Inner front tire wear

[maytag]

Originally Posted by Ratanui

I was just getting at the fact that what some people consider premature tire wear is perfectly normal with some vehicles standard set ups. GM Holden Australia put out a model called SS Commodore and there is a hotter version done under the HSV (Holden Special Vehicle) brand. A lot of these wore their tires out like this, and there are kits available to change the base settings to reduce the problem (if all you are doing is driving to the shops all day). These cars run a version of the Corvette V8.

Our Ford Falcon is also done in different levels of sportiness to suit. The top end models run 300+kw V8's as with the GM models. And as I said it also has this sort of tire wear as normal.

My point about motorcycle tire wear is valid as it just highlights that tire wear that the average car driver would think is a fault is normal. Motorcycle tires are very round in profile and usually fairly soft. The end result is that 90% of tire wear is in the middle of the tire and there is quite often little to no wear on the outer edge.

I'm sorry if the remark about the American legal system was over the top, but from the perspective of the average New Zealander it seems as though being taken to court for damages is a big part of the system. If a tire shop were to change the alignment and there was a crash due to loss of control, it may be that the driver might try to sue/blame that tire shop. It was only a couple of weeks ago that someone got hit by a golf ball at a golf tournament and wants to sue for damages. Just saying.

That's it: I'm SUING you! How can you be so slanderous!?!?

haha.

Nah, it stings 'cuz it's true. the U.S. Legal system was borne of great minds, but has become (in practice) a farcical shadow of the original intent.

I understand what you're saying about the tire wear. But I respectfully disagree that it's a valid argument on this car.
Modern cars, especially sports cars, should not exhibit the characteristics you're describing. Someone driving "normally" with a factory-spec alignment should see a "neutral" tire-wear pattern; meaning wear is even across the tire. We're not talking about any sort of "destined-for-the-track, special-edition" car here, that may have exotic parts or setups from the factory.

[Ratanui]

Fair enough. New Zealand is a country of twists and turns so it may be that our standard is your sports when it comes to alignment. Not many transcontinental highways in this part of the world.

[356Guy]

For curiosity sake I decided to do a crude front alignment check on my lift. Its a Japanese import and has ROW M030 suspension. I used 1 1/4" angle iron x 27" long on 4 inch blocks and a tape measure clamped to one side. The toe in seems parallel, maybe 1/16" max. I decided to put a level vertically on the tires and I measured 1/2" gap which equates to around 1.5 degrees negative camber. This explains the wear. The shop said they only recommend a stock alignment for the street so thee results are odd. I guess I have to decide if shorter tire life is worth the improved handling I am supposedly getting.