ford focus 1.6 - Poor tyre wear on outside edge

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Sat 28 Aug 2010 11:50
ford focus 1.6 - Poor tyre wear on outside edge - harrogate big vern

Wondering if anyone can advise on concerning level of tyre wear on the Falken Ziex ZE-912 195/60 R15 H (88) tyres that I had fitted in February.

I had all four tyres changed on my Focus 1.6 and a four wheel tracking adjustment done at the same time. The car had been MOTed at a garage I know well and given a clean bill of health 10 days before.

Since that time I have done less than 5500 miles. However the front nearside tyre has already developed a bald band towards the outside edge (but not completely on the edge). The drivers side tyre is also starting to exhibit the same sympton.

Obviously I am extremely concerned that a tyre would show obvious signs of wear after such a small amount of use. I'd be grateful if anyone could give me your thoughts on this, and whether any other people have found the same problem with these or other tyres?

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Sat 28 Aug 2010 14:35
ford focus 1.6 - Poor tyre wear on outside edge - Peter D

It indicates that the alignment guys got is wrong and the car is teoing in too much. Do you know the before and after figures. Regards Peter

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Sat 28 Aug 2010 17:06
ford focus 1.6 - Poor tyre wear on outside edge - StanTheMan78

In my opinion the toe-in guys did just that - toe-in / out adjustment - and may have done nothing wrong. What you are experiencing is known as 'negative camber', not a toe-in issue, which lies in a plane perpendicular to toe-in. Have that checked.

Have you changed springs and / or shocks lately? If springs are replaced with stiffer items of the same length or even standard stiffness but longer they will replicate the symptom you are reporting. Similarly with longer shocks (NOT stiffer - shock stiffness has got nothing to do with this) and / or standard shocks not fitted correctly inside the coil assembly.

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Sat 28 Aug 2010 17:22
ford focus 1.6 - Poor tyre wear on outside edge - Peter D

I assumed that the OP did not have this problem prior to the tyres being changed and the alignment altered. Perhaps the OP would care to tell us more about the tyres prior to the changes. Regards Peter

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Sat 28 Aug 2010 17:36
ford focus 1.6 - Poor tyre wear on outside edge - Peter.N.

To wear that quickly I would think that the front wheels are towing in considerably.

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Sat 28 Aug 2010 18:51
ford focus 1.6 - Poor tyre wear on outside edge - bathtub tom

>>What you are experiencing is known as 'negative camber'

I think you may mean positive camber (think early Hillman Imps). It is still possible to get even tyre wear with wheel camber.

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Sat 28 Aug 2010 19:27
ford focus 1.6 - Poor tyre wear on outside edge - madf

I had all four tyres changed on my Focus 1.6 and a four wheel tracking adjustment done at the same time.

So? I had four wheel alignement carried out in March by a very well advertised firm of tyre fitters .. and when I checked them in July they were still wearing.

So in August I despaired and had it checked again at ATS who found one track rod end had not been touched and showed me the four wheel alignement on the mirrors. It was waaaay out..

Four new tyres and wheel alignement later , it's all perfect..

So just because you had it done does not mean it was done properly... In fact judging by the display of staggering incompetence by the idiots who did my original alignement, I'm not going back again. I said that 20 years ago and then started again last year as I was assured they had improved out of all recognition.. Nope..

I understand the firm is question is branching out into car maintenance.. Be afraid, be very afraid...

Edited by madf on 28/08/2010 at 19:29

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Sat 28 Aug 2010 19:47
ford focus 1.6 - Poor tyre wear on outside edge - Peter.N.

Its very difficult to get a camber error unless the suspension has been damaged or is worn, I would also think that the wear would not be as rapid as that if it were just the camber angle - correct me if I'm wrong, it has been known.

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Sun 29 Aug 2010 19:48
ford focus 1.6 - Poor tyre wear on outside edge - harrogate big vern

Thanks for the responses.

I'm guessing the tracking must be the issue. How do folks suggest I handle it? I'm assuming the original garage will simply say it could have been knocked off again by mounting a kerb or something.

Also does anyone have any knowldege of a focus 1.6 fuel thirst? It's by far the worst car I've ever had for mpg. I can't remember any of the glowing reports the Focus garnered criticising it's fuel consumption.

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Sun 29 Aug 2010 22:16
ford focus 1.6 - Poor tyre wear on outside edge - Peter.N.

The diesel one's brilliant.

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Mon 30 Aug 2010 00:07
ford focus 1.6 - Poor tyre wear on outside edge - bathtub tom

If the tracking's out then that will make the rolling resistance higher, requiring more fuel at any speed.

I tend to roll up to traffic lights and coast down hills. One car I bought had a tendency to slow quicker and not coast as easily. Got the tracking corrected and bingo! I didn't measure the fuel consumption before and after though.

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