Help Needed With Tyres!!!

[Mundip]

Hi All

Need some advice with my tyres, when i got the car two months ago all 4 were virtually brand new (covered 100 miles only). I have covered just less than 3k miles with them now,They are Uniroyal Rainsport tyres. I have noticed in the last month or so the car hasnt handled the road that nicely (kinda felt it pull left and right when braking, cruising at 70+) but i read that with E46's on larger wheels you get this problem so didnt think much, i decided the check the tyres today and found the back two were perfectly fine but i checked the front and this is what i found!!! :eek:

http://www.midnightphotos.co.uk/userimages/full/14/756.jpg
http://www.midnightphotos.co.uk/userimages/full/5/757.jpg

The other tyre on the front looks pretty simular but not so worn on the inside! Now to me its looks pretty bad!

My question is

Is this a fault with the tyres? Or is the tracking well out of place, if so when i get some replacements what do i need to make sure the fitter does to stop this happening in future, please help as im worried this could be a costly exercise replacing the front tyres every 2 months!!!

[lee330sport]

Its the camber on the front wheels its out by quite abit. Needs correcting. Dont know where you can get camber adjusters from. Nick will know ;)

[Durgesh]

Roy on the forum, can get you the Camber thingy's.

This will always happen if you drop your car, unless you do something to correct the camber.

Durgesh

[Stock323iSaloon]

I'm also interested in this. When we talk about wheel alignment, are we talking about adjusting the camber, or is it completly different?

Also, I have read up that on rare occasion, you need to get a camber kit? [hmm

[Mundip]

Thanks

Just showed my dad but he reckons if the camber is out that only one side should be wearing not both?? :confused: I dunno maybe he is wrong! He reckons the wheel bearings could be screwed?, anyway this camber problem can it be solved by taking the car to a local tyre dealer and have the wheel allignment done? Or is it more of a problem than that!! Thanks guys really appreciate your advice so far!!

[peppernick]

What tyres you running up front? Your tyres may be rubbing on the chassis during full lock or near full lock. That would explain the selective inner wear.

However, looking at the pics it looks more like excessive negative camber.

[Durgesh]

The camber can be adjusted at a proper Alignment, such as at "Speedway".

However you can only bring it in a certain amount, until you run out of adjustment.

If might just be, that one side has come lose, and lost the setting. Like your dad says. I would take it and sort it out before you buy new tyres.

You get the camber correction thingy, to properly sort the camber out, when the factory adjustment is not enough.

Durgesh

[scorcher]

So should you always get the wheels realigned when you upgrade them?

Wondering if I'll need to do the same when I go up to 19" on my R32?

[peppernick]

You will not find better camber plates than these ;)

http://www.turnermotorsport.com/image/suspension/susp_e46_racing_camber_lg.jpg

http://www.turnermotorsport.com/image/suspension/susp_e46_racing_camber_close_lg.jpg

[lee330sport]

wahey, they look top quality. Might invest in some of those after HIN, should work a treat. Although i have to say even with the sportline drop my camber hasnt altered much.

[Afif]

how much are those camber plates?

[peppernick]

They are $400 from Turner's.

[Mundip]

Thanks for the replies guys, well im not sure but i think i may have found the problem. I checked the air pressures of the tyres today and the tyre you see in the pic had a pressure of 10 psi :eek: and the other side had 30 psi, so it seems like i have been running on a pretty flat tyre for a while, so this might explain the excessive wear. My dad reckons i need to get the new tyres done, check the pressures regularly and get the wheel alignment adjusted properly and it should all be ok. I hope thats that case, any thoughts???

[Nickleback]

Hi,
Maybe I'm being a tad careful, but that wear looked more than just pressure issues, underinflated tyres wear more on the inside & outside evenly as they go concave not convex in shape ???????
I would check the geometry before fitting new quality tyres!!! :confused: [read

[Stock323iSaloon]

so does the car now drive straight with the correct air pressure? sounds as if u may have found a simple solution afterall:0 learn new things everyday...don't u love this forum!

[westside]

The camber can be adjusted at a proper Alignment, such as at "Speedway".

However you can only bring it in a certain amount, until you run out of adjustment.

If might just be, that one side has come lose, and lost the setting. Like your dad says. I would take it and sort it out before you buy new tyres.

You get the camber correction thingy, to properly sort the camber out, when the factory adjustment is not enough.

Durgesh

are you sure they can adjust the front camber have they got the special tool that sits on the top mount to adjust it? i'll be surprised if they do. Most places can do th erear camber toe and the front toe very very few places can do the front camber.

[peppernick]

Kav, we found out a way to do it. You knock the placement pin down and you will have quite a good range of side to side movement that will allow you to adjust your camber by an additional 4 degrees either way. Once the upper strut mounts are tightened, they will not budge because of the triple point anchor. With a strut brace, it's even firmer. I did this to my 330 and it's fine. Not the most refine way to do it but [ok

[Stock323iSaloon]

Can someone confirm how many adjustable components are on a E46 (camber, toe, caster)? I know that cars such as Lexus has all 3 adjustments mentioned and to do a full alignment check, you need to adjust all 12 areas and this will cost hell of a lot (about 150-200 quid in Japan). i've attached a 'proper' alignment report off a Suzuki Capuccino...

[westside]

Kav, we found out a way to do it. You knock the placement pin down and you will have quite a good range of side to side movement that will allow you to adjust your camber by an additional 4 degrees either way. Once the upper strut mounts are tightened, they will not budge because of the triple point anchor. With a strut brace, it's even firmer. I did this to my 330 and it's fine. Not the most refine way to do it but [ok


mmmm one way to do it lol

[Afif]

i got a report very similar to that from feltham tyres mitsu after i got it aligned ... id look for it but i dont have a scanner neways :(

[Stock323iSaloon]

Afif, how much did u pay for the alignment? In glasgow, I used to get it done for 9 quid but I'm not expecting similar price down here tho...

[Afif]

LOL 9 quid?...... cost me £60.

[Stock323iSaloon]

LOL 9 quid?...... cost me £60.
yup, u get what you pay for (probably only did one wheel):)

[AlpinaAl]

you have PM

[Mundip]

Just got the car back, cost £381 for two new tyres and a optiline. The front camber was out and needed adjusting so hopefully an end to the problem!!!

[Silver]

9!!!...lol...wat machine dey use!!...cost me 85 to get it done!!

[Afif]

machine? i was under the idea the guy squatted down behind the car and checked if the wheels looked straight [crackmeup :D

[Stock323iSaloon]

9!!!...lol...wat machine dey use!!...cost me 85 to get it done!!
they don't use machines in glasgow when i used them, just some wheel clamps and infra red sensors + mirror type things.