Front Tyre Treads Worn More On Outside Edge

[ReganAndCarter]

Just a quick one. I'm about to have the front tyres replaced on my Scudo van. I notice that the treads are worn more on the outsides of the tyres than they are on the insides. Is this a tracking problem - should I have the tracking checked when I get the tyres replaced?

Thanks for any advice.

 

[Mursal]

Yes tracking, toed out to much or you have a steering joint with excessive wear.
Tracking is not automatically done with tyre replacement.

 

[Mottie]

Yes. It sounds like a tracking problem. It’s set to toe-in too much. If not that, it’s what we call 'power steering wear’. You're turning it on full lock when pulling out of parking spaces, turning left or right from a stand still etc before moving forward and scrubbing the outer edges of the tyres - something we couldn’t do in the old days of non-power steering when we could onlt turn the wheel when moving! Asymmetric tyres may help as they have tougher rubber on the outer edges.

 

[Mursal]

My mistake outside wear = toed in

 

[ReganAndCarter]

Once again, I'm grateful for the advice given by the experts.

Will definitely get the tracking looked at when I go to have tyres replaced. False economy not to really, because being out of adjustment looks like it has prematurely made the tyres scrap. Also aware not to turn the steering unless vehicle is moving, but sometimes in tight spaces, it's unavoidable.

 

[Keithmac]

Check camber as well while you're at it. Positive camber can rub the outsides off.

 

[Astra99]

Don't forget that tracking is only as good as the operator and the equipment he has to work with. I remember letting a tyre place "track" my Astra. They only adjusted one trackrod, and the steering wheel was then "out" when driving straight! If you can find a specialist who has the equipment to do tracking, camber and castor, then that is the one to go for. It will be more expensive, but worth it.

 

[Avocet]

Also check for soggy track control arm bushes. Is the wear pretty much the same on each side? You can sometimes knock the outside shoulder off the left hand front wheel if you're fond of "horsing" it into roundabouts!

 

[Diver Fred]

Don't forget that tracking is only as good as the operator and the equipment he has to work with. I remember letting a tyre place "track" my Astra. They only adjusted one trackrod, and the steering wheel was then "out" when driving straight! If you can find a specialist who has the equipment to do tracking, camber and castor, then that is the one to go for. It will be more expensive, but worth it.

So, so true. I had a Fiat 'parented' vehicle, through my own stupidity knocked the tracking out and for a considerable amount of time had terrible uneven front tyre wear (circa 13,000 per set). Main dealers couldn't (or wouldn't) correct the problem, eventually a tyre dealers sorted it. The chap who solved the problem explained that to set the tracking properly the steering rack had to be 'central'. Once that is set then each track rod had to be adjusted to correct the tracking. Once that was done the the tyre wear problem was resolved. Took him about 15 minutes - no much longer than the quick fix people doing it on just the one side (and leaving the steering wheel offset).

 

[Mottie]

It’s standard practice to make wheel alignment adjustments equally on both sides (assuming the steering wheel is central to begin with). Anyone who does it on one side only is a complete ******.

FWIW, I’ve never seen another garage carry out the basic pre-checks before checking the wheel alignment on a vehicle. You watch and see if anyone does them to yours.
First basic check is that the vehicle is on level ground - I’ve seen so-called tyre shops adjust tracking when the vehicle is outside in the street.
Second check is that all tyres are the correct size and aspect ratio and at the correct pressure.
Third check is that the vehicle should be jacked up and a thorough check should be made on the wheel bearings, springs, rack, steering and suspension joints and bushes for play. Any play should be corrected before checking the measurements.
If you are lucky to see these checks being carried out, you can be fairly confident that you are going to get a proper job done, but as I’ve said, you probably won’t!

 

[DaveHerns]

Don't you have to drive the car to and fro to settle the suspension after lowering the jack and before checking the alignment? You do on a Rover P6!

 

[Avocet]

Always good practice. And always drive forwards to a stop before putting the tracking gauges on. (if it has been rolled backwards, you might see a bit of wind-up in the rubber bushes that wouldn't normally be there).

 

[Mottie]

Don't you have to drive the car to and fro to settle the suspension after lowering the jack and before checking the alignment? You do on a Rover P6!

Normally drop mine down onto some swivel plates and just give the steering a wiggle to settle the susp.

If you are to do it absolutely spot on, the data book gives you the weights in kg to be placed on all four footwells. I’ve NEVER seen or heard of that being done anywhere!

 

[Keithmac]

I did my GTO with a set of string lines an angle finder and a home made wheel jig.

Was quite satisfying really, took an hour to do camber and tracking.

Might end up making a pair of straight edges at some point.

 

[DaveHerns]

I made up a device to do my Rover P6. Must have been good as front tyre wear was negligible