Tyre issues - alignment cause?

[Dolby]

I bought an Audi S4 last year with 76,000km and tyres had been replaced in the last 10,000km with Toyo. I'm now on 86,000km and coming home yesterday, the car started pulling heavily to one side - and on stopping I noticed I had a flat.

When changed, I noticed the inside was actually ripped and the guy it looked like it may have blown. I took it in today to get two new tyres to balance tread - and noticed the other is identical! It was a time bomb just waiting to blow as well - which is scary as I'd just come off the highway at 130km/h for the last 90km.

The manager says 3 things caused it - bad toe in (possibly not done or not done correctly), under inflation which aggravates a car not aligned correctly and Toyo are **** tyres ...

A second opinion by another guy says it's pretty much alignment and he loves Toyo and says they are held in high regard.

Anyone know why or how my tyres did this?

Posting pics shortly

 

[Dolby]

both tyres look like this

 

[Beachless]

I would go with under inflated with a little bit of alignment issues.

You can see both sides are worn well on the corners. Could also be that they saw heavy race track use.

 

[Sinbad]

Yes alignment.

 

[Dolby]

Nah I know the previous guy and myself - we've never seen tracks.

Guess it was the toe in then :/

Thanks guys !

EDIT : Is Toyo junk ?

 

[atomcrusher]

Jeez ... that's bad .. are you sure the Toyos weren't retreads?

 

[Sinbad]

Toyos are ok. Talk to Colin at rivonia tyre about achilles 2233 to replace them.

 

[web]

Me thinks something else is wrong, alignment would have worn the tread down more were it has spilt, I would get some advice from a specialist for that, either that or as someone else has said those tires have been retreaded.

Did the previous owner lower the suspension or anything?

 

[Dolby]

Toyos are ok. Talk to Colin at rivonia tyre about achilles 2233 to replace them.

I've already got the replacements - Pirelli P7 or something. He says they're Audi approved, so good enough for me

Did the previous owner lower the suspension or anything?

Nope. Engine, suspension, wheels etc is stock

 

[web]

Something is wrong with the front end of that car, they should not wear like that

if the alignment is out it the wear should be more widespread yours is limited to the very shoulder of the tire. looks more like a camber issue but it is a front wheel drive so camber should never have been altered although if the "suspension" has been damaged or altered something might have been done.

I would get that car looked at by someone besides a tyre dealer. (not knocking tyre dealers my brother is one )

 

[psion]

was it in an accident? alignment looks totally fooked. They do look funny like they could be retreads?

 

[reactor_sa]

Remember that night last month, where you got proper dronk, took the s4 for a spin and woke up next to a random skirt?

Looks like the car was driven side ways

 

[Dolby]

No accident that I know of, and I'm sure I'd heard

Maybe they were just dodgy tyres or so. I'll monitor the Pirellis usage now after they've fix alignment

 

[rrh]

Something is wrong with the front end of that car, they should not wear like that View attachment 190261

if the alignment is out it the wear should be more widespread yours is limited to the very shoulder of the tire. looks more like a camber issue but it is a front wheel drive so camber should never have been altered although if the "suspension" has been damaged or altered something might have been done.

I would get that car looked at by someone besides a tyre dealer. (not knocking tyre dealers my brother is one )

I agree: the wear pattern doesn't indicate alignment. I would go with a pretty heavy negative camber.

Possible causes:

1.The tyres might simply be inappropriate for the car; or
2. Front steering geometry out of wack.

From the pictures it also appears that the tyre might be delaminating in which case it might be a bad batch of tyres i.e. with manufacturing flaws.

Dunno about Audis but (to my mind) the tyres appear a bit worn for 10,000km ...

 

[SauRoNZA]

Toyos are ok. Talk to Colin at rivonia tyre about achilles 2233 to replace them.

Can highly recommend Achilles 2233's. Second set on my GTI now and they are brilliant.

But Dolby how often do you check your pressures and do you do it yourself?

I recommend doing it yourself and getting your own gauge as the ones at the garage are always out. Rather over inflate than under inflate, you can use the fully loaded values as specified in the door panel or petrol cap for all tyres with no harm and better longevity.

Mine are 260kpa all round.

 

[Beachless]

To all the guys guessing weird reasons here is a image for you:

 

[Dolby]

Dunno about Audis but (to my mind) the tyres appear a bit worn for 10,000km ...

Now it is around 16,000km - they look OK to me, barring the side and tear.

I recommend doing it yourself and getting your own gauge

Yea, you have a point.

I usually just ask them every now and again, and even the guy at the tyre store said don't trust them and get your own gauge

 

[SauRoNZA]

To all the guys guessing weird reasons here is a image for you:

View attachment 190265



View attachment 190267

I believe that is a fallacy mostly perpetuated by the old days of tubed tyres where the inner would push the outer.



However in the modern world of tyres sealing on the rim over inflation doesn't occur any more.



At least that's what I was told by a Continental representative at an Audi Driving Course.



You can under inflate, but not really over inflate.

I have not taken it to the extreme however and just used the max values as per the door panel for the last three odd years and never seen an over inflation indication as per the picture.

 

[Sinbad]

I agree: the wear pattern doesn't indicate alignment. I would go with a pretty heavy negative camber.

Possible causes:

1.The tyres might simply be inappropriate for the car; or
2. Front steering geometry out of wack.

From the pictures it also appears that the tyre might be delaminating in which case it might be a bad batch of tyres i.e. with manufacturing flaws.

Dunno about Audis but (to my mind) the tyres appear a bit worn for 10,000km ...

Excess toe out will wear the inside of the tyre like a mofo.
Sauce: My wife's car chowed the insides of the rear tyres badly. Camber was in spec, toe was +4mm

 

[furpile]

I believe that is a fallacy mostly perpetuated by the old days of tubed tyres where the inner would push the outer.

However in the modern world of tyres sealing on the rim over inflation doesn't occur any more.

At least that's what I was told by a Continental representative at an Audi Driving Course.

You can under inflate, but not really over inflate.

I have not taken it to the extreme however and just used the max values as per the door panel for the last three odd years and never seen an over inflation indication as per the picture.

There is really little difference between the tube and the tubeless tyre. The air pressure will push out at the tyre, regardless if there is a tube inside or not. The tyre does not have any structure inside to prevent it from bowing out due to over inflation. The reason why you probably don't see any significant wear is because you over inflate by about 0,4 bar (depending on what your normal pressure is). That is not a lot, but under inflation can easily be 1 bar below what is recommended (especially low profile tyres you don't easily see under inflation). So if you want to be safe you can over inflate a bit, but the best is to stick to the recommended pressure based on vehicle load. Obviously if you have different tyres on than what was stock on the car the ideal pressure could change a bit.