What causes tyre wear in the middle of a rear tyre
Discussion
madras said:
What is the reason for rear tyres on a RWD car wearing out in the middle long before the edges? Pressures have been correct, or if anything, under inflated.
Should I now swap them over to the fronts as they are more likely to wear around the edges?
Thanks
Should I now swap them over to the fronts as they are more likely to wear around the edges?
Thanks
All Mercs do this. It's common practice to do as you've done and try to reduce the effect by keeping the rears a little low and the fronts a little high (but only by a couple of pounds, and remember to adjust particularly the rears if the car is fully loaded).
You're lucky you can swop the tyres front to back - mine are different sizes.
check tyre pressures when cold= correct.
expecting the pressures to be ok when warm= wrong.
do check the tyre pressures when the tyres are cold, but set them a few pounds lower than what is recommended. so, when you are actually driving the car(the bit that matters), the pressures willl actually be correct once they are getting warmed up/are properly warmed.
so, drop the pressures a couple of pounds, and thank us after when its all ok
expecting the pressures to be ok when warm= wrong.
do check the tyre pressures when the tyres are cold, but set them a few pounds lower than what is recommended. so, when you are actually driving the car(the bit that matters), the pressures willl actually be correct once they are getting warmed up/are properly warmed.
so, drop the pressures a couple of pounds, and thank us after when its all ok
Roberto Rica said:
Hi Madras
They might be over-inflated - surprised you couldn't work that out for yourself.
Rob
They might be over-inflated - surprised you couldn't work that out for yourself.
Rob
are you a comeidan, or do you just not read the threads?
the tyres are not over inflated it's due to ripping the car all the time and spinning the rear wheels
just wanted to check if anyone thought it might be a geometry problem.
surprised you couldn't work that out for yourself by reading the thread.
madras said:
it's due to ripping the car all the time and spinning the rear wheels
That might make it worse, but I can assure you that no-one drives more gently than me in my C270CDi which I pretty well only use for long motorway journeys (getting 50MPG) and, although it's got a fair amount of torque, it's only had its tyres briefly spun on very rare occaisions when pulling out of side roads in the wet.
Yet my tyres wore out in exactly the way you describe.
I used to run Bridgestones on mine, they would always wear in the middle - I thought that was a bit odd, not what I'd expect. Running Dunlops now but only had 'em for 2 months, nothing noticeable yet.
The Bridgestones have a different patten in the centre, not like the patten either side, almost smooth by comparison. The wear bars are either side of the the centre band too. I ran the tyres until the tread was nearly to the wear bars.
The Bridgestones have a different patten in the centre, not like the patten either side, almost smooth by comparison. The wear bars are either side of the the centre band too. I ran the tyres until the tread was nearly to the wear bars.
OK so we know it can't possibly be caused by the wrong tyre pressure, despite that being the blindingly obvious explanation. If it was me I'd try lowering the tyre pressure a touch anyway, at the end of the day the tyres opinion about the right pressure is the only one that matters and to me that tyre is shouting 'too much pressure'.
But lateral thinking, is it possible the shoulders of the tyre are actually harder than the center? Getting the tyre really hot hardens it, and it's possible that somewhere along the way the shoulders have got a lot hotter than the middle of the tread for whatever reason.
But lateral thinking, is it possible the shoulders of the tyre are actually harder than the center? Getting the tyre really hot hardens it, and it's possible that somewhere along the way the shoulders have got a lot hotter than the middle of the tread for whatever reason.
Smiler. said:
I used to run Bridgestones on mine, they would always wear in the middle - I thought that was a bit odd, not what I'd expect. Running Dunlops now but only had 'em for 2 months, nothing noticeable yet.
The Bridgestones have a different patten in the centre, not like the patten either side, almost smooth by comparison. The wear bars are either side of the the centre band too. I ran the tyres until the tread was nearly to the wear bars.
The Bridgestones have a different patten in the centre, not like the patten either side, almost smooth by comparison. The wear bars are either side of the the centre band too. I ran the tyres until the tread was nearly to the wear bars.
Mine was on Bridgestones from new , too. The rears were bald in the centre when I changed them, but still had 3-4mm at the sides.
I've got Michelin Primacy HP's on now - it's fairly early days, but the centre wear is not as obvious as on the Bridgestones.
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