Dangerous tyre wear on inside shoulder

[TonyTonic]

2 minutes ago, IanJD said:

New tyres are already on (done by ATS, but VW finance insist on alignment being done by a dealer). Didn't have any droning before the flat tyre, or any other symptom, in spite of regular checking from beside the car.

 

That's why I posted originally, this was a complete shock but at least it happened on my drive, it could happen to someone else while driving at speed and kill them -- so if you do have a Superb III, I strongly suggest you inspect the inner tyre edges (visually and by touch) just in case yours are doing the same.

Is this on all 4 tyres ?

[IanJD]

3 minutes ago, TonyTonic said:

Is this on all 4 tyres ?

By far the worst on the rears. Fronts were newer but also worn on inner edge, might have gone the same way at the same mileage but I'll never know now...

 

[also easier to spot on fronts because you can see the inside edges on full lock, for rears you need to get under the back of the car with a torch]

[cheezemonkhai]

You need a full geometry check as the similar used to happen on mk2 Octavia with the independent rear suspension.

[IanJD]

Got the full geometry check done by the dealer (actually they sent it out to someone for laser alignment), unfortunately didn't get detailed results back except a comment that the alignment was "way out" -- no way to tell if car was supplied like this or due to pothole damage or similar, but at least I ddn't have to pay for the tyres or the re-alignment :-)

[xman]

I don't know why some dealers hold back information. Have they something to hide?

 

Way out....what does that mean if they don't have before/after figures.

 

The cynic in me is telling me it's probably still not right....

[Alan_P]

When they demanded you didn’t go elsewhere for the alignment I suspected you wouldn’t get anything in writing. If you’ve never had the alignment done it’s likely to have come out the factory like that… especially with the symmetrical wear. I’m guessing they will give as little info as possible (without actually lying) in case of litigation… a potential error at the factory could have been fatal.

[BriskodaJeff]

1 hour ago, xman said:

I don't know why some dealers hold back information. Have they something to hide?

 

Way out....what does that mean if they don't have before/after figures.

 

The cynic in me is telling me it's probably still not right....

Almost certainly not checked at the factory or PDI, so yes something to hide. But I don't agree there is still something wrong - why would there be? Releasing the car back to service with a known fault like that and not fixing it is Pinto territory.

 

10 minutes ago, Alan_P said:

When they demanded you didn’t go elsewhere for the alignment I suspected you wouldn’t get anything in writing. If you’ve never had the alignment done it’s likely to have come out the factory like that… especially with the symmetrical wear. I’m guessing they will give as little info as possible (without actually lying) in case of litigation… a potential error at the factory could have been fatal.

Spot on.

[IanJD]

It's VW leasing policy that alignment is done by dealers not ATS (who have the tyre replacement contract) -- ATS told me this, VW leasing confirmed it.

 

I expect that "way out" meant "not even close to the manufacturer settings" -- there was some comment about maybe being due to hitting a kerb but my suspicion is also that it was a fault from the factory, however there's no way of proving this either way.

 

Incidentally, the new Michelin Premacy 4 tyres are *much* quieter than the old Pirelli P7... :-)

[xman]

I've a feeling that camber is adjustable independently each side so that would make hitting a kerb an unlikely cause of the symmetrical wear.

[Ashmount]

Caught a nail in my front tyre last week, resulting in a very slow air loss. Went to my car place and was waiting my turn for repair and the owners son came over and started to feel the inner tyre tread on all four wheels. Asked him 'What's up?' and he told me the same story. Had a guy in (coincidentally exactly the same car  - sport line diesel estate and same colour - where his two front inner wheels were worn to the wire and the front one had punctured.  He had 14,000 miles done. P7s 

 

Said mine were perfect all round. I have 10,00 miles on my P7s. Thought it might be an isolated case of mis-alignment. Clearly not.

Edited 7 July, 2018 by Ashmount
typing engaged ahead of brain

[Sad555]

This is not unknown on both Octavia and Superb ,i first saw it on a friends motor down to the canvas on inner edge after only a few months but high mileage  and after looking on here here found quite a few reports so when having my fronts replaced on the vrs Octavia had the 4 wheel alignment done to avoid the chances of a blow out,there are also a few posts about sawtoothing caused by mis aligned wheels.

[Inoffski]

Do you tow a caravan or heavy trailer by any chance?

 

I had a similar - but not as severe - wear pattern on my rear tyres. Could only see it once the wheels were off the car, but the tyres had a distinctive 'groove' in them.

 

On recommendation from the tyre fitter, I took the car to a local VAG independent specialist for wheel alignment. Once he had the alignment rig on the car, he found that the alignment was spot on, but did ask if I towed a caravan.

 

He told me that it is something in the VAG suspension geometry when towing that causes the wear that I had - I regularly tow a 1550kg caravan.

 

I still got 26k out of the front Pirellis and 32k out of the rears, on a 190 BHP 4x4 estate. 

[Sad555]

the tyre i saw came off a car that had never towed a caravan and did a lot of motorway miles,quite frightening

[IanJD]

Wouldn't be seen dead towing a caravan. haven't got a trailer...

[Donweather]

So just got my tyres rotated and wheel alignment done (get this done every 10-15,000km).  Tyres are OEM Bridgestone Potenza 235/40/19 and done 42,000km.  Car is MkIII Estate 4x4.  And I also have the dreaded inside shoulder tyre wear.  Wear is on all 4 tyres but was worse on the fronts.  Same tyre place that did the alignment and wheel rotation last August (2022) and they didn't say anything about tyres wearing on the inside shoulder then.  However I did get Eibach lowering springs put on the car back in January 2023 and yes it had a wheel alignment done then (by others however).

So the question is, is it likely that this tyre wear has occurred since lowering the car or did my usual tyre place miss it back in August last year?

 

I've asked the tyre place for the print out of before and after (they printed out the wrong one from last August when I picked up the car up today).  From reading the above is it fair to say the inside shoulder wear is predominantly due to increased negative camber?  If so should I ask the tyre place to reduce this negative camber ie closer to the lowest spec setting of -0deg50'?  Upper spec limit is -1deg50'.  I still have plenty of tyre tread left (particularly on what were the rears, now the fronts) so want to get as much tyre life as I can.

 

P.S Most of my kms are highway driving and I occasionally tow a jetski, but this would have been like only once or twice since January (having the car lowered).

Edited 30 March, 2023 by Donweather

[Donweather]

Question, is the camber and caster adjustable on the Superb 4*4 (front and/or rear).  I thought they are, but wheel alignment place is now saying neither are adjustable on my vehicle??  I think they're now telling me porkies.

Edited 30 March, 2023 by Donweather

[Gammyleg]

I had a similar problem with a Ford Mondeo company car. The two rear tyres looked exactly the same as the OP's after a similar mileage. ATS didn't want to let me leave without getting them changed as they said it was dangerous and had to argue with the lease company to allow slightly better grade tyres to get fitted. No alignment checks were ever carried out and the odd thing is it never happened again over the next 4 years and 100k+ miles.

 

[k.young]

This Skoda/VW platform is notorious for allignment issues........particularly on the rear.

 

I have seen that on my rears many times over the 1 million kms plus that I have done on this platform.

 

Just get a 4 wheel allignment done and keep an eye on it.

[AndyM20]

Brand new tyres fitted two months ago ruined after 6000 miles.  Replaced the tyres today and I tried have the camber adjusted but I was told to sell the car as nothing can be done. Is this right, Octavia mk3 2016 2.0l diesel doesn’t have the camber adjustable? Can anything be done to adjust it? Has anyone had this issue on their car? These were the photos taken before i had the tyres replaced. Thanks 

[Ootohere]

Obviously something can be done by a proper Mechanical Engineer / Mechanic.  Do not deal with total muppets / fitters. 

[AndyM20]

Thanks Toot, what shall i do? They said the rear axle is not adjustable. Nothing can be done. I don’t want to sell it. I will go to my local Skoda dealer tomorrow to see what they’re saying. 

[Ootohere]

Who are they, what are they?

Are they a Hunter Alignment place with trained employees.  As it is is the suspension gubbed?

 

I would swerve the Dealership who could not sort out new cars let alone older ones.

Go to a Specialist, with all the gear and more than ideas.  Training & Qualifications and that 'Give a damn'.

 

Say where you are, someone can maybe recommend someplace.     I recommend you check tyres properly regularly / & pressures more often with any vehicles, faulty or not.

[AndyM20]

I am in Hertfordshire Letchworth Garden City area. I agree about the dealership, only kids 18 year olds on front desk talking about cars. Didn’t even know what I was on about when I mentioned alignment. 
Does anyone know in the area a good Hunter place please? I refuse to believe the only way out is to sell it to somebody else. What they are saying in fact is that the car needs scrapping. 

[skomaz]

Would you be anywhere near an outfit called Wheels in Motion and guy called Tony Bones? Hes well worth a shot and talking to if you are.

 

 

[Breezy_Pete]

Might have to try via his forum. I was going to say the same as skomaz, but when I went to look up details there was a pop-up that said 'no longer trading, but forum still active for now'.

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