Tire Wear ?
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 515
Likes: 133
Tire Wear ?
2002 Coupe, 86,000 miles, no mods, Michelin Pilot Sport AS ZP stock size rears, showing excessive wear in center at 13,000 miles (I normally get 35,000 on rears). It is worse on right than left and worse toward inside of tire than outside.
Local tire shop could only suggest excessive pressure, but I always keep reasonably close to 30 psi cold. I will have alignment checked next week, it has been several years since last check.
Anybody have similar experiences or suggestions?
Local tire shop could only suggest excessive pressure, but I always keep reasonably close to 30 psi cold. I will have alignment checked next week, it has been several years since last check.
Anybody have similar experiences or suggestions?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 2,172
Likes: 104
From: Des Moines Iowa
How old are the Michelin Pilot Sport A/S ZPs? A while back, there were a number of postings on the topic of excessive wear in the middle on this tire, and I recall several members suggesting the tires were over inflated, while a few others stated that Michelin came out with a statement that the older versions of this tire had premature center wear due to UNDER inflation, and subseqent tire squirm that caused heat and excessive wear. For these earlier manufactured tires, Michelin was suggesting increasing the inflation to 35 lbs. Perhaps you can find more doing a search in the archive section.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 515
Likes: 133
They are about a year and half old.
Did some more searching and found pressure reccomendations all over they place, some reccomended more than 30 psi cold, some less. No links to anything offical.
Previous tires were the same Michelins and got about 36,000 on the rears. Nothing different this time that I know of.
Did some more searching and found pressure reccomendations all over they place, some reccomended more than 30 psi cold, some less. No links to anything offical.
Previous tires were the same Michelins and got about 36,000 on the rears. Nothing different this time that I know of.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 515
Likes: 133
Update:
Alignments all within factory specs. Slightly puzzling that rear camber was -.5 left and 0 right whereas the tire wear would tend to indicate more negative camber on the right. Am I missing something?
E-mailed Michelin USA and got the following basically worthless response:
They had never heard of this problem on Corvettes in spite of my input that this forum and tirerack.com comments indicated that it was not unusual.
They reccomended vehicle manufacturers reccomended pressure pressure but said to play with it a birt if this was not satisfacotry.
Had no explanation of difference between this set and previous set of the same model.
Alignments all within factory specs. Slightly puzzling that rear camber was -.5 left and 0 right whereas the tire wear would tend to indicate more negative camber on the right. Am I missing something?
E-mailed Michelin USA and got the following basically worthless response:
They had never heard of this problem on Corvettes in spite of my input that this forum and tirerack.com comments indicated that it was not unusual.
They reccomended vehicle manufacturers reccomended pressure pressure but said to play with it a birt if this was not satisfacotry.
Had no explanation of difference between this set and previous set of the same model.
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 6,937
Likes: 21
From: Waldorf MD
It has been reported before, the original ZP's wore in the center, a lot of people went to 28 psi and were okay.
I have had 3 sets of OEM Runflats, I also use 28 psi on rear's. I get 55,000 miles from fronts and 45,000 miles from rears.
I have had 3 sets of OEM Runflats, I also use 28 psi on rear's. I get 55,000 miles from fronts and 45,000 miles from rears.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 5,747
Likes: 224
From: Hillsboro Oregon
My AS ZPs are doing the same on the rear only.
I run 28 cold but these puppies heat up FAST. No odd wear on the fronts. Had alignment checked twice.......all OK.
These are about 3 years old.
I run 28 cold but these puppies heat up FAST. No odd wear on the fronts. Had alignment checked twice.......all OK.
These are about 3 years old.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 5,747
Likes: 224
From: Hillsboro Oregon
Not likely for radials.
Racer
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 340
Likes: 19
From: Royal Oak Michigan
I've had the same issue with my last two rear pair (275/40R18) of non run-flat Michelin Pilot Sport A/S on stock wheels. I am a spirited driver and keep my tires at 30 psi cold (checked weekly). I had my first pair of rear tires from 2003-2006: they lasted just under 24K miles. My current pair (2006-present) have about 14K miles and are 1/2 worn in the center, but have 8/32 tread on the outside. The fronts were purchased in 2003; have nearly 38K miles on them and are pretty worn.
I thought the rear tire wear was strange, but chalked it up to my driving style. I had the alignment checked when I got the last pair of tires and it was perfect.
However, now since the second pair show the same wear pattern, I think Michelin has an issue with their design or build. These tires were great when I drove my car year-round: they provided excellent rain and decent snow traction. Now since it is a summer car only, I am going to buy another set of tires in a summer-only compound.
I thought the rear tire wear was strange, but chalked it up to my driving style. I had the alignment checked when I got the last pair of tires and it was perfect.
However, now since the second pair show the same wear pattern, I think Michelin has an issue with their design or build. These tires were great when I drove my car year-round: they provided excellent rain and decent snow traction. Now since it is a summer car only, I am going to buy another set of tires in a summer-only compound.
Last edited by C5Luv'R; Jun 17, 2009 at 12:27 AM. Reason: More Information
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 19,304
Likes: 85
From: San Diego CA
Adjust according to wear patterns.
My original runflats wore in the center (rear tires) at 30 psi cold, so I ran those at 28 psi max cold. My GSD3s, however, require 32 psi front and back. The 30 psi that on the door sticker is just a guideline which assumes certain weights and of course, OEM suspension components and settings. My advice is to keep an eye on the wear patterns and adjust pressure, accordingly.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 43,084
Likes: 33
From: Raleigh / Rolesville NC
That is A LOT of miles out of performance tires even run flats. 2x to 3x normal rate.
18-25K miles is about normal. Any more then then that the rubber may get too hard for a performance tire.
Yes abnormal center tire wear is from too high of pressure, or bad tires.
Advanced
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 72
Likes: 1
From: Central OH
The recommended PSI is not gospel. If you're wearing in the middle, drop the pressure 2-3 pounds until you get a more even contact pattern. A simple test is to find a road, parking lot, garage floor, etc, do a very small, slow burnout (i.e. not John Force) and inspect the marks you just left.
If you see only the center portion of the tread blocks, drop the pressure. If you see only the outer edges leaving marks, raise the pressure. These are lights cars with wide tires outback. I think 30psi is too high.
If you see only the center portion of the tread blocks, drop the pressure. If you see only the outer edges leaving marks, raise the pressure. These are lights cars with wide tires outback. I think 30psi is too high.
Pro
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 743
Likes: 1
From: Bartlett IL
It is the ps as tires not your car,alignment or tire pressire. I work at a high end dealership in chicagoland and we see a ton of these tires. The older versions allwise make the cars pull right. All of them before and after the "update" wear the centers prematurely. Mercedes Benz released a formal doucument saying that they will not cover warranty alignments with these tires and do not recomend these tires for their cars. It does not matter the pressure or the alignment. They are just bad tires. It is in the structure. When the tire compresses as you drive it scrubes the center more than the outside. I recomend the ps2's if you don't drive in the snow. If you do, don't run the ps as's, It sucks because I see it everyday and people spend over $1,000 on a set of tires that are junk when they would of been better of with kuhmo's
Racer
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 340
Likes: 19
From: Royal Oak Michigan
To back up turboc5's comments, my front are early vintage tires and the car has always pulled to the right with them. The alignment is OK, and when I had Z06 wheels with Pilot Sport tires, the car tracked straight. Also, when I removed my stock wheels and tires when the tires wore out, the tire tread portion was V-shaped when not under load (smaller overall diameter in the center). Very weird. The only reason I bought another pair was to have matching tires until my fronts wore out.
