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While I am waiting for the tow truck I notice that both my front tires are wasted symmetrically along the inner edge. They take it the car to the local Chevy dealer and they tell me that the front tires were malaligned and that caused the wear and the flat tire. I ask them when was I supposed to align the tires and they tell me at around 12k miles. My car has 11k miles.
My assumption is that they will pay for it and to my surprise is the complete opposite. I have to pay for the tires, alignment and work hours.
I don't have much experience with car problems but I have common sense.
Can somebody please explain to me how this is possible?
These cars are notorious for having poor alignments from the factory and in your case looks like too much negative camber caused the inner wear. Lots of negative camber can also be a result of an aggressive track alignment. I would try and negotiate some kind of a warranty deal with the service manager to pay for an alignment and maybe a cost share on new tires.
I had the same thing happen to me. Had to eat the cost. Although I didn't take it up with the dealer as my car was lowered from the beginning on stock bolts, but they did check the alignment to within specs. Their margin of specs was obviously way out.
I would recommend a cross rotation at 5-6k miles.
I had the same wear on my all 4 of tires exactly at 11,000 miles
I had lowered mine so I got new tires and had the dealer do a 4 wheel alignment
Honestly I think the tires are only good for 15,000 miles, your pictures look like the tires were also about done .
be careful when you get tires, the mounting is really tricky, I ended up at the dealer to have them mounted after the local tire shop bought me 2 new rims since they butchered mine trying to mount them.
I had the same thing on my '95, '03, '06, and my '08.
After the '95 wore out the front tires I took it to get aligned at a "name" place. I think it was a Firestone Tire Store. They said it was fine. As the tires wore I took it to a shop recommended by Corvette Forum members. He said they come from the factory with a very aggressive alignment. Right at the end of the spec range. They are "in spec" but wear out the inside edges very fast. Since they are "in Spec" the dealer won't fix them. If they are out of spec, they say you did it.
I used my cars as daily drivers and put a lot of miles on them. Had them all realigned and never had a problem after they were adjusted.
I will be getting an '18Z this week (hopefully). I will drive it home from the museum and then watch the tires very closely. First sign of funny wear and it is off to the alignment shop.
The factory specs on almost all cars are as wide as barn doors. You take the car into any shop and ask them to check the alignment and they can tell you it is within spec even though the car is pulling to one side or the other. That is the Green and Go check up.
Look at the huge tolerance variation you get from the factory alignment specs shown below.
The C7 doesn't come with a track alignment as the track alignment is more severe than the max specs shown here. However, the base alignment used by the factory does provide snappy handling on the streets and highways. As for the camber causing the wear it is more than likely the toe may have been toed out a little too far for the amount of negative camber the wheels had. Notice the toe is supposed to be +.1 degrees but the tolerance is + or - .2 degrees that means you could have -.1 degrees of toe out and still be in spec. Combine that with the max camber set at -1.2 for the left and -1.5 for the right and you get the setup for inner tire wear with the alignment in spec. Green and go don't look at the numbers and think about what they might mean.
Bill
Last edited by Bill Dearborn; Jul 11, 2017 at 01:25 AM.
The factory specs on almost all cars are as wide as barn doors. You take the car into any shop and ask them to check the alignment and they can tell you it is within spec even though the car is pulling to one side or the other. That is the Green and Go check up.
Look at the huge tolerance variation you get from the factory alignment specs shown below.
The C7 doesn't come with a track alignment as the track alignment is more severe than the max specs shown here. However, the base alignment used by the factory does provide snappy handling on the streets and highways. As for the camber causing the wear it is more than likely the toe may have been toed out a little too far for the amount of negative camber the wheels had. Notice the toe is supposed to be +.1 degrees but the tolerance is + or - .2 degrees that means you could have -.1 degrees of toe out and still be in spec. Combine that with the max camber set at -1.2 for the left and -1.5 for the right and you get the setup for inner tire wear with the alignment in spec. Green and go don't look at the numbers and think about what they might mean.
Bill
Bill I have 38000 miles on my 2016. Z06/Z07 and have no issues with the car . The car tracks straight and tires seem good. My question is when I buy new tires this fall should I get an alignment or are they more likely to mess up a good thing?
Same thing happened to my wife's Z06. Front tires were corded on inside edge with less than 5,000 miles. Local dealer told me they normally only last 3,000. I suspect that is BS.
Took it to an alignment shop that has lots of experience with Vette's, Ferrari's, etc. We found that it left the factory with the negative front camber far exceeding the specified settings. Left was -1.7 and right was -1.6.
Replaced tires (Tire Rack) and set the front camber to left (-0.6) and right (-0.7). Now 5,000 miles later the fronts are wearing evenly and the car drives much better on the street. It tracks straighter and doesn't hunt left/right with every little ripple in the road.
I love this car, but if you buy one drive it straight to a good alignment shop and get it checked. That is MUCH less $$$ than new tires.
Last edited by Asleep@thewheel; Jul 11, 2017 at 10:41 AM.
Reason: I cant spel
are they supposed to be completely worned out at 11k miles?
somebody mentioned 15k mile lifespan.
Again, no tracking/racing and I am a conservative driver. Mostly city traffic. Occasionally have fun with the car obviously.
It just does not make sense.
I understand that I will most likely have to pay for the tires and alignment.
Somebody mentioned 38k miles. You have not replaced your tires yet?
I have a second set of wheels that I have a winter set of Soto zero tires that I've probably used more than half of the 38,000 miles. I still have a fair amount of tread left, fronts more than back.
Flat tire
