Help with tire wear
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 2,094
Likes: 5
From: The 7th layer of hell - Western Washington
Help with tire wear
So I've been fighting tire wear issues on my '02Z since I brought it home. I am scrubbing the very inside and very outside edges off, while leaving a good deal of rubber left in the center portion of the tire.
It's really bad up front, on the rear it's not as bad - but I want it to be perfect. I've tried different pressures, alignment settings - all sorts of stuff and I can't seem to find the magic recipe.
Before I was running the tires hot at about 32 front and 30 rear, as that's where the car grips the best and had the best balance - so I'm wondering if I was just rolling over onto the edges too mutch? Right now I am running the following alignment and pressures trying to get more wear on the center of the tires.
Front
Camber -1.3
Toe +0.05
Caster 7.4
Pressure (hot) 36
Rear
Camber -1.1
Toe 0.00
Pressure (hot) 32
FWIW I drive the **** out of the car on the street and it sees track/auto-x duty so I am hesitant to remove any more camber than I already have - as there is a substantial difference in grip compared to the over -2.0 degrees front camber and -1.5 rear that I used to run...
Anybody else having similar issues? I am pretty sure that I was just running too low of pressure, but figured I would throw a line out there and see what people think...
It's really bad up front, on the rear it's not as bad - but I want it to be perfect. I've tried different pressures, alignment settings - all sorts of stuff and I can't seem to find the magic recipe.
Before I was running the tires hot at about 32 front and 30 rear, as that's where the car grips the best and had the best balance - so I'm wondering if I was just rolling over onto the edges too mutch? Right now I am running the following alignment and pressures trying to get more wear on the center of the tires.
Front
Camber -1.3
Toe +0.05
Caster 7.4
Pressure (hot) 36
Rear
Camber -1.1
Toe 0.00
Pressure (hot) 32
FWIW I drive the **** out of the car on the street and it sees track/auto-x duty so I am hesitant to remove any more camber than I already have - as there is a substantial difference in grip compared to the over -2.0 degrees front camber and -1.5 rear that I used to run...
Anybody else having similar issues? I am pretty sure that I was just running too low of pressure, but figured I would throw a line out there and see what people think...
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,155
Likes: 0
From: San Diego California
A lot of guys religiously put no more than the GM recommended 30 lbs cold. But I have always run 35-36 lbs cold in my C3, C4 and C5- with good alignment. I've had NO tire wear problems -inside, outside or middle, and a consistant 60,000 miles on the tires- Goodyear or BFG's. I've been fortunate to mostly drive on dry, good condition roads and freeways in San Diego area. You'll also get slightly better gas milage due to less rolling resistence, and a firmer ride- but remember, it is a sports car.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 19,304
Likes: 85
From: San Diego CA
You can accelerate/reduce wear to inside edges and center if the alignment is correct, but once the alignment is out, it is very difficult to correct/overcompensate the wear pattern (that occured during the out-of-alignment condition) after the alignment is corrected.
I find that 28-32 psi (cold) is good for my rear tires and 30-33 is the right pressure for the fronts.
I find that 28-32 psi (cold) is good for my rear tires and 30-33 is the right pressure for the fronts.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 9,910
Likes: 1,859
From: Hot Springs AR
Josh,
I think what you're seeing is a combination of your driving style (do you autocross on the same tires?) and your alignment.
That much negative camber will definitely wear the inside of the tread, and cornering at the limit will get the outer edges.
HTH, and have a good one,
Mike
I think what you're seeing is a combination of your driving style (do you autocross on the same tires?) and your alignment.
That much negative camber will definitely wear the inside of the tread, and cornering at the limit will get the outer edges.
HTH, and have a good one,
Mike
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 2,094
Likes: 5
From: The 7th layer of hell - Western Washington
Josh,
I think what you're seeing is a combination of your driving style (do you autocross on the same tires?) and your alignment.
That much negative camber will definitely wear the inside of the tread, and cornering at the limit will get the outer edges.
HTH, and have a good one,
Mike
I think what you're seeing is a combination of your driving style (do you autocross on the same tires?) and your alignment.
That much negative camber will definitely wear the inside of the tread, and cornering at the limit will get the outer edges.
HTH, and have a good one,
Mike
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 9,910
Likes: 1,859
From: Hot Springs AR
Actually, I'm thinking that might hurt your situation. Adding pressure will stiffen up the tire, localizing the load on the shoulders even more. Your pressures are higher than I run already (also more agressive camber). If you drop the pressures down a couple of psi that *might* help.
My fronts wear the inner and outer edges in a manner similar to yours (maybe not the same degree, but the same pattern). I think the staggered tire sizes also aggravate the problem, since the car naturally understeers so much with the 245/275 split.
HTH, and have a good one,
Mike
My fronts wear the inner and outer edges in a manner similar to yours (maybe not the same degree, but the same pattern). I think the staggered tire sizes also aggravate the problem, since the car naturally understeers so much with the 245/275 split.
HTH, and have a good one,
Mike
Advanced
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 94
Likes: 1
From: Omaha NE
Actually I have seen that the PS2 tire NEEDS more air to keep it flat and not wear the edges. I have worked with the Viper groups that have seen this issue and the higher pressures like 32-34 cold help considerably to get the center of a wide tire to work since the side wall is a lot "softer" than you might think.
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Pro
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 693
Likes: 92
From: Savannah GA
Josh,
...If you catch a wear pattern early you can often correct it with tire pressure. After the wear has gone too far it is tought to get tire pressures to make the rest of the tread wear and catch up to the worn spots. Bad news as PS2s are expensive. But you already knew that.
Jeff
...If you catch a wear pattern early you can often correct it with tire pressure. After the wear has gone too far it is tought to get tire pressures to make the rest of the tread wear and catch up to the worn spots. Bad news as PS2s are expensive. But you already knew that.
Jeff
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 2,094
Likes: 5
From: The 7th layer of hell - Western Washington
Actually, I'm thinking that might hurt your situation. Adding pressure will stiffen up the tire, localizing the load on the shoulders even more. Your pressures are higher than I run already (also more agressive camber). If you drop the pressures down a couple of psi that *might* help.
Actually I have seen that the PS2 tire NEEDS more air to keep it flat and not wear the edges. I have worked with the Viper groups that have seen this issue and the higher pressures like 32-34 cold help considerably to get the center of a wide tire to work since the side wall is a lot "softer" than you might think.
I'm curious why this would have an affect? I didn't think caster would have a major impact on tire wear?
Josh,
...If you catch a wear pattern early you can often correct it with tire pressure. After the wear has gone too far it is tought to get tire pressures to make the rest of the tread wear and catch up to the worn spots. Bad news as PS2s are expensive. But you already knew that.
Jeff
...If you catch a wear pattern early you can often correct it with tire pressure. After the wear has gone too far it is tought to get tire pressures to make the rest of the tread wear and catch up to the worn spots. Bad news as PS2s are expensive. But you already knew that.
Jeff
Last edited by jbauch357; Jul 1, 2008 at 10:28 AM.
Race Director
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