'98 300TD estate uneven tyre wear.

[Mikeyboy]

Hi there.

I have managed to find myself an S plate 300 Turbo Diesel estate and it seems a great car.

I noticed that the two rear tyres were worn right down on the inside of the treads.

The outside parts still had plenty of tread.

Can this wear be caused by worn bushes on the rear wishbones or something as simple as the wrong pressures?

It it almost like the car has 'racing cambers' on the back what with them wearing on the inside.

Could it be something more serious like a failing differential?

The car has covered 129K miles and has a full MB schedule with corresponding MOT's.

Thanks in advance for any help.

Mike.

 

[kth286]

The rear suspension will be a sophisticated mutilink system that all modern Mercs use.

The idea is that no matter what level the rear is at, the rear toe will remain constant on a journey, unlike a lot of other cars where the toe is constantly changing and thus constant steering adjustments are always having to be made as one travels.

The rear suspension is where the fabled Merc relaxed high speed cruising come from, with no need to keep making steering adjustments caused by dips and crests in the road (which cause toe changes on other cars) and thus less tiring on a long journey.

However the cost is a lot of rubber bushes in all the struts/arms that wear out over time.

The rear suspension could probably do with a complete overhaul with all the arms replaced each side.

That is four arms each side which include the new bushes at each end already installed in each arm.

Individual arms are farly cheap £20/£30 (at tha last count) but of course you have to add the labour charge if you farm the job out.

The arms are :

Torque

Thrust

Camber

Toe.

It is no good just replacing the toe arms first because there is normally a sequence of wear which takes place.

It is the Torque arm and Thrust arm which wear first, and so these will need to be replaced anyway.

It is very important that the suspension is allowed to settle on it's full load before the arms are tightened. That will ensure the rubber bushes are in the correct place for natural operation and not be subjected to extreme stress and quickly wear out. Youg mechanics often ignore that or do not understand.

 

[Mikeyboy]

Thanks for that.

I hope to be doing most/all the work myself.

That price that you quoted is for MB/genuine parts, yes?

I will try to get the work done before the tyres go completely illegal so when I have the new ones fitted they won't get trashed.

Thanks again.

Mike.

 

[BlackC55]

I would get a wheel alignment done first.

This will show any problems.

 

[Dieselman]

I'd be surprised if the bushes were worn out at that mileage, but they could be. More likely the rear toe is out.

As BlackC55, have a ful 4 wheel alighnment performed. Technically there is no adjustment for camber so it shouldn't be out.

 

[Mikeyboy]

Will do.

That is a good starting point.

Thanks.

Mike.