Inner edge tyre wear warning

[danrooke]

Hi all,

I know this has been covered many times before, but I just wanted to urge people to check their tyres on the rear after my experience today.

Driving back from Northumberland to West Yorkshire and about 20 miles from home the tyre pressure warning came on. I didn't think too much of it as I couldn't hear anything untoward. Got home and the offside rear had approx. a quarter of normal air in it. Tried to pump it up again and after a lot of air had gone in, it started to rise and then I could hear the air escaping from the tyre. I discovered that the inside edge had worn down to structural part of the tyre which in one point was allowing air to escape. The whole shoulder of the tyre has worn away and the structural part of the tyre visibile all around. The nearside tyre is not quite as bad but not far off.

I just wanted to remind you all of the crappy geometry setup Skoda set our cars up with and the effect this has on tyres. Today could have ended a lot worse for us because of this! I shall be checking my tyres more regularly from now on.

I'll post some photos which show the extent of the wear and damage.

Need to sort out some new tyres now and get the geometry sorted. I'm sure Skoda will be as useless in this as they were with the Limited Edition alloys supplied with my car which were all buckled after 18 months, 4 months in out ownership. I shall use an independent who has been recommended for the geometry. I've never had so much trouble with wheels and tyres as this car, they really let the rest of it down.

Dan

[blueR36]

Get it done here, these guys are amazing! http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/217475-4-wheel-alignment-in-leeds-bradford-area/

[ruffday]

_{Dont take this the wrong way but why didnt you stop and check them when the warning popped up?}

_{Do you not do regular checks on the tyres?}

[abarth_1200]

It must have taken a while to get down to the carcass, must be something REALLY wrong with it the geometry if it wore down within your usual car checking routine, mine is every second tank or weekly

[Tech1e]

The amount I see worn right down you would be surprised how many drivers don't check their tyres regularly.

Also get plenty of people setting their tyres to 20psi not 2.0 bar and wondering why the tyres take the edges out.

When I worked at VW I had a customer with a Passat who's tyres were worn out on the edges due to under inflation. I reported as such and he couldn't understand why his tyres would be under inflated when he brought his car in every year for a service. Go figure.

[danrooke]

Thanks for your replies.

I'll admit that i don't check them often enough. In theory they should be checked before every journey. i wanted to raise awareness for those that don't check them regularly.

The other rear tyre was a little low at 1.9 bar. All are what they should be now.

I work in Leeds but i don't drive to work. I've been recommended a place in Leeds and one in Oldham for geometry. I live in the middle so undecided at the moment.

[danrooke]

Booked in with ABC in Leeds on Friday. Just arranging for tyres to be replaced first as Peter informs me this is best done first.

I got a couple of quick photos this morning which give an idea of the damage to the tyre, not the best photos though I'm afraid:

[abarth_1200]

Wow! That looks like it has been rubbing on the inside arch with where it has worn, almost up the inner sidewall, nice straight line too.

Is this possible, did you have a look for collapsed springs or a bit of cracked arch liner hanging off

[allias]

Either to much toe out or to much negetive camber. Good to see those pics.

[Welsh_kai_boy]

Mine were exactly the same before Skoda did my 4 wheel alignment, if you look at the other thread i have posted my before and after settings. My rear tyres were well worn on the insides and plenty of tread on the rest of the tyre.

Get Skoda to do it at their cost, why dip into your own pocket?

[ChrisRs]

Peter checked mine and found the geometry almost perfect:

[jaskat]

I have recently purchased a limited edition diesel vrs 09 and the dealer replaced one rear tyre before i picked it up as it had worn on the inner edge. I was surprised as the majority of the tyre looked like it had 50% left. I have now matched the tyre with another new one and just had the geometry all set up to the new settings found on another website....the left rear camber angle was out a bit on the affected side and it made the normal wheel bearing rumble noise. I hope the new kumhos will be better than the dunlops....

[Jack VRS]

You are so lucky you didnt have a blow out on that tyre! Ive seen them that bad before at work (im a volvo tech), I took a woman once into the workshop to show her how dangerous it was and she began to cry! Told me she takes the kids to school in it every morning!

Just bought my car and there is a very slight bit of feathering just starting to show, so im thinking about getting a 4 wheel alignment done before its too late!

[danrooke]

Unfortunately I couldn't get the tyres fitted this morning after the tyre machine broke after all the wheels were taken off the car! I was two hours late for work for nothing!

Rearranged the geometry with Peter for Thursday next week now as a result. Hopefully will get the tyres fitted by then, maybe!

I have asked the dealer before but they would charge if it's within tolerances and I've heard these are quite wide tolerances! I'd prefer someone who's been recommended to do the work and then try and reclaim from Skoda, should be a better job and cost less if I'm liable.

[danrooke]

All new tyres now fitted so immediate worries sorted. Just the geometry to sort on Thursday to prevent the same situation again.

[mikey vrs]

I must get my rear alignment checked as my o/s/r tyre was wearing funny on the inside edge,it was a falken 452 that had only covered around 10k,the original conti;s had done 20k without any problems with uneven wear,weird one,tyre place has sent my falken back as they think it maybe a faulty tyre,will still get the alignment checked.

[allias]

Would you like to book in? :p hehe

[mikey vrs]

Would you like to book in? :p hehe

Lol,going to a alignment place about 5 miles from where i live,another member went there & was happy with the work,im a mechanic & hate people working on my car but sadly dont have alignment equipment. Whereabouts in leeds are you?

[DBT85]

I'm picking my Octavia up on Monday and will try and get my alignment checked on Tuesday.

Allias can you confirm what adjustments a 2010 Octavia 1.8 TSI should have available?

[allias]

Mikey VRS. I work for ABC CAR Service and you easly can find few reviews here about our work. We are in Leeds, Pudsey.

DBT85 - front wheels is just toe or additional cradle shifting but noone will do it and I doubt it you will need it at this age. Rear Suspension will have camber and toe adjustment. All others will require "different approach" if needed.

[DBT85]

Thanks for that. Just so I know in case the guy says its toe only all round.

[allias]

Booked in with ABC in Leeds on Friday. Just arranging for tyres to be replaced first as Peter informs me this is best done first.

I got a couple of quick photos this morning which give an idea of the damage to the tyre, not the best photos though I'm afraid:

It turns out it was well messed up. Front was almost perfect. Rear had 2deg negetive camber and 0 toe which is a killer for daily driving car. No supprice rear tyres where worn down to cords. BTW tyres looked much worst then on those pictures. Really lucky those didnt poped while driving. Changed rear camber from -2deg to -1.2(-1.3) and felt much different. I dont want to speak on behalf of Dan but I thin it really needed this adjustment long time ago.

[danrooke]

Managed to get down to ABC last night and as Peter says it was well outside of Skoda's settings at the rear. I've only driven it home from Leeds so far, but I am enjoying the quiet ride through the combination of new tyres all round and the camber and toe adjustment.

On holiday in Wales next week, so should hopefully get some driving time in on some good roads. I shall report back after.

Thanks for your work Peter and for being accommodating with times and my family.

Dan

[DBT85]

I got mine checked at what was RSR Tyres but is now Tyrecity. Rears were well within Skoda defaults but the front were a little out so were corrected. Not noticed any difference but I;d only done about 30 miles in the car before they did it! At least I know it's done now.

[FatblokeVRS]

Hi

We got the rear alignment done at the Skoda dealer twice and it still wasn't right - miles per tank dropped from approx 480 to 400.

Took it to CLCM in Edinburgh and it was well out on all 4 wheels. Got the 4 wheel alignment done and it has been fine since and we get 480 - 500 miles per tank consistently, it also drives much better.

Cheers

Dave