Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Abiton]

Ladies and Gentlemen, your assistance please.

My gf parked with the steering hard to starboard, enabling a good view of the inside edge of the offside front tyre.  The car was reshod only about 5000 miles ago (at a guess), but the inside edge of this tyre is dramatically worn down  .  The NSF has slightly more wear on the inner edge than the outer, but far, far less.  There's still loads of tread across the outer 75% of the OSF tyre.

I'm a total ignoramus when it comes to matters suspension/tracking/alignment/camber etc but something must be broken, right?

Edit: It's a '96 manual saloon, if that makes any odds.

[road_rescue]

sounds like wishbones to me- mine did the same- get them changed then get it tracked up or it will continue to eat tyres.

good test is try and rock the tyre top to bottom- excessive play/clunking good giveaway

[Abiton]

Wow, fast response, thanks!

I'm guessing that test is only going to work with the wheel off the ground? (Told you I was daft).

[Golfbuddy]

This is, apparently, a common problem. I had the same and my tyre place told me to get the geometry checked out.

This started to happen after the local idiots, not Vx, had changed the wishbones. Got the geometry sorted and the problem seems better although I do get a pull to the left so another visit in on the cards to get it adjusted again.

There is a place called Wheels In Motion who are, I believe, near Hemel Hempstead so not too far from you and they are reported to be very good. He also gives a discount to OOF members.  

[road_rescue]

if its realy bad, you will notice it on the ground- the other test (i'm told) is bounce on the corner as if you were testing the shocks- again clunking bad.

[Abiton]

Thanks folks, I'll go have a play.

Edit: Well, with wheel on the deck, no obvious play in that plane, or clunking.  Bouncing that corner doesn't make any untoward noises either.  But... I have thought for a while that the car makes some nasty clunking noises from the front when hitting speed bumps, and under abrupt braking at slow speed. Does that tie in?

[ffcgary1]

Hi mate , the problem is incorrect camber on the front susp leg. the settings from vx are to say the least wrong. It could be the wishbone bushes but unlikely, As said in earlier post wheels in motion in hemel hempstead is the place to go, and talk to a man called tony, they will check your set up and if needs be will correct it.

Regards Gary.

[Abiton]

Thanks one and all, sounds like a little trip to Hemel Hempstead's in order, your suggestions and information have been much appreciated.

 

[VX1]

Hi mate , the problem is incorrect camber on the front susp leg. the settings from vx are to say the least wrong. It could be the wishbone bushes but unlikely, As said in earlier post wheels in motion in hemel hempstead is the place to go, and talk to a man called tony, they will check your set up and if needs be will correct it.

Regards Gary.

If you are getting both tyres wearing on the inside AND getting clunking noise when going over speed humps or pot holes then THIS is the font lower wishbones. If you replace these AND the drop link bars at the same time you will notice that the clunking noise will go. As said earlier you do need to get the camber checked and readjusted if needed. There is a HOW TO on here on how to do the lower wishbones.

Cheers Paul

[Abiton]

Thanks Paul, just had a look at the HOW TO, that is well beyond my mechanical abilities  . Also had a look at www.wheels-inmotion.co.uk - there's a lot of technical info on there  .  Isn't t'internet marvellous?

I think I'll contact them and ask them to diagnose/fix/set-up, hopefully not big bucks.

[TheBoy]

Its camber!

inside shoulder wear is incorrect camber.  The manufacturers spec is too wide, which doesn't help the problem, neither do most alignment centres incorrect assumption that camber is not adjustable.

[hol666]

Having had one of my front tyres go the same way, it might not be the wishbones!  Sorry to disagree, but on mine the steering track rod was shot!
Might be worth looking at that too, jack up front wheel and rock the wheel horizontally, if  you get movement replace the track rod.  Might be worth replacing both sides if you have a 96 model, mine is a 95 and mine needed doing. :-/

[TheBoy]

Having had one of my front tyres go the same way, it might not be the wishbones!  Sorry to disagree, but on mine the steering track rod was shot!
Might be worth looking at that too, jack up front wheel and rock the wheel horizontally, if  you get movement replace the track rod.  Might be worth replacing both sides if you have a 96 model, mine is a 95 and mine needed doing. :-/

Absolutely correct - the shoulder wear is incorrect camber. Granted, it may be wishbone/strut etc, but the fact is, its due to incorrect camber. If you have no worn components, get a decent geometry done (not tracking/4 wheel alignment)

[hol666]

Having had one of my front tyres go the same way, it might not be the wishbones!  Sorry to disagree, but on mine the steering track rod was shot!
Might be worth looking at that too, jack up front wheel and rock the wheel horizontally, if  you get movement replace the track rod.  Might be worth replacing both sides if you have a 96 model, mine is a 95 and mine needed doing. :-/

Absolutely correct - the shoulder wear is incorrect camber. Granted, it may be wishbone/strut etc, but the fact is, its due to incorrect camber. If you have no worn components, get a decent geometry done (not tracking/4 wheel alignment)

I did at Bathwick Tyres in Devizes, £55 too and yes, their computer setup checked everything.  

[TheBoy]

Having had one of my front tyres go the same way, it might not be the wishbones!  Sorry to disagree, but on mine the steering track rod was shot!
Might be worth looking at that too, jack up front wheel and rock the wheel horizontally, if  you get movement replace the track rod.  Might be worth replacing both sides if you have a 96 model, mine is a 95 and mine needed doing. :-/

Absolutely correct - the shoulder wear is incorrect camber. Granted, it may be wishbone/strut etc, but the fact is, its due to incorrect camber. If you have no worn components, get a decent geometry done (not tracking/4 wheel alignment)

I did at Bathwick Tyres in Devizes, £55 too and yes, their computer setup checked everything.  

Did you get the printout, if so, what did they set camber to?  Vx's spec is too wide, and hence can be within spec (statically, but drops out dynamically).  Mine, set up by wheels-inmotion are towards on end of the scale, as that is what we have found to be best.