Outer Edge Tyre Wear CDTi Tourer

[JohnDotCom]

Came back from a quick 110 mile round trip to Llangollen and noticed that the Drivers side rear Tyre is badly worn on outer edge inwards about 40mm. Lost mosts tead barely isible (funny directional pattern anyway)
Correct Air Pressure in Tyres checked every 4 days.
Good Year Eagle F1 NCT Tyres all round, 16" Spoked Alloys.
Car handles fine, no wander or rough handling.
4 Wheel alignment when tyres fitted (only done 11000 miles in about 3 months).
Tourer Self levelling Suspension (seems fine).
CDTi Diesel with about 170BHP Auto Box, Traction Control.
Where next guys and would a broken spring be obvious? To Me. :D

[MGOracle]

It could be your rear toe plate is ever so slightly out of alignment but its clutching at straws really.

It could, *COULD* be that you've been unlikely and have a slight defect in the tyre.

I had a Conti sport de-laminate on me on the motorway and took out most of my rear suspension in my old 330d. I'd keep a very close eye on it.

[efreeti]

I have been having same problem with both rear tyres. 4 wheel alignment last week showed one of them is out by 9mm and cannot be aligned. Mechanic suggested it was worth replacing the bushes as they were a bit worn but that would not neccessarily solve the problem comletely. Why one wheel being mis-aligned should effect both rear tyres symetrically is something of a mystery anyway.

Going to do the bushes next week and see what happens but if you discover the problem with yours John please do report back. Based on the damage so far I don't think I will get much more than 3000 miles out of this set of tyres so I am getting desperate for a solution!

[JohnDotCom]

When you think how quick this wear has developed, I do check them weekly, they wont last long at all and are very expensive Tyres to!
I have not hit Kerb gone off road driving, unless you count the beach so will have to get it checked urgently.
Our XPart service centre has just closed down, and tyre people around here are NAUGHTY WORD-NAUGHTY WORD-NAUGHTY WORD-NAUGHTY WORD-!!!!

[12344321]

Hi there my godfarther had the same problem and it turned out to be a rear tracking problem. Yes rear. You can actually change the tracking on the rear of the rover 75 on all models and not many people know it. Have it checked take it easy, Pete.

[trebor]

I am also interested in this thread as i am picking up my 75 this week
(should have been last Saturday but problems with the sunroof )

Anyway the pasenger side rear tyre was worn on the edge and although replaced with a new one by the selling garage it did cause me some concern as to how this has happened. I put it down to maybe not checking the pressure or changed from the front if tracking had been out.

I have since read a 75 review as per link below and it suggests that this is a known problem but with earlier models.

Mine is a 2005 on a 54 plate ( CDTi )

Only 1 owner and I intend to contact him when i get the car for his opinion

I shall watch this thread with interest and my new rear tyre !


http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/carreviews/usedcartests/57742/rover_75.html

[GreyGhost]

Starting point for uneven tyre wear is 4 wheel laser alignment, this should be done with a full tank of fuel.
Obviously if this does not cure the problem then further investigation / repair is required.

[trebor]

Thanks i intend to get the 4 wheel alignment checked out by the garage who are preparing my car, although i doubt it will have a full tank of fuel when they do it. Is this critical to the check, if so i might get it done myself as well to be on the safe side.
I will report back as soon as i can

[GreyGhost]

Thanks i intend to get the 4 wheel alignment checked out by the garage who are preparing my car, although i doubt it will have a full tank of fuel when they do it. Is this critical to the check, if so i might get it done myself as well to be on the safe side.
I will report back as soon as i can

It is critical to have the tank full or an adequate amount of extra weight in the boot to compensate. A full tank of fuel weighs something of the order of 145lb. A few pounds here or there is of no moment.

[JohnDotCom]

I have just the one tyre wearing (as in above post) have had the 4 Wheel alignment rechecked with full fuel and they could find nothing wrong at rear, so furthr investigation required.
Firstly thought I'd have rear tyres reversed/balanced etc to see if tyre fault or is car fault.
Tyres are Good Year Eagle F1 NCT's.

[GreyGhost]

Sorry John, I was answering Trebor.
Yours is obviously a mechanical problem or possibly a sub-standard tyre?
Best of luck with that one.

[JohnDotCom]

Cheers Mick.

[tigerchubs]

I have just the one tyre wearing (as in above post) have had the 4 Wheel alignment rechecked with full fuel and they could find nothing wrong at rear, so furthr investigation required.
Firstly thought I'd have rear tyres reversed/balanced etc to see if tyre fault or is car fault.
Tyres are Good Year Eagle F1 NCT's.


Jon
Are these guys are in your neck of the woods www.rsemotorsportuk.com they were recommended to me by pro-align, I think he said they were in Conwy? I would advise if you use these guys to enquire about the issue of fuel levels as Autodata books, the industry bible for these settings don't state any ballast required for our vehicles when using their data.

[JohnDotCom]

Thanks. Yes they are right opposite a massive Vehicle Dismantlers in Llandudno Junction, about 18 - 20 miles away.
Will give them a try as the Company I have been using do say nothing is wrong and all the rest of it.

[trebor]

Have been phoning around today to get a price on 4 wheel alignment and discovered not many companies do it. A lot of them still use the old way of lining up the front using the back as template - no good if your back wheel is out !

Anyway i could only find Kwik Fit in Telford to do laser 4 wheel alignment and they want a possible £80 ( £49.95 to check all 4 wheels and adjust front wheels and £14.95 for each rear whell that needs changing.

My question is what can they adjust on the back wheels to realign the tracking, is there an adjuster of some sort ?

[andyw]

Trebor

Give these guys a try http://www.chemix-autocentres.co.uk/detailswednesfield I used them in January and they have made a huge improvement to the wear rate of my rear tyres. NSR wore out in 15000 miles Now they are up to 21000 and counting. They do a laser check for free and then charge you to correct the crab once they have shown you the printout.

They were recommended to me by someone on here or the other place. I took a bit of a gamble because I was passing through on the way from Manchester to Swindon but they did the business for me. It took approx 40 minutes.

On the rear I believe they unbolt the arm that the wheel hangs on and adjust the whole unit

Andy

[trebor]

Thanks AndyW you're a star - this is only about 10 minutes drive from where i live so will give them a ring tomorrow.
I am still hoping that the garage that are supplying my 75 will carry out a 4 wheel check for me but they do not have the facilities themselves although they use a firm in Bedford somewhere to check the Subarus that they are now a dealership for.
Even if they do check it i will still visit the place in Wednesfield for a check for peace of mind which may even be free - Kwik Fit want £50 up front to carry out the check.

[Mike]

if you use these guys to enquire about the issue of fuel levels as Autodata books, the industry bible for these settings don't state any ballast required for our vehicles when using their data.

Hi,

The original repair and procedures manual for the Rover 75, produced for the industry by Thatcham in 1999, contains the instructions for carrying out wheel alignment only with a full fuel tank. Happy to post a copy of the relevant page if that would help - as soon as I find the ****** thing in my archive doh!

Regards

Mike :)

[JohnDotCom]

Get digging then Mike. :D LOL.

[Mike]

Get digging then Mike. :D LOL.

Your not joking John! Do you know if I get much more for this archive I'll be forced to index it and perhaps even store it all in an orderly fashion - now that will be a first for me lol ;)

[andyw]

Yep, I knew that and I filled up at Sainsbury's just around the corner from chemix before I gave them the car!

[DerekS]

Had one rear tread wear on the outside tread. 4 wheel tracked... it was ok for about 2 years, then wear showng again. Had it retracked by same garage, and its now been ok for another 2 years. But each time the operator had to ring up to Rover/rover dealer to get the correct toe in. Each time he got a told different toe setting. Did the recommended setting keep changing ? The wheels now are set to point more parallel than the first setting.
If the wheels are so badly out of alignment, you will feel a nudge sideways when you go over a pothole.
Best of luck.

[David3807]

Yes I think there were several settings used by Rover in an attempt I think to cure the common problem of uneven tyre wear on the rear - usually inside edges of the tyres. I had the uneven tyre wear on my first 75 and I remember the main dealer saying that he wished MGR would make up their minds. At the end of the day I think he found his own settings which appeared to cure the problem. He managed it on mine anyway.

I had a theory (never proved) that reverse parking in a Rover was not always carried out perfectly by owners and they kerbed the nearside rear wheel. Now we know that kerbing the fronts can upset the front end alignment - why not the same on the rear. Given that they can be adjusted.

[Neil Coupland]

David, when I had mine done earlier this year, the chap setting it stated that there was a band rather than a single setting in which the rear wheel should be, mind you he was talking fractions of a degree so it must be a fairly small band.
I used Nottingham Car 4 Wheel Alighnment Ltd (snappy name!:D ), they were very good, and cost about £50 including adjustment to front and rear. It was a full laser set up and included a print out of the before and after settings. Tyre wear at the back now seems even, and the niggling pull to the near side has dissappeared.

[tigerchubs]

Hi,

The original repair and procedures manual for the Rover 75, produced for the industry by Thatcham in 1999, contains the instructions for carrying out wheel alignment only with a full fuel tank. Happy to post a copy of the relevant page if that would help - as soon as I find the ****** thing in my archive doh!

Regards

Mike :)

I don’t doubt what was written in 1999 but having personally tracked thousands of cars over many years, I have known a lot of data be amended. Autodata supply this information to almost all the motor repair industry, sourced from motor vehicle manufacturers.
Many manufacturers ballast cars to obtain the appropriate ride height to enable setting the vehicle when new. Due to wear and tear on joints, settlement/ weakening of springs and so on, the ride height of a vehicle changes. By filling the tank you will more than likely have a vehicle with a lower ride height than when set up as new. This fact has caused many vehicles settings to be amended. Tracking is not an exact science the setting figures are averages and as such will suit some cars better than others.
I have personally set up my own 75 using no ballast other than what is usually in the car. I then pull down and pushed up on the suspension making sure she didn’t exit the stated tolerances while watching for variation in measurements, this indicates if a vehicle has more wear on one side. This is possibly the reason JDC is getting wear on one wheel only, but fitters says its ok when checked.

[DerekS]

Yes I think there were several settings used by Rover in an attempt I think to cure the common problem of uneven tyre wear on the rear - usually inside edges of the tyres. I had the uneven tyre wear on my first 75 and I remember the main dealer saying that he wished MGR would make up their minds. At the end of the day I think he found his own settings which appeared to cure the problem. He managed it on mine anyway.

I had a theory (never proved) that reverse parking in a Rover was not always carried out perfectly by owners and they kerbed the nearside rear wheel. Now we know that kerbing the fronts can upset the front end alignment - why not the same on the rear. Given that they can be adjusted.

Wouldnt reverse parking problems give rise to uneven wear on the inside tread ? Most complaints here seem to be about wear on the outside.
Toe setting data :- My handbook (1999) says rear : 0.37Degrees ,+/- 0.25 degrees.
The variation allowed seems to be quite large.
Whats the going rate today ?

[David3807]

Most tyre wear problems around 2001 were with the inner edges of the rear tyres if I remember correctly.

Having said that who knows what a knock to a wheel can do to the geometry either front or back. Would have thought that it would depend on the angle and severity of the impact and perhaps the load in the car as to causing wear on inside or outside edge.

But then I am an accountant not a tyre expert. I might be talking complete rubbish. It would'nt be the first time.:)

And I did say it was only a theory.