears tyres on the inside edge only, yes they all do. Isn't there any service bulletins put out for this, no Rover know about it but don't give any modifications they just say change the tyres over.

You can of course keep on pestering VW about the tyre wear and claim for new tyres but unless they put out a service bulletin saying what is wrong or how to alleviate this then I'm afraid you are stuck with the tyre wear. You can have the tyres changed over so the wear is on the other side if you want to even the wear up, I did that with mine.


If you want a lesson on steering geometry let me know I've made a program 15 years ago on it.

Another cause of tyre wear I heard of was if you frequently drive in an area with a lot of roundabouts, such as Milton Keynes.

Though I think in this case the wear was on the outside edge.

[percymon]

You've done well to have any tread left after 20k miles !

if you straddle the choco block speed humps with their angled sides then don;t in future - it wrecks the suspension geometry.

[benzo_26]

You've done well to have any tread left after 20k miles !

if you straddle the choco block speed humps with their angled sides then don;t in future - it wrecks the suspension geometry.

Percymon, just ref your above point, i try to go over the small speed bumps so as left and right wheels hit the ramp squarely. Are you saying I shouldnt do this?

[slowhand]

Percymon, just ref your above point, i try to go over the small speed bumps so as left and right wheels hit the ramp squarely. Are you saying I shouldnt do this?

That is what the ethe experts say. Do not put the tyres over the hump so that they both run on the slopes, it knackers the steering and the inside edges of your tyres, there have been cases of tyres blowing out on the motorway, which they say is caused by straddling the speed humps.
All you can do is put 1 wheel on top of the hump and the other on the road at the side, but then this will eventually knacker the suspension, but at least you reduce the risk of a blow out, as very few people check the inside edges of their tyres.