Extreme uneven tyre wear!

[harrisg]

I've noticed this morning just by chance that whilst the outboard sides of both front tyres have plenty of tread on them, the inside has worn right through the rubber, and is nearly on the cords!

Obviously, the safety implications are great, and two new tyres will be fitted tomorrow, but what could be causing this? I didn't need this at the moment, Christmas is round the corner, and I'm harry skinters!

If there is an issue, can I rectify it myself, or is this something to leave to the professionals?

 

[Dal]

Standard 15" tyres on standard un-lowered suspension?

 

[harrisg]

Completely bog standard, recent new wishbone fitted y a garage in October.

 

[Dal]

I take it you had a four wheel tracking done after fitting the new wishbone?
(As you should do when having any suspension work done)

Inner tyre wear is typical on a lowered car, but as yours is standard then maybe it's geometry is set to toe in too much?

 

[harrisg]

I honestly don't know, it was done before I picked the car up from the Previous Owner. If only one wishbone was changed, would that affect wear rates on both tyres?

 

[yippeekiay]

That's too much toe out if it's wearing on the inside. The settings for the Puma iirc are 1 degree toe out anyway i.e. -1 degree. I got mine set to zero last time it was tracked (before my coilovers) and the wear was much more even. Haven't driven it that much since the new coilovers so don't know what it's like with them.

 

[harrisg]

Cheers yip, I'll get the tracking done!

 

[yippeekiay]

No Problem, see what it's like before deciding whether to follow my route of adding more toe in.

When I last got mine tracked it was more or less bang on but still wearing the insides thus the reason for me getting them toed in a little.

 

[harrisg]

Well, cash it tight so I got some partworns, and will get a full track adjust done in January!

 

[taliabee]

when flissy was mot'd, one of her tyres was in an horrendous condition but, only 1!! very strange...

t xx

 

[harrisg]

Now the tyres are making a weird noise when they move, like it's just sitting on the new tyrs on the same edge!

 

[harrisg]

How much does tracking cost approximately?

 

[yippeekiay]

Last time I got it done it was £14 at National Tyres as I had a voucher. Think the full price is around £25 which is what most seem to charge.

If it's not out then some don't even charge. Kwik Fit and National have both checked mine for free in the past but not sure nowadays.

 

[harrisg]

Well I've had it checked and the drivers side front is five degrees out, but they can't adjust it because the adjusment nut is seized so I've gotta take it to a garage that has Oxy acetelene equipment to free the nut.

Had a blow out as well yesterday, the tyre was a spare tyre of indeterminable age. Heard the bang, and the missus told me to stop being a drama queen, pulled in at home to a flat tyre smoking heavily, completely FUBAR'd.

The lesson? "If there is any doubt, there is no doubt", If you don't know how old the tyre is, get it checked out, and....

Women are never right!

 

[YOG]

Tyre age:
Following "DOT" on the sidewall, there are some letters, then you should see four numbers grouped together.
For example, mine has 4308 (first two numbers = week, second two = year), so it was manufactured in week 43 of 2008.
This is relevant for tyres manufactured after the year 1999.

 

[yippeekiay]

Nice one Rick. Is this the same for all vehicles as I just checked my motorbike tyres and they're that old they don't have that arrangement...doh!!

The bad thing is they 'were/are' brand new and have both done less than 100 miles....since 1999!! :?

 

[YOG]

I assumed no-one would have tyres older than 2000. :roll:
A far as I know all vehicle tyres were marked.
1999 and earlier only had three numbers, for example 129 (first two numbers = week, last single = year), so it was manufactured in week 12 of 1999.

 

[haGGard]

Excessive tyre wear on a puma on the inside edge is a pretty common characteristic. It gets worse the more you lower the car, but even on standard suspension its something to keep your eye on!

Heres the front tyre on my old puma, noticed it just in time. This was on standard suspension.

 

[danielz000]

Hi All,

Sorry to bring a thread back from the dead but can anyone confirm how common uneven tyre wear is on Pumas?

I'm suffering from a bad case of it on mine... I checked the wishbone and bushes and nothing stood out (but I'm not an expert so any advice on the best methods for checking the wishbones and bushes are appreciated).

I also took the car to have the tracking done, I was told it was ok but not perfect. The guy suggested he'd be wasting his time making it perfect and I should get the wishbones checked out. He didn't charge me so I have no reason to suspect he was ripping me off, although I suppose there is a possibility he was either too busy to want to do it or just wrong about the correct specs...

Can anyone suggest where else to look for signs of what might be causing the problem?

The uneven wear is on the inside edge of both front tyres. The rear tyres are fine. The car handles fine and breaks straight (as far as I can tell)...

Cheers,

Dan

 

[beko1987]

I've had 3 new tyres on my puma so far. I cut the front passenger tyre on a grinite kerbstone, so put the spare on (was filthy, and been used before, part worn). Drove on that for a month till payday. Hankook Ventus S1 on the front.

Put a screw through the rear passenger side a week later, so spare back on till payday. Did the same to the rear drivers side a few days later, so parent loan and 2 new hankook V12 evo's on. When they took the passenger rear tyre off, it had plenty of tread, but the inner wall had come away from the outer rubber!

The spare did approx 1.8 thousand miles, including ice, snow and a few spanks 100 miles north to peterborough, and other fast back and motorway driving inbetween..

It has 3 separate, large bulges now! Always get new tyres on a car you buy, unless you have a reciept for tyres less than a reasonable time ago!