Uneven tyre wear on front left (2012 Plug-in)

[QuantumFireball]

I've constantly been having this problem since I got this car (2012 Prius) four years ago: The outside of the front left tyre wears down significantly before everything else, and it's nearly bald now. I've got the tracking done when changing the tyres the last two times, and March 2018 was when I last changed the front tyres. I've done about 11,000 miles since then, and the centre is down to around 4-5 mm.

Should I be checking the tracking more often, or should I just go to a different tyre shop? Or is there something else wrong? 

Also not impressed with all the cracking on these tyres after less than 1.5 years (Goodyear EfficientGrip Performance) - I'd be open to any suggestions for other LRR tyres.

[altocumulus]

That brings to mind a similar problem I had in the '80's with a Talbot Horizon. I skidded off the road in snow and went down a banking. The car, after being checked, was deemed Ok and undamaged. In those days I was travelling something approaching 30,000 miles a year.

I started to see wear on one side of the front tyres. Tracking was out, but corrected and, with a new tyre in place, I started again to see uneven wear. The tracking was checked, again, and was out. This occurred a couple more times until an enlightened fitter did an experiment. He fixed the tracking, dropped the car back to the ground, and raised it up again. The tracking was out. It transpired the tracking bolt had lost part of its thread, so when it was thought it had tightened - it transpired not.

I'm not saying this is the same, but just an experience. After the bolt was replaced, no more uneven wear.

[QuantumFireball]

That's interesting, maybe it is something like that.

[kithmo]

You need to have a full geometry check, tracking, castor and camber. I reckon the camber is out.

[QuantumFireball]

I always assuming when you ask to get the "tracking" done in a tyre shop, setting the castor and camber would be part of this? I've got printouts in the past which included this.

[TonyHSD]

Hi, 

car tracking once a year if you drive in excess of 10k miles or every two years at least. The front left tyre on any front wheel drive car in UK it’s the most abused tyre and it’s normal to get low first especially on the outside. High ware on outside edge of the front tyres indicate also a low pressure driven tyres , if overinflated the most of the ware will be in the middle. These are one of the best tyres for LRR but they are not the one that last the longest. There are two new models 2019 from Nokian that are interesting 

https://www.mytyres.co.uk/rshop/Tyres/Nokian/Wetproof/195-65-R15-91V/R-393238

you may want to check them out. 

Regards 

[QuantumFireball]

I try to check the tyre pressure regularly enough so they weren't under-inflated. I usually go 1-2 psi over the recommended. I'll go and get the tracking done later today.

[Sooty]

As for tyres, I found that Dunlop Blue Response were excellent on my Gen 2 Prius.

Lasted well over 40K miles on the front and were quiet.

[TonyHSD]

Tyres life depends a lot of driving style, conditions and climate. I have over 50k miles from the same Goodyear on the front and over 90k miles on the rear , driving smoothly and mostly on motorways, slowing down at roundabouts and corners also helps plus it’s more comfortable for the passengers. Tyre pressures checked weekly and never overinflated them, max 0.5bar per tyre. Tracking once a year with MOT, and it’s the only time my car visit a garage, a trusted friend of mine with Hunter equipment. Hybrid cars are a bit heavy so they can easily eat up tyres more often than other cars too. 

[kithmo]

10 hours ago, QuantumFireball said:

I always assuming when you ask to get the "tracking" done in a tyre shop, setting the castor and camber would be part of this? I've got printouts in the past which included this.

Not always, sometimes they just check tracking, they can't always adjust castor and camber on every car. If you have the printouts for castor and camber then they probably were checked, did you notice any discrepancies on the left front wheel figures ?

[QuantumFireball]

So I got a new tyre and attempted to get the tracking done, but they said the track rod end was seized and couldn't be adjusted. I'll be bringing it to a mechanic later to see if they can tackle it with a torch. 

That previous place I went to (last two times with this car) never gave me any printouts, so I'm suspicious...

[TonyHSD]

You know if you are careful driver and never hit anything with the car those cars can go without problems for ages. I have done 60000 miles with Auris Hybrid and tracking never needed  to be adjusted, only yearly checks. Never changed any part on the suspension so far at 114k and hope for a few more miles before some parts worn out. Make a note to the mechanics that inner tie roads may not be available to replace and comes with the steering rack together from Toyota at a cost over £1000, so they will be carful not to damage them. 

Regards 

 

[QuantumFireball]

For all I know the tracking has been out and never fixed since I bought it 4 years ago. I suspect the problem is from corrosion, as things are a bit crusty down there - probably from where it originally was in Norn Iron, we don't salt the roads much down here.

[Mike169]

Hi, if a garage offers a tracking checking service it as a rule does not include camber, castor or KPI angles, all that is extra and a lot more money and not many garages have all the equipment to do it nor the mechanic know how to do it correctly.

Regards, Mike.

[Mick F]

On 7/22/2019 at 12:56 PM, TonyHSD said:

The front left tyre on any front wheel drive car in UK it’s the most abused tyre and it’s normal to get low first especially on the outside.

Have you ever driven in Milton Keynes?

Roundabout after roundabout after roundabout after roundabout after roundabout after roundabout ............................................... 

Mick.

[Mike169]

Hi Mick.

Am I correct in saying there are no traffic lights in Milton Keynes?

Thanks, Mike.

[TonyHSD]

Oh yeah, often visit the place. There are traffic lights but the roundabouts are more 😂

[Mick F]

Driven through a few times, and cycled through a few times too. Boring to drive through and ditto cycling through too.

What I've noticed, is that the drivers brake hard for the roundabouts, go through, then accelerate hard away, then to brake hard half a mile later to go round the next one, then accelerate hard again and then repeat endlessly and habitually and regularly.  The best way to do all this stuff, is to relax and drive gently ............. but they don't.

Hence the wearing of the left front tyres, the wearing of the brakes, and the excess fuel consumption.  Honestly, all they need to do is to relax!!!!!  They would save a fortune.

Mick.

[QuantumFireball]

So I got the track road freed up, took it back to the tyre shop and the tracking was completed successfully (and this place gave me a proper print-out). Toe on the front left tyre was in too much by quite a bit. Hopefully that was my problem!