Turbocharger Posted October 20, 2008 Share Posted October 20, 2008 My tyres seem to be wearing half the tread blocks, such that at low speed (rolling around the yard outside my house) some of the tread isn't even touching the floor. Now, I've just sorted out the tracking at the front (tyres 1" further apart at the front than by the trackrod ) but the rears look like this, picture taken from behind (fnarr fnarr): The white shows where the tyre picks up dust off the concrete - the trailing half of the central blocks and every other shoulder lug aren't touching the ground each revolution. Obviously under driving torque the tyre is flexing and pushing the black patches down onto the road, to such an extent that they're wearing faster and then sitting easy when I'm just chugging round the yard on idle. Question is, why? For the beard-strokers, they're 285/75R16 BFG MTs on LR Freestyle alloys on a Ninety, I'm 11st wet through and this season I'm mostly wearing overalls. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ciderman Posted October 20, 2008 Share Posted October 20, 2008 Slow down on the roundabouts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Posted October 20, 2008 Share Posted October 20, 2008 John, don't forget they had a slightly odd wear pattern when you acquired them... not sure it has much to do with what you are describing though... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbocharger Posted October 20, 2008 Author Share Posted October 20, 2008 They were a bit odd when I got them, but that was mostly shoulder wear and they're on the other way round. I'd expect the old wear to have cleared up by now. Jase - you have a strong point there, but wouldn't that be wear on the LH (outer) shoulder? It's a diesel, I need to "carry speed". I'm not deeply concerned, I suspect it's just the raw torque of my asthmatic Tdi through a power-sapping auto but if somebody says "you've clearly got your gismo out of kilter" then I'll make the necessary adjustments. I suppose I really want someone else to say "that happens to me too" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted October 20, 2008 Share Posted October 20, 2008 That's what happens to Freelanders when the VCU locks up, not sure if that would follow with a defender through (transmission lock up / wind up) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbocharger Posted October 20, 2008 Author Share Posted October 20, 2008 [Light dawns] I have a Trutrac in the rear axle. Someone put me on the stupid pile please? Next time I've got the wheels in the air I'll see if it's seized (the tyres do squeal when I'm doing tight corners in "squealy" car parks, the kind where even Fiestas make a gentle chirrup) but otherwise it's well behaved on and off road, so I'll live with it as a 'feature'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TSD Posted October 20, 2008 Share Posted October 20, 2008 I suppose I really want someone else to say "that happens to me too" It happens (happened) to me too My 200 tdi disco did it through 3 sets of BFGs in my ownership (150K + miles). As far as I know, it's still doing it with it's new owner too. Don't think mine was as severe as yours though. On TracEdges, you could clearly see that the trailing edge of one tread block was a different height to the leading edge of the next. I have seen it on other Discos as well. It wasn't severe enough to worry about, I always sold my second hand tyres after 40 - 50k miles so it wasn't hurting tyre life too much. I guess it's a combination of tyre/spring/shock/vehicle weight. Adjust one of those enough and it might go away. Of course, you'll have to drive several thousand miles to spot any improvement, so it could be a long job As Fridge says, it was a well known complaint on Freelanders, IIRC Land Rover changed the tyre type to reduce the problem, and eventually changed the rear diff ratio (And that on vehicles before the VC siezes up!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discojmz Posted October 20, 2008 Share Posted October 20, 2008 freestyles are 7inch right? 285s shouldnt be on 7inch rims. it pinches the sidewalls in and forcibly changes the way the tyre sits on the road. cant be helping? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon W Posted October 20, 2008 Share Posted October 20, 2008 What pressures are you running in them John?? Mine were acquire from the same source I think and have similar wear patterns. However my old set which I had from new had an even wear pattern all over and they were ate 30 - 32psi when on road. Jon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbocharger Posted October 20, 2008 Author Share Posted October 20, 2008 I usually aim at 30-32psi when I'm airing them up, they have to go down to ~4psi to get it into the garage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GBMUD Posted October 20, 2008 Share Posted October 20, 2008 I usually aim at 30-32psi when I'm airing them up, they have to go down to ~4psi to get it into the garage. What tyre pressures should your car have as standard - on 205s I guess? If you increase the tyre width by 40% odd, should you not also decrease tyre pressure to compensate? As an example, my quad weighs about 450kg once I am aboard yet runs only 4.6PSI in it's 10" wide rear tyres. Now an old Mini weighs about 1000kg and has tyres the same diameter but about 5" wide and needs 30PSI odd to keep the tyres firm. I guess that the Mini needs higher pressures for the road than the quad but still, see my point? Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lrfarmer Posted October 20, 2008 Share Posted October 20, 2008 my bronco D,D's do it. i just swap sides every so oftern mine are bad anuff that you can see the wear and i'm trying not to use them on the road much now any way Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbocharger Posted October 20, 2008 Author Share Posted October 20, 2008 I thought about swapping side to side, but I reckoned that it could wear them out even faster. If they're wearing funny, the last thing I want to do is put more rubber in the space that's worn away quickest... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tacr2man Posted October 21, 2008 Share Posted October 21, 2008 The first thing is that they are on the wrong rim width , there is a reason why manufacturers of tyres give a minimum and maximum rim size . Tyres with large void areas tend to heel and toe tread blocks, nothing you can do its a given . The other thing is once a tyre wears in a certain pattern due to misalignment , it will take a very long time to waer back to a normal pattern . You need to rotate tyres front to rear on 4wd as they will allways wear an outer edge in low and high due to steering geometry esp when cornered at speed. Do not swap tyres rotational direction as this will only accelerate wear . Side to side swap will require dismounting and rebalancing . mind you with wear eveident they would probably benefit from a balance anyway. this alone can cause wear esp in large width tyres, and if dampers are worn out. It will be almost impossible to set up a tyre pressure correctly due to your rim /tyre mismatch. You need to get wider rims or narrower section tyres. Note the wider your tyres go the more you will have edge wear patterns due to scrub etc. HTSH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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