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        General >> Problems >> Tyres knackered after 3000 miles
        
(Message started by: Nick_H on Jan 13^th, 2005, 3:01pm)

Title: Tyres broken after 3000 miles
Post by Nick_H on Jan 13^th, 2005, 3:01pm

Hi all,

I'd like to invite opinions on why two brand new (front) Goodyear Venturas were worn right down to the metal wires (on the inside edge) after less than 3000 miles (8 months).

http://www.nod-noffins.com/images/dufftyre.jpg

OK, this is because of the tracking/alignment being incorrect, but I wonder who exactly I should blame:

a) Garage A - that fitted the tyres and did the tracking at the same time?

b) Garage B - who replaced a track rod gaiter a month after the tyres were fitted (incidentally, my steering wheel no longer lines up dead-centre on straight-ahead after this was done).

Who should I (no doubt pointlessly) vent my spleen at? My hunch is Garage B.

Cheers,

Title: Re: Tyres broken after 3000 miles
Post by Vulcan on Jan 13^th, 2005, 3:15pm

I would say that garage b who did the last work on the tracking are to blame for the problem as anything garage a did to the tracking could have been totally negated by garage b.

The steering wheel not lining up straight is one of my major pet hates!! I had an old Granad Ghia that had this and it was back into the garage 3 times for them to try and rectify it but it still wasn't exactly straight. The guy said to take off the wheel and turn in one notch around so I said do it.... the wheel was then slightly out the other way! ???

I have sold cars in the past for having this problem, something in my head doesn't sit right when the wheel isn't straight although the car is!

Title: Re: Tyres broken after 3000 miles
Post by craig on Jan 13^th, 2005, 3:29pm

i would also assume garage B,if they replaced the gaitor,i'm guessing here but to save a little time,when the track rod end was removed,you can be quite close by counting the number of times it has turned before coming off of the end,but if you get the 1st number different from the 2nd number,then you obviously have a problem,again i am not speculating , but this is what some times can happen.......

who ever it was want's shooting though... ;)
look at the state of them tyres :o :o :o

Title: Re: Tyres broken after 3000 miles
Post by Snoopy on Jan 13^th, 2005, 3:29pm

No doubt about it garage 'B' they should have done the job correctly and then this would not have happened....get the wheel alignment rechecked.... ASAP but trying to prove anything now after 8 months is going to be very difficult ...

And to you George... (Vulcan) there is a correct procedure for setting the steering wheel centrally if its not on the main site then I can send you the details... just checked the main site and as usual Eric has done the business so its here
http://www.fordscorpio.co.uk/manual/steering/CentrlSTWheel.pdf

Title: Re: Tyres broken after 3000 miles
Post by Baz on Jan 13^th, 2005, 3:47pm

Nick,

whoever you blame, they will either blame the other garage or blame you for bouncing up and down kerbs or speed bumps etc. You will probably not win this one I'm afraid. Just like the problems I faced with having company cars with tyre problems. The hire company always blamed "side wall damage" which wasn't covered!

Baz

Title: Re: Tyres broken after 3000 miles
Post by desperate on Jan 13^th, 2005, 4:06pm

You gotta play this one crafty.

Don't let garage a know about garage b at all.

Just say that that's the wear since you had the tyres done and nothing else.. They should then honour the repairs. I mean, that arm was fitted 6months before the tyres wasn't it !!!! Yes it was.

Title: Re: Tyres broken after 3000 miles
Post by daven on Jan 13^th, 2005, 4:18pm

Could i be that Garage b tracked it up wrong - whichever way the tow in/out should be set for rear wheel drive?

Wonder if it is worth taking to an independent garage to check if this is the case - if it is the correct figure but set to the wrong way you may have a bit more clout.

And I would think it has to be out quite a bit to wear that much in 3k miles! :o

Good luck

Daven

Title: Re: Tyres broken after 3000 miles
Post by mr._floppy on Jan 13^th, 2005, 4:49pm

The tracking must be well out to create that amount of wear, did the tyres squeal a la Starky and Hutch when going round even modest corners ? a sure sign of excess toe-out . You should remember that the toe-in/out steering measurement is only when the car is stationary, when in motion a car's front wheels should be straight and parallel , the toe-in/out only ensures that the steering linkages and wheel bearings are not liable to undue stress and wear when the car is moving.

Title: Re: Tyres broken after 3000 miles
Post by bazw on Jan 13^th, 2005, 6:05pm

a quick question
whats the tread depth on the rest of the tyre it looks quite thin
a new tyre is 8mm deep on average and they look to be down to about 4 in the midle and almost nothing on the outside
this is a normal sign of a tyre run under inflated
i would use a different tyre place and get the alignment checked then if its wrong give it a go @ the place that did the boot as i think they must have not tracked it when they did it but if the trackings ok then i think its down to tyre pressure and nowt can be done for it :(

Title: Re: Tyres broken after 3000 miles
Post by johnv on Jan 13^th, 2005, 6:09pm

that's why on the 1st day of each month i walk around my car and record on a record car the depth of tread.
That way, you know straight away if you are getting un-even wear and can react to save your tyres.
I am thinking 8 months after the work is far to long to go to law. It would be said, why did you not come back before now. in not doing so its you that have worn out your tyres. (even if we did not do the work correct).
This is what these quick fit outlets do, wip a trackrod off and slap on another, with no regards to anything.
I firmly believe that if you make sure the steering wheel is correct, then un-screw the trackrod end counting the turns carefully and write it down then put the new one on the same amount of turns you can't go wrong.
Because it showing the wire or brown canvas the tyres are an mot failure. If it was not for that you could swap the tyres around to even out the wear.
I got some 195 and some 205 tyres, some brand new, i wanting to get rid off, because I changed to 225 tyres now.

Title: Re: Tyres broken after 3000 miles
Post by Nick_H on Jan 13^th, 2005, 6:12pm

Hi all,

Thanks for the replies. They basically confirm what I was thinking - "Don't go back to Garage B". >:( >:( >:(

I have had to get the tyres replaced, so no longer have the 'evidence'. I knew I would be on to a loser if I tried to confront the garage and try to get some recompense. I also didn't want to be thrown off the road into the proverbial ditch - the front-end was understeering like nobody's business! (Besides, if Mr. Plod saw me with the tyres as they were, it'd be: "Hello lots of points, bye-bye lots of money")

If anyone on here knows of a reputable small garage in the West Sussex area, then I'd be glad of a recommendation...

Title: Re: Tyres broken after 3000 miles
Post by johnv on Jan 13^th, 2005, 6:40pm

What Mr Floppy says it just so right. On my 1996 2000cc estate the near side front used to squeel real bad as I did a u-turn at Coventry station. you have to go in and out of the station car park. Everyone used to look. but I had my wheels tracked-up now. I remember the chap saying it was 12 and it should be 2.
I was thinking there was not a great deal of tread on the others for just 3000 miles, as well