maaliish

I just got my tires replaced, and noticed that the FRONT tires that where taken off the car have been completely worn on the outside, while still head thread on the inside and in the middle of the tires. The rears where wearing evenly.

Anyhow, I do not want the same thing to happen to my new tires, so I was wondering if this was an alignment issue, or if I was simply driving my old tires to hard. They where winter tires, so may be the outside could not stand up to the abuse in dry weather. (I was really pushing them, I knew I was gonna replace them so I did not care )

I appreciate all and any help...

Bucket

Sounds like maybe the toe-in or camber is off?

maaliish

Will an alignment fix that?

Boostd4

I have the same problem. The alignment isn't an issue...its simply the nature of this car. I'm going to attempt to sure this situation by putting in an aftermarket suspension which should add a little bit of negative camber. Five of my friends have A4s and they all have the same problem (stock suspensions) on both front and rear tires....time to look into getting some neg. camber my friend. Also your driving style will greatly induce some outside tire wear as the sidewalls tend to "tuck under" in hard corners.

maaliish

adjust my camber? I take it an alignment would not help, so how can the camber be properly adjusted?

Just noticed that you have Axis se7en's in gunmetal - great rims, exactly what I would put on

RKA

Camber is adjusted by moving the subframe, so you want more camber on one side, you'll have less on the other. If both tires are wearing at the same rate on the outside edge, camber probably isn't your problem. It's most likely toe, underinflation of the tires, hard driving, or any combination therein.

maaliish

Thanks for the info!

WClark

In corners the A4 tends to scrub the outside edge of the front tires. The first auto-x event I attended (Audi/Eibach springs - stock suspension otherwise) the outside of the fronts would be smoking after a run. The contact patch is obviously shifted toward the outside of the front tire in a corner. Racers often like to increase negative camber to compensate for this but it is not easy with an A4 (no adjustment in front). I think I remember someone mentioning that a kit has been made that replaces the fixed upper links with adjustable ones to allow adjustability.

Between that first event and the next one I installed a 19m Neuspeed rear bar and I didnt see anywhere near the previous level of heating or wear.



On alignment... Lowering the car increases negative camber. With nothing else changed and driving exclusively in straight lines, that would tend to increase the wear rate on the inside tire edge. Also it might help to remove a little of the rear negative camber (that can be adjusted some) which I believe will reduce understeer.