Eldar

I checked the tyres today, after 5000 from new. The inside of the fronts was worn to the limit, the middle half worn and the outside about two thirds gone. The rears were about half worn evenly. Is this normal? And is swapping the fronts to the back reasonable?

And it looks like the radiator is leaking from the header/radiator join. Time for a trip to use the warranty....

Colin.

speedking

I have done 11000 miles. Swapped tyres back to front at 6000 as recommended in the handbook. Wear = about 50% all round. Pretty even side to side of the tyres too. These are original bridgestones on MY02.

Unless you really rag the car you might have an alignment problem.

Many people on here say not to renew just a pair of tyres but do all four, therefore rotating the tyres is essential. Might be too late but I would swap fronts for backs and see how it goes. Just be careful because the handling might feel strange for a bit after you do the swap.

HTH

scooby_si

i had the same on the inside of 1 of my front tyres & my advice is whenever u fit new rubber get the geometry dun! It's far cheaper than new rubber so soon pays 4 itself
Si

Josh L

Eldar.

A few points.

1.You need to get the geometry checked, and set to the middle of IM's tolerances.
On my '98, I was getting 8-11 k out of a set of tyres until I had the geometry checked. I got 18k out of the next set.

2. you need to rotate your tyres regularly.
Something that's worth doing on any car, but I do mine every 3k or so. This gives me even tyre wear, but also means they all have to be replaced at once. The best way to do it, but the most expensive.

3. You might want to look at your tyre pressures.
Because I live in the home of the roundabout, I was getting bad wear on the inside edges of the tyres, until I spoke to a Continental tyre engineer who told me they recommended Thames Valley Police cars use an extra 3-5lbs of pressure in the fronts to even out wear. I now use an extra 3 in my fronts, and get very even wear.


Josh

lucky_strike

Done 7000 in mine and the inside of both fronts is wearing way more then everything else. I'm gonna rotate them and get the geometry done at the same time.

Eldar

Thanks all. I'll up the front pressure by 3 psi and see what happens. I don't thrash the car particularly, but the usage is nearly all b & c roads so there are lots of corners.

When its back at the dealer having the radiator replaced, I'll get them to check the geometery.

If i'd left the fronts in place until 6k, I suspect the insides would be bald.

Colin.

scooby_si

not that i have been 2 a lot but check yer dealer actually has a 4 wheel geometry thing as i have yet 2 c 1 who duz
Si

speedking

<grandmother sucking eggs>

Tyres are rotational so do not swap left to right, just front to rear on the same side.

PS I wouldn't recommend introducing the spare into the rotation schedule either

</grandmother sucking eggs>