W211 uneven tyre wear

[Mercedes 190E]

Hi All

Our W211 E320 CDI Avantgarde had a set of brand new Goodyear NCT5 tyres (245/45X17) on it when we bought it a year ago. (Tyre soap still on, so we know they were brand new.) As it is my Wife's work car, it has covered about 10,000 miles over the year.At the service last week it was pointed out to me that the inner edges of both front tyres (about 2 inches) were almost bald. Lots of tread everywhere else. MBD who did the service said that the tracking was off, but I asked Kwik Fit who thought that it might be normal power steering wear. A bit annoying having to scrap two tyres after only a year! (Shame MBD didnt pick up the uneven wear when it was last serviced 5 months ago! )

What do people think-normal wear or a tracking problem? If tracking, can any tyre centre handle it? (It will be considerably cheaper for me to get my tyres through a mobile fitter and take it somewhere for tracking.)

Thanks in advance.

 

[brandwooddixon]

Tracking problem I'd say, although I have heard of tyres wearing badly on the inner edges for people who travel over alot of those speed blobs because they straddle them.

 

[Mercedes 190E]

Thanks. Next question-will they pass an MOT ? (Nearly due as is the insurance, so we need to spread the cost somehow!)

 

[Alex M Grieve]

What do people think-normal wear or a tracking problem? If tracking, can any tyre centre handle it? (It will be considerably cheaper for me to get my tyres through a mobile fitter and take it somewhere for tracking.

Hi John,

Certainly steering geometry. Advice I have had in the past on a W 211 E Class was that "MBs do that". The adviser went on to say that it was pointless attending to the defect until new tyres were fitted, then do it as part of that process - which is what you intend doing.

Of the on line tyre services I have studied, they will offer excellent prices either to fit the tyres at your home or place of work. They will however give you the same or better prices if you want your local tyre people to fit the tyres (assuming they have an arrangement with the on line folks).

Our local Kwik Fit in Stratford on Avon are excellent and will "price match". If you take a printout of the best tyre price you could find on line to your preferred tyre fitter, they will match the price. If you then asked them to correct the steering geometry, they would have more enthusiasm for the task, and they would have the old carcasses to show them what the problem was.

Take your own beverages for the wait, however, their coffee machines tend to be expensive, and the coffee is not that good.

 

[drmw]

Hi John - I've had cars wear down inner edges before, but never on both fronts at the same time. Kwik Fit (in my opinion) are a good source of tyres but nothing else, including advice!

Tracking if it's out usually affects one side only as one wheel will "dominate" scrubbing the other but for both to go smacks of something else related either to geometry (that Kwik Fit cannot do despite any claims) or something worn in terms of linkages/joints.

The rules I believe are that two thirds of the tyre must have tread (all the way round) of 2mm or thereabouts.

My suggestion is to take the car to an independent before you change the tyres so he can see what's happended/happening, but with that amount of wear they really need to be changed sooner rather than later and get the root problem sorted too.

At least you can get your insurance on monthly direct debit !!

Best of luck
David

 

[StevieBox]

Do you live in an area where those damned annoying speed bumps are,
if you straddle them this can cause this problem as well as dooing the suspension no good.

 

[andy@pcd-ltd]

To me it sounds like the camber adjustment is out on the geometry.

This adjustable but you have to purchase special bolts from mercedes to adjust up the camber the part number off the top of my head is A000 300 00 18 but if you go to the dealer they should be able to supply them for you.

Then most competent wheel alignment centre should be able to adjust them for you

As for the MOT it all depends on what sort of tester you get you should only get an advisory as it is not over 3/4 of the tyre but as long as the cords are not showing.

 

[jberks]

My 211 - also 245/45/17 wears the inner edges off the tyres (all 4 so check the rears carefully - they're not easy to see) , or did until I upped the tyre pressures.
I suspect with the width of the tyres and the way they lean in at the top, its great for cornering grip but the camber puts a bit more weight onto the inner edges during normal driving than is good for them, By increasing the pressures it takes a bit more weight back onto the centres. I tend to run 34f/36r which seems to give me fairly even wear across the tyre and the last set went bald in the middle fractionally before the outside.

 

[Blobcat]

Mine wore off the inside edge until I had the camber corrected by Mercedes, since then perfect.