Tire wear issues-I think I fixed it - Troubleshooting - VWDiesel.net The IDI, TDI, and mTDI source.

Tire wear issues-I think I fixed it by theman53 on 29 Mar, 2009 13:32
I got a GTI that I thought the ball joints were bad. I jacked it up and everything felt fine. The tires are almost worn off on the inside and I just had it aligned when I got them less than 15,000 miles ago. I took the front apart and felt the ball joints tie rods and they seemed fine. The only thing I was feeling was a bit of slop in the strut bearing on top, but not near as bad as any of the other VWs I have ran without these problems.
Any ideas to why the inside of the tire is scrubbed off. Also, could it be the tires themselves? Sometimes while driving the car will shake then stop like they are out of balance, but it comes and goes no matter what speed. Any help appriciated. thanks Lucas ><>
#1 by the caveman on 29 Mar, 2009 13:45
Bad tie-rod or end would cause intermittent shaking. would also cause the wear on the tires.
#2 by Op-Ivy on 29 Mar, 2009 14:56
Alignment. Those are both common symptoms of camber being out of adjustment.
#3 by theman53 on 29 Mar, 2009 16:43
Must be that something changed and it is out of align. I grabbed hold of the inners and outer tie rods and ball joints. I even bought ball joints to replace as this is what the problem was the last time, but when I popped them out of the knuckle they felt nice. I guess it is time to go to the professionals and let them tell me what to do.
#4 by Rabbit TD on 29 Mar, 2009 18:04
The tire wear is definately an alignment problem. It's hard to align a vehicle with worn parts and even harder for the car to keep it after it's done. Don't forget there are inner tie rod ends too in the steering rack. Just as an afterthought too just because if you go down a straight road and take your hands off the wheel and it tracks straight by itself doesn't mean it's aligned right by any means, it just means both sides are pretty much equal but still way off and can eat tires fast.
#5 by Jettagli16v on 30 Mar, 2009 17:02
Is the wear even on the inside? (or cupped: bad shock/wheel bearing)
Pics??

Just a couple of more things to add to your pile of stuff to check:
1) control arm bushings (with the car up in the air, use a big pry bar to move the control arm relative to the subframe. The rear bushings are oft in need of replacement on Mk2/3 cars)
2) Dont forget shocks, they can cup a tire.
3) steering rack and associated tie rod ends (x4)
Usually with the car in the air, you can just grab the tires and manipulate them and find the loose part.
If everything checks out OK, there is always the possibility it was not aligned properly (more likely than faulty tires)

Don't sweat the strut bearings, that is how you know you own a VW!!

More info, please!
-Brad
#6 by Jettagli16v on 30 Mar, 2009 17:07
Quote from: "Rabbit TD"
The tire wear is definately an alignment problem. It's hard to align a vehicle with worn parts and even harder for the car to keep it after it's done.

I would agree that is is something that should be picked up by a GOOD alignment guy.
If you want to drive to orlando, I have a guy who has aligned all of my cars for the last 5 years, and he only uses two tools:
1) Old school 1950's tire scuff wear gauge
2) Bubble level style camber gauge
3) Drives it, tweeks it, drives it, tweeks it, etc....

I would recommend if you cannot find it yourself,
find someone who does alignments WITHOUT a computer. (pref. with at least 30 years experience)
Those schmucks only know how to attach their laser machine to the car, and often dont even understand the specs they are adjusting. They do what the computer tells them to do, and if everything is perfect, may be slightly more accurate,
but they dont know what they are looking for that caused the tire wear in the first place.

I have never had an issue that my guy could not resolve, because he UNDERSTANDS alignment.

-Brad
#7 by smutts on 03 Apr, 2009 14:54
My money is on botched camber adjustment. Usually after the front shocks have been changed, they always seem to get it wrong. Super laser alignment tools are another way to learn the difference between accuracy and precision. About right is better than dead wrong. If you have a LEVEL concrete floor that the car can be parked on, then the camber is about right for the the top of the wheel rim leans 3mm in towards the car.

:roll: Apologies, I am knackered, 5:30am wake ups are just not good.
#8 by theman53 on 04 Apr, 2009 08:40
The left front wheel bearing was bad again and it needed aligned. It is driving OK now. I also put my old favorite tires back on it. I ran these fuzion H rated last time because that is what the GTI said it needed and they were cheap. This time I went back to the Toyo Spectrum and they are not H rated but seem to give the same performance as the ones I just had. I used to run coopers and probably will again since I want to try to buy American, but right now the Toyos are hard to beat.
On a side note I remembered last month that I was late for work at a trade show and took the signs as they said 7 minutes to show. I was doing about 80 mph when there were some train tracks. I slowed a little but I caught about 3 to 4 foot of air...probably most of my alignment trouble.