Excessive Tire Wear
07-27-2010, 02:49 PM
#16
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That ^ will work on symmetrical tires, but NOT with asymmetrical tires.
Asymmetrical tires are constructed in such a way that there is a defined outside and inside edge of the tire. Also, the groves in some tires are constructed to take water away from the center of the tire and move it to the edge. Mounting them "back wards" would not be a good thing in either of these instances.
EDIT: Damn Tom, you beat me to it!
Asymmetrical tires are constructed in such a way that there is a defined outside and inside edge of the tire. Also, the groves in some tires are constructed to take water away from the center of the tire and move it to the edge. Mounting them "back wards" would not be a good thing in either of these instances.
EDIT: Damn Tom, you beat me to it!
07-27-2010, 05:11 PM
#18
Rennlist Member
07-27-2010, 06:09 PM
#19
Your tire wear certainly is indicative of too much camber. I do not think that you have a toe issue as this would tend to wear more than just the inside edge.
You might want to check out the Michelin sport tires as for some reason they seem to resist this wear a bit more.
Just me .02 cents
Erik Johnson
(303) 895-4828 cell
You might want to check out the Michelin sport tires as for some reason they seem to resist this wear a bit more.
Just me .02 cents
Erik Johnson
(303) 895-4828 cell
07-27-2010, 07:00 PM
#20
Former Vendor
First of all, I'd check your alignment. Based on the tire wear, i'd guess that you have too much negative camber for the type of driving you are doing.
Secondly, it's a bad idea to mix tire brands front to rear, so either go through another set of Conti's on the rear until your fronts are gone, or replace the whole set.
Secondly, it's a bad idea to mix tire brands front to rear, so either go through another set of Conti's on the rear until your fronts are gone, or replace the whole set.
I would suggest having your alignment set more neutral. Many do. It cuts down a bit on the sharpness of the steering, but greatly improves tire life.
This is also a great opportunity to tell EVERYONE it's time to inspect their tires. I know it's not easy to get down there and look, but that's the reason these surprises happen.
07-27-2010, 08:28 PM
#21
Three Wheelin'
Thread Starter
Thanks again for the advice guys. Macster, you reminded me that aroung the time I had the tires replaced, I hit a rock/pothole that damaged my passenger side rear wheel. I had to have the barrel straightened. I wonder if that damage was enough to knock the alignment off.
Damon, good advice on checking the tires more frequently. I went for a spirited drive on Saturday that could have had a bad ending. After doing a little research, I am going to switch to Hankook Ventus V-12 Evo tires. They are pretty hard to beat at $200 each for the rears. In a Car and Driver test of summer performance tires, they came in second, out of 9 tires.
Damon, good advice on checking the tires more frequently. I went for a spirited drive on Saturday that could have had a bad ending. After doing a little research, I am going to switch to Hankook Ventus V-12 Evo tires. They are pretty hard to beat at $200 each for the rears. In a Car and Driver test of summer performance tires, they came in second, out of 9 tires.
07-27-2010, 10:56 PM
#23
Three Wheelin'
Thread Starter
Allan, I like your analysis of the problem. I have never been accused of driving too slow, but I think you might be right. My wife might disagree...I will be sure and tell her that one of the Porsche suspension experts on Rennlist (you are an expert in my book because you drive a sweet looking GT3) suggested that my excessive tire wear was from driving too slow around the corners.
07-27-2010, 11:33 PM
#24
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lol! My wife can't be in my car for more than a block without getting sick. 
About that pothole you hit...anytime you get an impact on the wheel that is strong enough to bend it, you can probably count on the alignment getting knocked out. I've found at the track if I spin and mow the lawn, sometimes that's enough to throw off the alignment. Just enough force applied in the wrong direction can move things.
Cheers,
About that pothole you hit...anytime you get an impact on the wheel that is strong enough to bend it, you can probably count on the alignment getting knocked out. I've found at the track if I spin and mow the lawn, sometimes that's enough to throw off the alignment. Just enough force applied in the wrong direction can move things.
Cheers,
07-28-2010, 03:25 PM
#25
Topaz...I just got these tires put on Monday!
I paid $1100 all in buying them from TireRack. Then $350 all in for installation and alignment. Full alignment for $150 is really cheap! Looks like you got a good price, just make sure they give you a print out of the setup they did.
As for the Hankooks, they are nice. Pretty grippy at low speeds ( <100kph) absorb bumps better than the Michelin's I had on it before.
My Michelin's were worn to the threads on the inside edge, just like the OP....so I asked the shop to take a little of the camber out for street use. He basically reset the alignment to stock position. He did this with me sitting in the car and a 30lb propane tank in the boot (since I brought the car in with an empty gas tank)
It tracks very straight and true. Turn in is nice.......BUT....the car is very washy at anything about 150 kph. The back kinda floats a bit when cornering....even loooong, low radius turns. I actually had the back start to drift out on my a couple times. Not confidence inspiring!! Now is that the tires or the alignement? I'm thinking alignment as there are plenty of other people running the hankooks that are not expressing this rear end lightness at high speed.
So do I want track tight setup that will eat my rears in no time for the (very) occasional high speed run or flat alignment? Prolly going to keep it as is for now.
I paid $1100 all in buying them from TireRack. Then $350 all in for installation and alignment. Full alignment for $150 is really cheap! Looks like you got a good price, just make sure they give you a print out of the setup they did.
As for the Hankooks, they are nice. Pretty grippy at low speeds ( <100kph) absorb bumps better than the Michelin's I had on it before.
My Michelin's were worn to the threads on the inside edge, just like the OP....so I asked the shop to take a little of the camber out for street use. He basically reset the alignment to stock position. He did this with me sitting in the car and a 30lb propane tank in the boot (since I brought the car in with an empty gas tank)
It tracks very straight and true. Turn in is nice.......BUT....the car is very washy at anything about 150 kph. The back kinda floats a bit when cornering....even loooong, low radius turns. I actually had the back start to drift out on my a couple times. Not confidence inspiring!! Now is that the tires or the alignement? I'm thinking alignment as there are plenty of other people running the hankooks that are not expressing this rear end lightness at high speed.
So do I want track tight setup that will eat my rears in no time for the (very) occasional high speed run or flat alignment? Prolly going to keep it as is for now.
07-28-2010, 04:29 PM
#27
$640 for the tires
$230 for shipping (remember I'm waayy up north)
$37 GST
$44 duties
$30 brokerage fee
$16 provincial tire fee
Total $996 USD
I think my visa turned that into $1060...something like that
$230 for shipping (remember I'm waayy up north)
$37 GST
$44 duties
$30 brokerage fee
$16 provincial tire fee
Total $996 USD
I think my visa turned that into $1060...something like that
07-28-2010, 05:00 PM
#29
If you can get a cheaper price locally, then definitely buy it. I tried calling 10 different tire shops to buy these...and most of them said they couldn't even get them (they were all on Hankook's site as distributors) and the ones that could were much more expensive.
The guy I had do the install and alignment asked me how much I paid and when I told him, he said he couldn't possibly sell them to me at that price. It was like a hair above his cost! Canadian dealers get screwed on pricing...on everything. Car parts, motorcycle parts, photography gear. It's sad. I don't know how they compete.
Saying that, Tirerack was an absolute dream to order from.The have all those items I listed above covered in their price. So you pay them and that's it. No dealing with UPS bs, or delays in brokerage, etc.
The guy I had do the install and alignment asked me how much I paid and when I told him, he said he couldn't possibly sell them to me at that price. It was like a hair above his cost! Canadian dealers get screwed on pricing...on everything. Car parts, motorcycle parts, photography gear. It's sad. I don't know how they compete.
Saying that, Tirerack was an absolute dream to order from.The have all those items I listed above covered in their price. So you pay them and that's it. No dealing with UPS bs, or delays in brokerage, etc.
08-11-2010, 08:36 PM
#30
Three Wheelin'
Thread Starter
I just had the Sumitomo HTR ZIII 295/30/18 tires installed. I drove it for a couple miles and the tires felt fine. I had an alignment done. I made the mistake of not specifying the alignment settings and they set it to stock. It is now scary to drive. The rear end feels squirrely. My before settings on the back were -2.2 and -2.4 degrees of camber. I ate through a set of back tires in less than 5,000 miles. The rear is now set at -1.2 degrees of camber on each side. Toe was within stock perameters.
My fronts are at -.8 and -.5 degrees. I am taking it back tomorrow to have the camber settings changed...Any suggestions for how much negative camber to run front and rear? (lots of spirited driving on country roads and hopefully a couple track days)
My fronts are at -.8 and -.5 degrees. I am taking it back tomorrow to have the camber settings changed...Any suggestions for how much negative camber to run front and rear? (lots of spirited driving on country roads and hopefully a couple track days)