Question about tracking

[Deleted User]

During service mechanic noticed that one of the front tyres was wearing on the inside. Fair enough get the tracking sorted.

But he says Im better off switching those tyres to the back now otherwise they'll keep wearing in the same place (even with tracking sorted).

Now I might be wrong but tracking just means the wheels are not aligned correctly so one side or the other gets scrubbed a bit yeh? So if its corrected then one side will no longer wear unevenly.

I guess you might end up with maybe 1mm more wear on one side but then what'll happe when tracking is right. Surely the rest (centre) of tyre will wear down to meet that level.

Or am I wrong?

forgotmyname

They wear still wear faster when fitted to the rear also.

If its worn 1mm more than the rest of the tyre then expect it to be 1mm lower forever.. Unless the tracking on the rear is out the opposite direction.

The worn part will still be in contact with the road and wearing at a similar rate to the rest of the tyre.

Strider590

I just don't get this tyre rotation nonsense, all it does is delay the inevitable...... Tyre's wear out, rotating them will not change this.

Just run the tyres as they are, if they wear down beyond the tread markers just replace them.

[Deleted User]

forgotmyname wrote: »

They wear still wear faster when fitted to the rear also.

If its worn 1mm more than the rest of the tyre then expect it to be 1mm lower forever.. Unless the tracking on the rear is out the opposite direction.

The worn part will still be in contact with the road and wearing at a similar rate to the rest of the tyre.

Right so if after tracking is sorted there say 5mm left, 6mm middle, 6mm right then it'll all still wear at same rate?

So middle/right wont wear down to 5mm first lol.

forgotmyname

Correct. Get 4mm wear from the 6mm tyre and you will have 2mm across 2/3 and the other 1/3 which is now worn will be below the legal limit.

All the tyres width is in contact with the road and wearing at a similar rate.

[Deleted User]

forgotmyname wrote: »

Correct. Get 4mm wear from the 6mm tyre and you will have 2mm across 2/3 and the other 1/3 which is now worn will be below the legal limit.

All the tyres width is in contact with the road and wearing at a similar rate.

Right. Understood.

But once the tracking is correct it will all continue to wear at same rate? I.e. the side thats started to wear unevenly wont continue to wear unevenly.

So there no mileage (no pun intended) on swapping these onto the back as garage have suggested?

nobbysn*ts

Generally rear tyres wear fairly evenly, or even wear the centres down first, as they travel in a straight line. Front tyres wear the edges, due to tracking, cornering etc. So if they are scrubbed on the inside, they will continue to wear on the shoulders. If you put them on the back, the centres will wear slightly faster, so the shoulders, and the tyre overall will last longer. Put them on the back.

Quiet_Spark

http://www.alignmycar.co.uk/what-is-the-difference-between-tracking-and-four-wheel-alignment/