# Good Alignment Tire Wear Issue - Help



## OddJobb (Nov 6, 2004)

I'm having an issue with tire wear, and hope somone can help. I first noticed this issue with my front tires in March '09. I then immediately rotated my front tires to the rear. The front tires only have this issue, and the rears wear fine. These tires are on a 2004.5 Jetta GLI, no modification to stock suspension. Tires are 225/40/18's. Also, I've checked everything I can think of and noted the following: 

1. Zero toe 
2. Camber within spec (and not generally adjustable on this car) 
3. No worn parts (ball joints, control arm bushings, struts, etc) 
4. Never had any suspension damage 
5. Tires not rubbing on anything 
6. Tires properly inflated 

In addition, I owned this car while in FL. I moved up to SC in '07. I had no issues in FL where the terrain is flat. The roads I drive on now have way more hills & curves. I drive the car somewhat sportier then most would, sometimes pushing it through corners on the back roads. My usual drive to work is 16 miles round trip. Would my driving style cause this kind of wear? I thought it looked like an underinflation issue at first, but I purposely overinflated the tires a few pounds last time I checked air pressure (3 months ago) with no improvement. Sidewall max pressure is 44 lbs. Any ideas what may be causing this? And if it is my driving style what can I do to compensate for this type of wear (other than slowing down of course!)? 

Pictures are posted here, since the are large in size to see the detail (please note: the photo of the rear tire was taken only for reference and the wear occured while on the front of the car): 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]


----------



## EuroSportChicago (Jun 9, 2010)

Have you taken it to multiple shops to verify that the alignment is correct? or brought it back a 2nd time to choose?


----------



## OddJobb (Nov 6, 2004)

I have had it checked at more than one place, and everything is within spec. However, I noticed something recently: I also own a 1995 VW Golf with low profile tires on it as well. Until about June of this year my Golf had some suspenstion damage back from 2004. I had this same strange wear pattern on the front inside tires of this car as well. I hadn't noticed it on my Jetta at that time so I figured it was due to the suspension damage I recently fixed (tie rod, camber). But after I discovered it on my Jetta, I went back and took another look at the tires I took off the Golf. Same wear pattern on the front tires. I think it must be the way I drive.


----------



## EuroSportChicago (Jun 9, 2010)

I guess it got diagnosed as the "nut behind the wheel" lol


----------



## OddJobb (Nov 6, 2004)

EuroSportChicago said:


> I guess it got diagnosed as the "nut behind the wheel" lol


Yep! I'll see soon enough because I have new wheels and tires on my Golf now after repairing the suspension.


----------



## EuroSportChicago (Jun 9, 2010)

good luck!!


----------



## youlostme21 (Aug 12, 2008)

Dial in a little bit of negative toe. Not much, just -.03 to -.05 per side. With the tie rods being behind knuckle this will compensate for the pull of the road as you drive and you should see better wear characteristics.


----------



## OddJobb (Nov 6, 2004)

youlostme21 said:


> Dial in a little bit of negative toe. Not much, just -.03 to -.05 per side. With the tie rods being behind knuckle this will compensate for the pull of the road as you drive and you should see better wear characteristics.


Do you mean -.03 to -.05 _inches_? If so, the tie rods on these cars cannot be adjusted in such small increments. I think last time it tried it was either 0 toe or a 1/16th inch off with one twist of the tie rod end.


----------



## youlostme21 (Aug 12, 2008)

Degrees, sorry. Im just used to my alignment rack haha.


----------



## OddJobb (Nov 6, 2004)

youlostme21 said:


> Degrees, sorry. Im just used to my alignment rack haha.


Stock steering setup on these cars cannot be adjusted in such small increments. What alignment rack of yours are you referring to? Something custom installed on your car?


----------



## JohnStamos (Feb 3, 2010)

OddJobb said:


> Do you mean -.03 to -.05 _inches_? If so, the tie rods on these cars cannot be adjusted in such small increments. I think last time it tried it was either 0 toe or a 1/16th inch off with one twist of the tie rod end.




You don't need to do a full turn of the tie rod.


----------



## OddJobb (Nov 6, 2004)

JohnStamos said:


> You don't need to do a full turn of the tie rod.


Please explain. With the inner tie rod torqued into the steering rack, all you can do to adjust the toe is to move the outer tie rod end by screwing it on and off the inner tie rod. You can only seat the tie rod end into the steering knuclke when the threaded pin is pointing down. .03 or .05 degrees is very small. How do you get increments this small to adjust by?


----------



## youlostme21 (Aug 12, 2008)

The tie rod does not adjust at the inner. If rotates freely on the inner and there is a jam nut on the outer. Loosen the jam nut and the threaded end will rotate inside the outer tie rod, thus adjusting your toe in whatever increments you need.

How are you doing an alignment? Tape measure and stuff, or on an electronic alignment rack?


----------



## OddJobb (Nov 6, 2004)

youlostme21 said:


> The tie rod does not adjust at the inner. If rotates freely on the inner and there is a jam nut on the outer. Loosen the jam nut and the threaded end will rotate inside the outer tie rod, thus adjusting your toe in whatever increments you need.
> 
> How are you doing an alignment? Tape measure and stuff, or on an electronic alignment rack?


Ok. I see. I'm forgetting that the inner tie rod is a ball in socket at the steering rack side, which will allow it to turn freely as you describe. This explains why my dumb a** had so much trouble trying to get it perfect last time I replaced a tie rod on my other car. I was using toe plates and tape measures, but I haven't tried to adjust it on the car I'm presently speaking of.


----------



## youlostme21 (Aug 12, 2008)

Yup, that would be it. Give it another whirl and see how it goes


----------

