tire wear problems

Lebo932 · 02-02-2011, 07:40 AM

my 328 still had the bridgestone rft's on it when i bought it and they were in poor condition and needed replaced but i noticed that the rear tires had the inner edge of them worn down to the belts, much worse than the rest of the tire. So i replaced all four tires with Nitto N555's and took the car to BMW for an alignment. The car drives smooth and straight and there is little to no vibration in the wheel.
That was about 6 months ago and recently i started to hear a lot of road noice. checked my tires, slight wear on the inner lip but not really anymore than the rest of the tire. So i check em this morning and the front tires are worn to the belts on the inner edge. Rear tires are slightly worn on the inner edge but nothing like the first time.
Is this an alignment problem?
I got the car aligned a week or two after i got the tires (6months ago) so i know that the car hasnt been "un" aligned this whole time. Everything feels smooth and straight i just dont want to keep burning through tires like this.

Mr. ///M3 RD · 02-02-2011, 09:27 AM

I recommend you have the rear wheel camber checked also it is important to maintain the correct air pressure.

LaLakers91tc · 02-02-2011, 10:21 AM

I find that the stock alignment on these car's inherently has some camber, so they do wear faster on the inside
also 6 months is plenty of time for the alignment to get out of control; in fact, all it takes is one pothole to do it, or any similar harsh impact on the suspension.
It is surprising that the fronts would wear down all the way in only 6 months though, so there is clearly a problem with the alignment

Lebo932 · 02-02-2011, 11:22 AM

yeah there is a very good chance that the alignment has gotten messed up, the roads in my area are horrible, i supose that something causing the wear problem could be small enough to not feel a difference in the handling?

also i was kind of thinking that these cars had odd camber from the begining, it looks like they do... so it looks like i'm buyin new tires again... at least the fronts, and when i do i'll get another alignment and ask them if they can bring the toe out a little?
alignment is one of those things that is like a different language to me, never could understand it... thanks for the input guys

Lebo932 · 02-02-2011, 11:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rolf-Dieter

I recommend you have the rear wheel camber checked also it is important to maintain the correct air pressure.

air pressure is always maintained, also the rear was where the problem was the first time, and after an aligment they were fine, even today they have slightly more wear on the inside but nothing compared to the front ( theyre showing the belts already)

chromisdesigns · 02-02-2011, 09:33 PM

Our cars always wear the inside corners out before the rest of the tire, however, it usually happens first on the rears. For the fronts to be gone that quick, either the camber or alignment is off, or both.

HighlandPete · 02-03-2011, 09:38 AM

Was the alignment really wrong, before the car was touched? There's often an eager "needs an alignment" from tire shops when the RFTs wear strange, but it's not necessarily the suspension alignment at all.

Often the new settings mess the car, as they were never wrong to start with. Rear camber is aggressive on some models, but works fine on non run-flats, without the extreme inner wear, even if the RFTs went fast on the inner edge. Same for outer front wear, change the alignment and the inner side gets knocked off, once non run-flats are fitted.

Normal experience doesn't always apply with RFTs fitted.

HighlandPete

Lebo932 · 02-03-2011, 01:27 PM

the inner wear on the rear tires is why i got rid of the run flats ( belts were showing) but the inner wear on the front tires i s now happening with the nitto n555's i replaced the rft's with. And no inner wear on the rears now. I called an alignment shop today and told them about it and they said when i replace the tires they'll just adjust it to sit flat and they should wear evenly after that.

Lebo932 · 02-17-2011, 07:40 AM

Bullshit Update!

Got two new tires on the front and got an alignment at the same shop, showed em my old tires, they said it looked like alignment issue, aligned it and i was good to go. Now, 3 weeks later, starting to wear bad AGAIN!!!!

I'm taking it to another alignment shop... see what they say. I'm starting to think its not the alignment though, plus i'm buying wheels VERY soon so i really want his fixed before i waste even more expensive tires....

02-02-2011, 07:40 AM	#1
Lebo932 Private 4 Rep 90 Posts Drives: 07 328i Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Gettysburg, Pa iTrader: (0) Garage List 07 328i [0.00]	tire wear problems my 328 still had the bridgestone rft's on it when i bought it and they were in poor condition and needed replaced but i noticed that the rear tires had the inner edge of them worn down to the belts, much worse than the rest of the tire. So i replaced all four tires with Nitto N555's and took the car to BMW for an alignment. The car drives smooth and straight and there is little to no vibration in the wheel. That was about 6 months ago and recently i started to hear a lot of road noice. checked my tires, slight wear on the inner lip but not really anymore than the rest of the tire. So i check em this morning and the front tires are worn to the belts on the inner edge. Rear tires are slightly worn on the inner edge but nothing like the first time. Is this an alignment problem? I got the car aligned a week or two after i got the tires (6months ago) so i know that the car hasnt been "un" aligned this whole time. Everything feels smooth and straight i just dont want to keep burning through tires like this.
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02-02-2011, 09:27 AM	#2
Mr. ///M3 RD Happy Camper 613 Rep 7,869 Posts Drives: C63 AMG & 280 SL on Weekends : Join Date: May 2010 Location: GTA, Ontario - Canada iTrader: (0) Garage List 1969 Restored Merce ... [7.50] 2011 M3 Coupe TRADED [7.34] 1987 BMW 535is [1.00] Cars from the Past [6.50] The ///M3 Engine S65 [9.59]	I recommend you have the rear wheel camber checked also it is important to maintain the correct air pressure. __________________ Cheers, Rolf-Dieter Life will take us to some interesting places, fortunately The ///M3 will too with a many of us know this very well, now my C6.3 AMG with 487 HP does it too ---> Click here for some good stuff I found
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02-02-2011, 10:21 AM	#3
LaLakers91tc Lieutenant Colonel 51 Rep 1,860 Posts Drives: BSM E92 335i 6MT Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Lawrenceville NJ iTrader: (5)	I find that the stock alignment on these car's inherently has some camber, so they do wear faster on the inside also 6 months is plenty of time for the alignment to get out of control; in fact, all it takes is one pothole to do it, or any similar harsh impact on the suspension. It is surprising that the fronts would wear down all the way in only 6 months though, so there is clearly a problem with the alignment __________________ Current 07 BSM E92 335i Previous SGM E90 330i (R.I.P.)
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02-02-2011, 11:22 AM	#4
Lebo932 Private 4 Rep 90 Posts Drives: 07 328i Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Gettysburg, Pa iTrader: (0) Garage List 07 328i [0.00]	yeah there is a very good chance that the alignment has gotten messed up, the roads in my area are horrible, i supose that something causing the wear problem could be small enough to not feel a difference in the handling? also i was kind of thinking that these cars had odd camber from the begining, it looks like they do... so it looks like i'm buyin new tires again... at least the fronts, and when i do i'll get another alignment and ask them if they can bring the toe out a little? alignment is one of those things that is like a different language to me, never could understand it... thanks for the input guys
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02-02-2011, 09:33 PM	#6
chromisdesigns Lieutenant Colonel 45 Rep 1,754 Posts Drives: 2008 BMW 335i sedan Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: San Francisco iTrader: (0)	Our cars always wear the inside corners out before the rest of the tire, however, it usually happens first on the rears. For the fronts to be gone that quick, either the camber or alignment is off, or both.
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02-03-2011, 09:38 AM	#7
HighlandPete Lieutenant General 6659 Rep 15,858 Posts Drives: BMW F11 535i Touring Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Scotland, Highland Region iTrader: (0)	Was the alignment really wrong, before the car was touched? There's often an eager "needs an alignment" from tire shops when the RFTs wear strange, but it's not necessarily the suspension alignment at all. Often the new settings mess the car, as they were never wrong to start with. Rear camber is aggressive on some models, but works fine on non run-flats, without the extreme inner wear, even if the RFTs went fast on the inner edge. Same for outer front wear, change the alignment and the inner side gets knocked off, once non run-flats are fitted. Normal experience doesn't always apply with RFTs fitted. HighlandPete
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02-03-2011, 01:27 PM	#8
Lebo932 Private 4 Rep 90 Posts Drives: 07 328i Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Gettysburg, Pa iTrader: (0) Garage List 07 328i [0.00]	the inner wear on the rear tires is why i got rid of the run flats ( belts were showing) but the inner wear on the front tires i s now happening with the nitto n555's i replaced the rft's with. And no inner wear on the rears now. I called an alignment shop today and told them about it and they said when i replace the tires they'll just adjust it to sit flat and they should wear evenly after that.
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02-17-2011, 07:40 AM	#9
Lebo932 Private 4 Rep 90 Posts Drives: 07 328i Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Gettysburg, Pa iTrader: (0) Garage List 07 328i [0.00]	Bullshit Update! Got two new tires on the front and got an alignment at the same shop, showed em my old tires, they said it looked like alignment issue, aligned it and i was good to go. Now, 3 weeks later, starting to wear bad AGAIN!!!! I'm taking it to another alignment shop... see what they say. I'm starting to think its not the alignment though, plus i'm buying wheels VERY soon so i really want his fixed before i waste even more expensive tires....
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