Alarming Tyre Wear

[Bigmuz7]

Just incase any of you guys havent seen this problem, I thought I'd post.

I'm on my second BMW X5 .. first was an E53 model (pre 07) and my current one is the E70 version (post 07)

I tow now and again obviously, and am always checking tyres etc as you do. Never had any problems with the E53 that I was aware of, and had it for 4 years. The E70 is just gone four and a bit, and has done 23500 miles, not massive, anyway spotted the outer edges of the front tyres wearing heavily, a while back and checked the tracking but it was fine. Checked it again yesterday in a different shop and showed infact it was toed out slightly, so the wear was a mystery. When it was up on the ramp the real shocker was the condition of the rears .... from a visual inspection of the outside they looked fine, but thats not where they wear on this car, its the inside edges you need to look out for, due to the way the cars suspension is set up.

The rear axle wheels can be adjusted for camber and toe in on the axle subframes, and are factory set with negative camber to improve the cars road handeling performance, and there is no doubt , for a 4x4 its road grip is phenominal .. but it comes at a price of inner shoulder wear.

I had its 4 wheel geometry checked by my local BMW stealer, who confirmed the set up was pretty much perfect .... at a cost of £99.00 +VAT

Great .. that cost me 4 tyres today £1200, and you can expect to bin them when most of the tyres still have 4 to 5 mm of tread on them

[Erin]

That's quite some wear. Looks more like its been rubbing on the wheel arch rather than from the camber alone. Perhaps before the next set have worn too far you need to get them swapped from left to right to even it up a bit and get some more life out.

[Landlockedpirate]

I think its a BMW thing, the price you pay for roadholding. I have exactly the same problem on my 330D Coupe and my wifes Mini, I fell for the BMW 4 wheel alignment trick on the Mini as well.

[mick]

I would say there is something a miss that's not normal wear. My D4 scrubs the outer front but they all do
Can't you find an Indy to check it over.

[Markyboyo]

I'd have thought you'd need about 45° of neg camber to wear them like that!

I have a Z4 which also has considerable negative camber and my rears wear on the inside more too but nothing compared to that. My rear tyres only last about 12000 miles till they are shot so you have done pretty well to get double that on a 2 tonne suv.

Does the X5 use runflats? If the pressures are too low the negative camber and rigid side walls makes them eat the inner edge much faster than it would on normal tyres.

[matt h]

My 120 wore badly on the outside and scrubbed a front set within 15k. When i took it back to kwik fit they said that the toe in/out was right. I said does it look right to you. They would not adjust it as it was over and above the factory settings.i told them that rear wheel drive vehicles have tendency to toe in and front wheel drive toe out.so can you toe out 2 degees to balance ot out. They woulnt so i did. I now get 30k out of the fronts!

[Bigmuz7]

Originally Posted by Erin

That's quite some wear. Looks more like its been rubbing on the wheel arch rather than from the camber alone.

YIK but they havent

Originally Posted by Erin

Perhaps before the next set have worn too far you need to get them swapped from left to right to even it up a bit and get some more life out.

They are 'sided' ... but I would seriously consider doing it just to even them up for sure... naturally everyone says 'dont' as it affects the handling

Originally Posted by mick

I would say there is something a miss that's not normal wear. My D4 scrubs the outer front but they all do
Can't you find an Indy to check it over.

It was an independant who checked it at first, but they are reluctant to diagnose anything as the geometry of such a car is so complex

Originally Posted by Markyboyo

Does the X5 use runflats? If the pressures are too low the negative camber and rigid side walls makes them eat the inner edge much faster than it would on normal tyres.

Yes they are run flats, and tbh they looked too hard to me but were at the manufactures pressure

Suffice to say, when I took it in for the alignment.. the girl on the desk didnt sound surprised at my predicament .. so I gues its not that uncommon ... but its a first for me .. and I'm quite particular about running around with dodgy tyres .. If Vosa pulled me with stuff like that on my 30 tonner, I'd be doing a stretch

[mick]

http://www.bmwland.co.uk/forums/view...?f=24&t=114841

[Bigmuz7]

Originally Posted by mick

BMW: x5 rear tyre wear : BMW X1, X3, X5 & X6 Series Forum • BMWLand

When I researched this problem .. I had a look on several BMW forums, one of which I am a member and contributer .. but I didnt find any that were specific ? .. cheers Mick

[wiLlfish]

BMW?


BiggMUzz weels

[Mollers]

That cannot be right?! I'd go to another tyre shop with modern 4 wheel alignment gear, that actually know what they're doing, and get it checked again.

You'd expect to see wear on both shoulders with run flats were run under pressure. The outsides look unmarked.

Uneven wear to that degree is not only bloody costly, it's likely dangerous. Those tyres cannot be making full, effective contact with the road.

If had 4x4 that did that and a main dealer telling me that it was 'normal', she'd be gone about a week after the first tyre change.

[mick]

Just watched the vid sounds like that could be the problem

[markandsaz]

Bigmuz

Do you know the tyre history of the X5, I.e how many sets has it had to get to the current mileage?

I run an Audi business and in a previous life Volkswagen, we have had tyre wear issues with both Q7's and touaregs.....in fact I ran V10 touaregs for 4 years and never got any more than 10k out of a set!

Is your X5 a sport or an SE?

[Bigmuz7]

Originally Posted by markandsaz

Bigmuz

Do you know the tyre history of the X5, I.e how many sets has it had to get to the current mileage?

I run an Audi business and in a previous life Volkswagen, we have had tyre wear issues with both Q7's and touaregs.....in fact I ran V10 touaregs for 4 years and never got any more than 10k out of a set!

Is your X5 a sport or an SE?

Yep its a 4.8Msport with active ride...

The tyres are original on 19 inch rims, so I dont consider the lifetime of the tyres soooo bad, just the severe pattern of wear all of a sudden was unexpected, and I just wanted to warn people that this isnt something they would expect .

Plus I drive like Mollers most of the time people keep reminding me to hit the gas now and again once the lights have changed .. its his age you know

[mick]

Originally Posted by markandsaz

Bigmuz

Do you know the tyre history of the X5, I.e how many sets has it had to get to the current mileage?

I run an Audi business and in a previous life Volkswagen, we have had tyre wear issues with both Q7's and touaregs.....in fact I ran V10 touaregs for 4 years and never got any more than 10k out of a set!

Is your X5 a sport or an SE?

Blimey that's some going what's standard issue on the Q7 I was at a customers the other day and they have a Q7 with 11k on that's needs new on now , I've just put a set of Cooper Zeon 4xs on the D4 after 30k which will be similar in set up to the BMW and Audi.

[Mollers]

Originally Posted by Bigmuz7

The tyres are original on 19 inch rims, so I dont consider the lifetime of the tyres soooo bad,

So what mileage had the tyres in the pics actually done?

[Erin]

Originally Posted by Bigmuz7

The E70 is just gone four and a bit, and has done 23500 miles,

I think this is the bit you missed

[markandsaz]

Mick

The Q7's with 21 inch wheels suffer the worst wear, the problem is that 4x4's with sport profile tyres all suffer...particularly on the edges as there is so much weight being transferred laterally and they are all seriously heavy cars!! Air suspension just compounds the problem!!!

I've seen wear like that before......4 wheel alignment is absolutely critical and it's important that it's done properly!

Just my tuppence worth

[Leapy]

Originally Posted by markandsaz

Air suspension just compounds the problem!!!

Why's that? The air strut itself doesn't control the geometry, just the springing medium and the damping.

[mick]

Originally Posted by markandsaz

Mick

The Q7's with 21 inch wheels suffer the worst wear, the problem is that 4x4's with sport profile tyres all suffer...particularly on the edges as there is so much weight being transferred laterally and they are all seriously heavy cars!! Air suspension just compounds the problem!!!

I've seen wear like that before......4 wheel alignment is absolutely critical and it's important that it's done properly!

Just my tuppence worth