My 2010 van failed the MoT this year, some minor things like a cracked driver's side mirror, headlamp aim too low, then the big one...three tyres with tread too low; two front and one rear.
Now the rear ones I can understand. A couple of years ago they were on the front when the lower track control arms needed replacing, consequently they wore excessively on the inside edges. The solution; move the unevenly worn ones to the rear, correct the tracking, and fit two new tyres onto the front.
So the track control arms were replaced, the tracking adjusted, and the new tyres fitted. It's a beam axle at the back, so there should be relatively little wear to the tyre inside edges, more to the outside ones - and so it proved.
In the intervening two years two front dampers have been replaced, along with both steering track rod ends, and the tracking re-set.
This year the shock was the failure on the two front tyres, both hardly worn on the main tread (about 5mm left on each), but both so badly worn on the inside edges that the cords were exposed, indicating major toe-out on the tracking. I can only assume that the garage measured and set the tracking wrongly, though I can see I'll get nowhere with that argument and, let's face it, the state of the roads and number of potholes gives each and every tyre dealer a free pass!
I'm now investigating what mechanical item could have worn, bent, or failed to the extent that it
a) confused an inexperienced tracking setter to adjust the tracking so badly
b) deteriorated in the one year after the track rod ends that the tracking was cocked.
Supplementary information:
1. I never drive up or on the kerb, except when reversing across it into my driveway. Kerbs are part of the pavement, and pavements are solely for pedestrians.
2. I never turn the steering wheel unless the road wheels are rotating.
3. The anti-roll bar mounts creak, they always have, and applications of silicone lubricant quiten them only temporarily.
On inspection today there is a gap of about 2mm between the top of the inner wing and the base of the rubber-faced locating washer (that's the large 'washer' seen under the nut when looking under the bonnet). When the van is jacked-up this gap disappears as the strut extends.
My questions are:
1. Is this gap, and it's behaviour, normal?
2. Could a slightly out of true (steel) wheel rim confuse the tracking machine/operator?
3. Apart from the compliance of the rubber mountings (which seems normal) are there any other common wear items that could cause this rapid wear to the inner bead?
MM
Now the rear ones I can understand. A couple of years ago they were on the front when the lower track control arms needed replacing, consequently they wore excessively on the inside edges. The solution; move the unevenly worn ones to the rear, correct the tracking, and fit two new tyres onto the front.
So the track control arms were replaced, the tracking adjusted, and the new tyres fitted. It's a beam axle at the back, so there should be relatively little wear to the tyre inside edges, more to the outside ones - and so it proved.
In the intervening two years two front dampers have been replaced, along with both steering track rod ends, and the tracking re-set.
This year the shock was the failure on the two front tyres, both hardly worn on the main tread (about 5mm left on each), but both so badly worn on the inside edges that the cords were exposed, indicating major toe-out on the tracking. I can only assume that the garage measured and set the tracking wrongly, though I can see I'll get nowhere with that argument and, let's face it, the state of the roads and number of potholes gives each and every tyre dealer a free pass!
I'm now investigating what mechanical item could have worn, bent, or failed to the extent that it
a) confused an inexperienced tracking setter to adjust the tracking so badly
b) deteriorated in the one year after the track rod ends that the tracking was cocked.
Supplementary information:
1. I never drive up or on the kerb, except when reversing across it into my driveway. Kerbs are part of the pavement, and pavements are solely for pedestrians.
2. I never turn the steering wheel unless the road wheels are rotating.
3. The anti-roll bar mounts creak, they always have, and applications of silicone lubricant quiten them only temporarily.
On inspection today there is a gap of about 2mm between the top of the inner wing and the base of the rubber-faced locating washer (that's the large 'washer' seen under the nut when looking under the bonnet). When the van is jacked-up this gap disappears as the strut extends.
My questions are:
1. Is this gap, and it's behaviour, normal?
2. Could a slightly out of true (steel) wheel rim confuse the tracking machine/operator?
3. Apart from the compliance of the rubber mountings (which seems normal) are there any other common wear items that could cause this rapid wear to the inner bead?
MM
