Front tyre wear issues

[Shearer]

My bog standard VN seems to chew the outside of the front tyres, mainly the left side as pictured. I put new caster rod bushes in about a year ago and had a wheel alignment done recently.

Any ideas what could cause this?

[ybl8te]

has your car been lowered ???

i had a few tyre issue's - one problem believe it or not was the top trailing arms on the diff were totally worn out causing handling and front tyre wear problems.

tower struts getting worn.

I do understand that vn holden wheel alignment settings that are in their computers are questionable ???

unless racing i got my fronts set to .5 negative on camber i think computer settings are 1.5 - 2.0 tolerance......

thinking these wheel alignment guys are the biggest rip off today - they dont even road test any more and dont check for rubbers worn - just set toe in and out and charge you......

question them about it and get answers - if they cannot answer you - go somewhere !!

[ybl8te]

go some where else - suppose to say

also - once a tyre starts wearing from a year ago and you get a wheel alignment done because you notice it - apparently the tyre will continue to wear in that way.

[Jesterarts]

Too much toe-in from the alignment?

Any knocking from the front end turning from lock to lock and over bumps?

Is the car really over-steery?

[zskinner]

probably best to go to somewhere like pedders or fulcrum or something for a cheap suspension check. they'll give you an idea to whats wrong, however dont just believe everything they say, they are known to screw people around and add shit that isnt actually wrong with your car (myself included). does the car handle strangely at all? or does it seem to handle ok but just the tyres wear strange?

[BURNOUT BAZZA]

Looks like ur running to much positive camber. i think u should take the car to another place for a wheel alignment. guys down at my local pedders are quite good. well good to me anyway. just go in and ask for an alignment and then they should tell ya afterwards what they found.

[nathanVY]

My VS is doing the exact same thing. and I do have clunking going on, sometimes over bumps and almost always when turning certain directs in about 60% lock.

[88GreenVN]

My VS is doing the exact same thing. and I do have clunking going on, sometimes over bumps and almost always when turning certain directs in about 60% lock.

Could be the top bearing not working as it should - it winds up the spring in the front and goes clunk when truning.

[88GreenVN]

My bog standard VN seems to chew the outside of the front tyres, mainly the left side as pictured. I put new caster rod bushes in about a year ago and had a wheel alignment done recently.

Any ideas what could cause this?

My 88 wagon has done this from new on all sizes of tyres. The car steers OK and handles no problems. But the left front edge is gone after 30,000 kms if not rotated. Funny how the right side is never a problem on the out side edge.

[Shearer]

has your car been lowered ???

i had a few tyre issue's - one problem believe it or not was the top trailing arms on the diff were totally worn out causing handling and front tyre wear problems.

tower struts getting worn.

I do understand that vn holden wheel alignment settings that are in their computers are questionable ???

unless racing i got my fronts set to .5 negative on camber i think computer settings are 1.5 - 2.0 tolerance......

thinking these wheel alignment guys are the biggest rip off today - they dont even road test any more and dont check for rubbers worn - just set toe in and out and charge you......

question them about it and get answers - if they cannot answer you - go somewhere !!

Car has the standard VN springs.

These are the specs after the wheel alignment:

Camber for L & R: -1.0 degree
Caster for L: 2.0 R: 2.2
Front Toe-In (mm): 1mm both sides

There are minor knocking from the front end too (especially the left side), noticeable on rougher surfaces -prob the struts are knackered.

[nathanVY]

Could be the top bearing not working as it should - it winds up the spring in the front and goes clunk when truning.

Quite possibly, can you explain a bit more? Steering also pulls all over the place and is a lot worse when braking.
Car has been on superlows in the front for a few months now so that may be taking it's toll. Rims are 17x8.

[88GreenVN]

Quite possibly, can you explain a bit more? Steering also pulls all over the place and is a lot worse when braking.
Car has been on superlows in the front for a few months now so that may be taking it's toll. Rims are 17x8.

When I got the white VN Calais it had been crashed and the pan hard rod mount had been ripped out of the chasis. I fixed that up and still had a clunk in the front. Mechanic said the spring had rotated in the strut and he twisted it around into place. All good for 30 seconds until I turned out onto the road. Clunk again. All the suspension was checked over - new link pins and the top bearing plates were replaced. WOW what a difference that made, tight steering and clunk were gone and the steering was light again (calais var ratio). So the bit that you see when under the bonnet (strut top) may well be binding up on the pring.

Jack the front up so you can turn from lock to lock and watch to see if the spring is moving in the strut.

[88GreenVN]

Car has the standard VN springs.

These are the specs after the wheel alignment:

Camber for L & R: -1.0 degree
Caster for L: 2.0 R: 2.2
Front Toe-In (mm): 1mm both sides

There are minor knocking from the front end too (especially the left side), noticeable on rougher surfaces -prob the struts are knackered.

The shocks being knackered wont be the issue tho. I think the wear on the outside left is a VN thing. We tried several settings on the wheel alignment with no fix (we had access to the Stores and Transport workshops to play)

[Shearer]

The most interesting thing, my other VN which is lowered considerably, has more kays on the clock, 17x8in rims and adjustable strut tops has no front tyre wear issues at all.

Maybe benefits from adjustable strut tops?

[BURNOUT BAZZA]

Quite possibly, can you explain a bit more? Steering also pulls all over the place and is a lot worse when braking.
Car has been on superlows in the front for a few months now so that may be taking it's toll. Rims are 17x8.

hey when u put the superlow springs in. did u get a wheel alignment? because it sounds like ur toe is way out if its scrubbing the tires and steering all over the place.

or maybe a rack end is rooted. i had that on my VC commodore was veering all over the shop at 100k's

the other thing that accures when u have ur car to low is Bump steer. thats something that could be happening.

[tr3nt]

Looks like ur running to much positive camber. i think u should take the car to another place for a wheel alignment. guys down at my local pedders are quite good. well good to me anyway. just go in and ask for an alignment and then they should tell ya afterwards what they found.

Tucketts Tyrepower FTW!

[BURNOUT BAZZA]

nah i got to pedders in frankston now. get my wheel alignments for $20 they like me down there

[Andrew426]

Check ya wheel bearings.

Looks like you have a bit of play in one.

[GTP 85]

I reckon it's the strut top plate. It probably hasn't been aligned with the right holes (the ones in the actual strut tower). There are three bolt holes, hence 3 different combinations. One will give you neg camber, one will give positive and the other should be right.

Just look at the strut top.... The shock bolt doesn't come through dead center does it?

...Just something to consider. Had this issue with two VN's i've owned in the past

[CommieKal]

I know about Toe in/out from racing RC cars but have never heard about toe on Real 'everyday' cars and don't quite understand why it would be used on them.
To me it sounds like a great way to increase wear on your tyres for no good reason whereas in a racing situaltion i can see the advantages for using it.

Anyone care to enlighten me as to why its done ? lol

[88GreenVN]

I reckon it's the strut top plate. It probably hasn't been aligned with the right holes (the ones in the actual strut tower). There are three bolt holes, hence 3 different combinations. One will give you neg camber, one will give positive and the other should be right.

Just look at the strut top.... The shock bolt doesn't come through dead center does it?

...Just something to consider. Had this issue with two VN's i've owned in the past

Very good point - when I moved it around to counter the outside left wear - the wheel alignment was way out - so we moved it back.

Sounds like a clear case for adjustable strut tops to me.

[Shearer]

Check ya wheel bearings.

Looks like you have a bit of play in one.

I checked the wheel bearings today and they are nice and neat.

I reckon it's the strut top plate. It probably hasn't been aligned with the right holes (the ones in the actual strut tower). There are three bolt holes, hence 3 different combinations. One will give you neg camber, one will give positive and the other should be right.

Just look at the strut top.... The shock bolt doesn't come through dead center does it?

...Just something to consider. Had this issue with two VN's i've owned in the past

I think I know the type of strut top you mean, It does have three 'positions'. Currently the shock bolt is positioned towards to firewall. Last year I had a wheel alignment at another place and they rotated the struts towards the front of car to 'correct the camber'. It was terrible to drive, it would change direction on the road over uneven surfaces. Quite dangerous to drive as it steer into oncoming traffic.... I rotated them back to the normal position.

Adjustable strut tops are on the cards now.

Ahhhhh.... wheel alignment is the VN's Achilles Heels

[delcowizzid]

yeah full caster is the only setting for vb-vp unless you get your towers slotted or fit adjustable strut tops most wheel alignment places will just set the tops at full caster and do toe in setting.one thing to watch out for is dont fit a left strut top on the right and vice versa it makes your front left camber outwards when at full caster setting

[bj42turbo]

nah i got to pedders in frankston now. get my wheel alignments for $20 they like me down there

They do a good alignment too.........When I get new tyres fitted at bob jane or wherever and they recommend a wheel alignment I say know and book it in a t Franga Pedders

[BURNOUT BAZZA]

yep guy at the counter is awesome to. went in there the other day and ended up chatting to him about cars for almost 2 hrs lol Top bloke