Inside front tires feathering
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 147
Likes: 0
From: Phoenix Arizona
Inside front tires feathering
Hey,
I have 8000 miles on my 08 Z51, should I expect to have mild feathering on the inside of my front tires? I drive mostly freeway with minimal twisties. I seem to remember having a similar issue on my 1990 mustang. Was told that it was normal for the type of driving I am doing.
Any input?
I have 8000 miles on my 08 Z51, should I expect to have mild feathering on the inside of my front tires? I drive mostly freeway with minimal twisties. I seem to remember having a similar issue on my 1990 mustang. Was told that it was normal for the type of driving I am doing.
Any input?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 6,149
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From: Greater Detroit Metro MI, when I'm not travelling.
GM Engineers spend a LOT of time testing and calibrating the factory alignment to maximise performance under all conditions while still providing acceptable tire wear.
Also camber is not what causes most of the wear; toe is. If you want to reduce wear and still get good handling just set zero toe.
Safety Car
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 4,939
Likes: 448
From: CHOCOWINITY NC
Get an alignment to factory spec (not within spec, but on spec)....My '08 was way outta spec in several areas. Figure they have 3 minutes on the assembly to make 10 suspension adjustments.
Normal driving with ocasional twisty forays will get you this at 9500 miles. The rears look even better:
Normal driving with ocasional twisty forays will get you this at 9500 miles. The rears look even better:
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 2,670
Likes: 134
From: merritt island fl
C1 of Year Finalist (stock) 2019
2016 C1 of the Year Finalist
2015 C2 of the Year Finalist
[QUOTE=Modshack;1566250162]Get an alignment to factory spec (not within spec, but on spec)....My '08 was way outta spec in several areas. Figure they have 3 minutes on the assembly to make 10 suspension adjustments.
Normal driving with ocasional twisty forays will get you this at 9500 miles. The rears look even better:
What, exactly, IS the factory spec?
Normal driving with ocasional twisty forays will get you this at 9500 miles. The rears look even better:
What, exactly, IS the factory spec?
Former Vendor
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 16,897
Likes: 412
From: Lewisville TX
St. Jude Donor '03-'04-'05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13
I don't know if I would be worried about camber as I would toe. If it is the far inside of the tire, it would almost have to much Toe OUT.
First things first, check it on a rack and see where it is.
First things first, check it on a rack and see where it is.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 11,393
Likes: 982
From: Carlsbad Ca
[QUOTE=dave pawlowski;1566250753]
Not this~
or this~
or even this~
but they can result in this...
and then driving in the rain with worn out tires causes this~
Get an alignment to factory spec (not within spec, but on spec)....My '08 was way outta spec in several areas. Figure they have 3 minutes on the assembly to make 10 suspension adjustments.
Normal driving with ocasional twisty forays will get you this at 9500 miles. The rears look even better:
What, exactly, IS the factory spec?
Normal driving with ocasional twisty forays will get you this at 9500 miles. The rears look even better:
What, exactly, IS the factory spec?
or this~
or even this~
but they can result in this...
and then driving in the rain with worn out tires causes this~
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2003
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From: Longview Texas
Even cheap commuter cars and minivans have SOME degree of negative cambler.
GM Engineers spend a LOT of time testing and calibrating the factory alignment to maximise performance under all conditions while still providing acceptable tire wear.
Also camber is not what causes most of the wear; toe is. If you want to reduce wear and still get good handling just set zero toe.
GM Engineers spend a LOT of time testing and calibrating the factory alignment to maximise performance under all conditions while still providing acceptable tire wear.
Also camber is not what causes most of the wear; toe is. If you want to reduce wear and still get good handling just set zero toe.
Just sitting the toe-in to zero will not eliminate inside tire wear. I backed my negative camber down in increments and I had to get down to -1/8 degree before I got acceptable tire wear for street driving.
I don't think GM cares about tire wear. I think they set the cars up to handle with aggressive driving and just accept that tires are expendible. My theory is that with a lot of negative camber and aggressive driving, your tires will wear out just as quickly, but they will wear out evenly instead of just on the inside.
Advanced
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 77
Likes: 0
From: Gonzales Louisiana
Align
Feathering is a product of toe problems. Look which way the feathers are pointing. If they point toward the outside, you have toe out, and vice versa. Negative camber will make the feathering occour on the inside of the tire, 0 camber and the feathering will occour across the tread.
Feathering occours because the tire is not rolling straight ahead, but scrubbing slightly sideways.
Feathering occours because the tire is not rolling straight ahead, but scrubbing slightly sideways.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 2,670
Likes: 134
From: merritt island fl
C1 of Year Finalist (stock) 2019
2016 C1 of the Year Finalist
2015 C2 of the Year Finalist
Safety Car
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 4,939
Likes: 448
From: CHOCOWINITY NC
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 223
Likes: 0
From: Casper WY
Do a search on this topic. I had the same problem with my Z51 awhile back. I had plenty of tire left on the meat of the tire and the inside edge was worn to the cords. There is some great info in that thread that worked for me.....Craig
Moderator emeritus
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From: Jacksonville Florida BWO Dayton, Cincinnati, Bloomsbury NJ, Cincinnati
2015 C7 of the Year Finalist
A perfect stock alignment will eat the inside edge of the tire due to the camber dialed in. The camber is there for good cornering if you X-Cross or race on a road course. For driving around tracks like that, use the stock camber. For plain, drive it on the street and not in competition, set the camber down to -0.10. The other stock settings for caster and toe are fine to use. Simple as that.
Race? Jack in the caster.
Want the longest mileage from the tires? Set the caster to -0.10
Elmer
Race? Jack in the caster.
Want the longest mileage from the tires? Set the caster to -0.10
Elmer
