Tire wear on lowered suspension

[Vanguard]

Hi Guys.

I've got about 10K miles on my '94 530i lowered suspension. I've got an Eibach/KYB set-up with all new control arms, tie rods, end links, etc. I also had her aligned immediately following the change from stock.

She drives great and handles well, but I'm noticing tire wear on the outside edge of the tire where the tread meets the sidewall. From the Eibach instructions I was expecting something like this. Is this normal for a e34 with a lowered suspension and would a set of Ireland fixed plates help?

[attack eagle]

well, the only thing that an alignment can do stock is front toe.

[BMWCCA1]

What tires are you running? Are they feathering or actually wearing out the edge? We've talked about this before and I'm still blaming tires and the BMW suspension. It happens even on stock suspensions and tire sizes but it's worse with big wheels and tires. My Avon 235/45x17s are the worst and the noise is getting deafening now after about 17,000 miles but the tires won't die.

[632 Regal]

plates might help if its way off. These cars were the outside front and inside rears so you can rotate if you want. You have enough air pressure? What was the final read for toe?

[Vanguard]

I'm running a set of stock size Yokohamas on basketweaves. I think they're 205/60 R15s. They are actually wearing out the edge. From what I've read on tear wear it looks like too much positive camber. I'm about to rotate the fronts to the backs to prolong their life, but I'm going to need some tires in the January timeframe. I'll try and post a pic later.

[Vanguard]

plates might help if its way off. These cars were the outside front and inside rears so you can rotate if you want. You have enough air pressure? What was the final read for toe?

I do check the tire pressure and try to keep it per the manual. I found the receipt this afternoon, but it had no settings on it.

[Vanguard]

Driver's side:

http://universal5.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=440&g2_serialNumber=1

Passenger side:

http://universal5.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=445&g2_serialNumber=1

[Sam-Son]

Driver's side:

http://universal5.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=440&g2_serialNumber=1

Passenger side:

http://universal5.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=445&g2_serialNumber=1
wow that's alot of wear.

BMWCCA-My avons are holdin up pretty well also. despite all the wheel spin and drifting around I make them endure I was expecting them to have fallen off already. these tires are pretty tough

[TC535i]

When you lower a car, you normally get excessive NEGATIVE camber, and that wears the inside. If you're wearing the OUTSIDE, you're driving hard and rolling onto the sidewall... try more negative camber, stiffer springs/sways, something like that.

You're definitely not getting more outside tire wear from lowering... unless the new suspension is egging you on to enjoy it a bit more. ;)

[Ferret]

My back left tourer tyre is doing this, mainly due to a shot dogbone though - you can hear it clunk as you pile on the power and/or drop the brakes...

[whiskychaser]

Wheel bearings OK?

[bsell]

Driver's side:

http://universal5.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=440&g2_serialNumber=1

Passenger side:

http://universal5.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=445&g2_serialNumber=1

Were those tires new at the time of your suspension modification? If so, they wore pretty evenly when you consider how little tread wear is remaining.

BMW set up the suspension to ensure the front end broke loose first no matter what (positive camber up front and negative in the rear). If you let the tire pressures creep down from factory settings, the edge wear front and rear gets much worse.

I would suggest running more air in your front than you have been running to try to move that edge wear more to the middle of the tire. This will increase the ride harshness but should give better steering response.

If your rears are wearing the same, the increased tire pressure trick should work the same.

Brian

[Ferret]

Wheel bearings OK?

Honestly?

Dont know, and I'm not really that arsed - it's being sold for £1k to an association as 'needs work'... so long as the tyre doesnt wear through before I get hold of the 540i/6 I'll be chuffed. :D I've had enough of this particular E34 - it's just given me trouble since the day I bought it and want to get shot of it pronto. I wouldnt mind but the diesel and auto box are a bad combo and I'm only getting 20-24 mpg out of it around town anyways :/

*In a seriously bad mood at work today, not in the mood to care about much tbh*

[whiskychaser]

Honestly?

Dont know, and I'm not really that arsed - it's being sold for £1k to an association as 'needs work'... so long as the tyre doesnt wear through before I get hold of the 540i/6 I'll be chuffed. :D I've had enough of this particular E34 - it's just given me trouble since the day I bought it and want to get shot of it pronto. I wouldnt mind but the diesel and auto box are a bad combo and I'm only getting 20-24 mpg out of it around town anyways :/

*In a seriously bad mood at work today, not in the mood to care about much tbh*
I meant on Vanguard's car, not yours:) Good luck with the new motor. And remember its POETS day

[Vanguard]

I'm not getting any noticeable noise from the wheel bearings. The tires were not new when I purchased the car about a year ago. No clunks either. I do get a chirp from somewhere in the middle from time to time, but this will happen at a stoplight as well. I suspect the center driveshaft bearing, but its not a regular recurring noise yet.

I think rotate the backs to the front and watch the air pressure carefully. I'm not sure that I need them yet as well but I have a new set of dog bones so those will go on this weekend. I know they won't help the front though.

[bsell]

I'm not getting any noticeable noise from the wheel bearings. The tires were not new when I purchased the car about a year ago. No clunks either. I do get a chirp from somewhere in the middle from time to time, but this will happen at a stoplight as well. I suspect the center driveshaft bearing, but its not a regular recurring noise yet.

I think rotate the backs to the front and watch the air pressure carefully. I'm not sure that I need them yet as well but I have a new set of dog bones so those will go on this weekend. I know they won't help the front though.

Maybe the pictures don't do the tires justice, but I can't see my lazy behind bothering to rotate tires with dryrot in the outer rain grooves and so little treadlife left. But that's just me.;)

Brian

[Vanguard]

The backs are in better shape and it's only about 10 min work with a floor jack and an impact wrench.