A while back I took my car to get tracked as we had just replaced the steering rack (for the 3rd time in 6 months - thanks crappy recon euro car parts) - anyway - stupidly I took it to a National garage and they assured me it was now tracking correctly. Fast forward to March this year and my MOT is due so I replace the front tires as I was on the wear indicators (I wasn't told if they were uneven). The MOT highlighted that my rears had an uneven tire wear and were nearly gone on the insides!!! I couldn't believe it as they were less than a year old and do the majority of my driving on the M60.

 

So new tires for the rears too and this time I wasn't going to throw good money away at crap garages so I took it to a local garage that did a full geo check. Below is the output from this test.

 

As you can see, my camber is still out and it's something they claim can't be fixed. Would this highlight a failing suspension part or is it nothing to worry about?

Edited 9 June, 201610 yr by wilsonian

Most likely failing console bushes,very common on the fabia,most replace with cupra or poly bushes.
 

It's your caster that's out, not the camber. Check those bushes as pastie said.

The caster on the front right is only slightly out of spec too, 4°08' against a min. spec of 4°12', and the difference between the sides is within the 30' max difference spec so I think you have a dynamic toe problem that isn't showing up in these static measurements.. Like console bushes that aren't hanging onto the rear end of the wishbone properly as said above, and above that.  No idea why the rear tyres are doing what they're doing though.

Edited 9 June, 201610 yr by Wino

Fabias are also sensitive to tyre pressures, check them regularly, over inflated tyres tend to wear more in the middle, under inflated tyres tend to wear more on the edges.

The caster on the front right is only slightly out of spec too, 4°08' against a min. spec of 4°12', and the difference between the sides is within the 30' max difference spec so I think you have a dynamic toe problem that isn't showing up in these static measurements.. Like console bushes that aren't hanging onto the rear end of the wishbone properly as said above, and above that.  No idea why the rear tyres are doing what they're doing though.

 

Agree. My car have even worse datas than a.m.ones- but car runs straight / no un-even tyre wear for 4 years.

IF REST IS OK, usually wrong toe causes 99% of steering problems- but there everything looks ok, hmm.

New tyres? With known brands must be ok; but "non-popular" brands, old (but not driven!) tyres, "new" retreaded tyres also can make problems.

OK so I have replaced the rear console bushes years ago and fitted powerflex ones. Unfortunately every year I get a creaking noise which means I have to strip them down and re-grease them. From what I've read poly bushes can creak. The wishbones were replaced around 3-4 years ago and I left the front bushes that came with them installed.

 

The tyres I use are normally Hankook V12 v2's and I run 17/40/215 profiles.

OK so I have replaced the rear console bushes years ago and fitted powerflex ones. Unfortunately every year I get a creaking noise which means I have to strip them down and re-grease them. From what I've read poly bushes can creak. The wishbones were replaced around 3-4 years ago and I left the front bushes that came with them installed.

 

The tyres I use are normally Hankook V12 v2's and I run 17/40/215 profiles.

 

Ok, the suspension is fine, then the problem has to be wheels and tyres, are the big wheels the correct offset and what tyre pressures do you run?

The wheels are 17" Octavia Spiders and my pressures are normally 34psi front with 30 rear.

That's high at the front and low at the back, rears should be the same or higher than the front depending on load, I run 32 front and 34 rear which is about 2 psi extra all round to stiffen up the sidewalls for hard cornering, it also gives me slightly better fuel mileage.

If you're mostly motorway miles then try the same pressures as mine, if you want a more balanced ride try 30 front 32 back.

OK so I have replaced the rear console bushes years ago and fitted powerflex ones. Unfortunately every year I get a creaking noise which means I have to strip them down and re-grease them. From what I've read poly bushes can creak. The wishbones were replaced around 3-4 years ago and I left the front bushes that came with them installed.

 

The tyres I use are normally Hankook V12 v2's and I run 17/40/215 profiles.

^^^those AREN'T the smallest ones :p  and will be very sensitive to susp.geometry/condition and road profile.

I wish, our Latvian roads could allow use such size; mine is village-tuning size 195/50R15

^^^those AREN'T the smallest ones :p  and will be very sensitive to susp.geometry/condition and road profile.

I wish, our Latvian roads could allow use such size; mine is village-tuning size 195/50R15

 

Mine too, the back roads are BUMPY round my way.

Stupid question time but would the pressure be different in relation to the tire size?

Stupid question time but would the pressure be different in relation to the tire size?

 

No is the short answer because the vehicles weight is unchanged. However some people (like me) mess about with tyre pressures to change the handling characteristics slightly, this is why I run an extra 2 psi all round, you don't need to because your sidewalls are stiffer than mine.

No is the short answer because the vehicles weight is unchanged. However some people (like me) mess about with tyre pressures to change the handling characteristics slightly, this is why I run an extra 2 psi all round, you don't need to because your sidewalls are stiffer than mine.

 

^ "changes slightly"? I also thought so till installed winter tyres with "not-approved size" 175/65R14 on OEM steel 6" discs > made 2.2 bar front / 2.0 bar rear > oversteer was abnormal.

With 2.2bar front+rear all went to normal.

Tried 2.0bar front+rear > looked very flat (GY UG Extreme).

Anyway, 6" disc is max.for 175mm tyre. Would prefer to have 185/60R14 OEM size- but in that size almost nothing available in studded version. 

I thought spiders were meant to run 205/40/17? I've run my fabia on 36psi front and 33 rear for over 7 years. Never had an issue with wear problems, most tyres last me 25-30k

I thought spiders were meant to run 205/40/17? I've run my fabia on 36psi front and 33 rear for over 7 years. Never had an issue with wear problems, most tyres last me 25-30k

 

You've nailed it, the tyres are too wide, with those pressures yours must understeer horribly, especially in the wet.

Well I've ran 215 for around 7 years and haven't had much issues - until now :(