Just had a shock down the local tyre fitters.

Have noticed for a while that the front left tyre was wearing a bit uneven on the edge.No big deal i thought as plenty of tread in the middle and all other tyres looked fine. and after recently accidently kerbing it a couple of times i thought i would get the tracking checked as a precaution.

I took it to Britannia (bit like quick fit) because they gave a free check and balancing. The guy shows me all the tyres. Ahh

Front right which looked fine was so badly scored on the inner edge the tyre wall was coming away from the surface (thread showing). Front left was warn on outer and inner edge (Inner edge worse again) middle of the tyres were fine.

The rears were ok however little worn on both inners. The guy claimed these also needed both replacing as they were out of shape ?!?. I have some sceptisom about that as they were replaced in 9/2000 and i would expect with the power going through the back tyres they would be a little warn on innards.

 

The strange thing is i havent noticed any major problems ie in the handling or the ride. Does anybody know what could be causing this. I had the two fronts replaced at a different garage as they were in a dangerous state. But the 1st guy reckons i've got a major problem that tracking wouldnt resolve (Is he just trying to flog more tyres??).

I must add that the fronts have been on the car since i bought it a couple of years ago. So i'm not sure how long the fronts have been in this state.

To think i was doing 100+ on these yesterday has freaked me out.

Any help appreciated.

If any tyre is wearing uneven, somthing is not right.

 

Check the bushes at the front of the car. This can cause un even wear.

I have noticed that my front are starting to wear slightly on the inside. I looked and found 2 set of bushes that will need doing very soon

 

Stuart

Could be tension rod bushes..check these. Apparently the camber cannot be adjusted on the front. The springs can become "soggy" and may need replacing too..

 

Mines the same..willl be doing bushes first..

 

Regardz

I know one of mine need doing, cos grey goow is coming out if it, and one of my trackrod ends is dried up and starting to split

Sounds like you have more than one problem.. To take them one at a time;

 

If your tyres wear down *both* outside edges, this usually means you're running them at too low a pressure, so the weight of the car tends to sit on the sidewalls rather than the centre of the tyre.

If youre tyre wears the centre out quicker - too much pressure.

 

If the inside edges of the tyres wear, then that is usually either too much toe-out (if I recall correctly), or too much negative camber. The most usual problem on our cars is too much negative camber, especially on the front, which has no camber adjustment as standard.

 

There are also potential problems with the tie rod bushes as others have mentioned - these cause the suspension geometry to change under varying load conditions, and knocks the castor & toe angles out. The tie rods, in case you don't know, can be seen if you look just in front of the front wheels - a bar with a bush on the end, is the end you can see - and it's that bush that cracks & leaks..

 

Personally, unless your tyre pressures are fine (I think most people run about 35psi on the front), then I'd say your problem is too low a pressure in the front tyres, coupled with probably sagged springs (or your car is lowered) meaning you're running excessive negative camber. There is adjustment on the back in the form of an eccentric bolt - gives about 2deg adjustment from memory. The front requires either shimming the A-arm mounts, or an adjustable A-arm.

 

HTH,

Az

Mr Pinde:

You have a lowered car and or large alloys?

I run lowered springs and 18's and what I need (and you prolly need) is one of these:

Phoeng at GR Racing (Got Rice? on the Forum) does these, he is in the US and he an be reached at (remember the time difference if calling LOL)

GR Racing

166 Brian Drive

Ephrata, PA 17522

Phone/Fax: (717)859-3072

(I think the US is 001 on the international dial code)

They are camber adjusters for the front wheels.

Phoeng's wwww is www.eatricezone.com

HTH

 

 

------------------

Glen

 

[This message has been edited by senna (edited 06-01-2002).]

The car is standard spec with factory alloys. The car is in the Nissan garage today . They have called to say a visual inspection has found nothing ie bushes ok. Its having a full computer dignostic test. ( what ever that is ) Costing £60 . Awaiting results.

I hate to say it, but a Consult test (the diagnostic) isn't going to tell you anything about your tyre wear!

 

It'll tell you if your ECU is OK, and if the sensors in the engine bay are functioning correctly, but that's all really.

 

They're just trying to get money out of you, IMHO..

 

Unless it picked up a HICAS (rear steering) problem - but your problem was also with the front wheels so...

 

Hmm - let us know what the results are, won't you..

They might mean a computerised (laser) wheel alignment thing of course. Will be interesting to see what they come up with of course.

Ok, results from computer alignment geometry test £60 + vat

 

Camber on left front was out by quite a way. Camber on right was out by a slight way also.

Dont ask me how, but adjustments have been made to the specified quota and also the camber and toe on the rears required adjustment.

I must admit the slight vibration/pull to the left has cleared and rear vibes cleared.

All in all happy with the service. Await the outcome by checking my tyres in a few months.

 

C