Can speed humps really do this ?

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RickMM

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Feb 26, 2016
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204
Car
C63 Saloon
Hi,
Just had a bit of a shock when I was checking my tyres (W205 C63).
Showed the local Merc dealer thinking tracking, camber out of alignment, etc. but the tyre tech said that this was almost certainly the cumulative effect of straddling speed humps. The picture is nearside front tyre, but the back was showing a similar wear pattern. The tread looks like it's just been shredded off the inside edge of the tyre where the pressure would be focussed when straddling speed humps. If it were just camber or tracking then you'd expect a more gradual wearing as you approach the edge? The car was handling fine, showing no signs of bad steering geometry !
Anyone seen or had this before ?
Screenshot 2019-08-13 at 17.53.23.png
 
This is why I have my alignment checked every 3 months and every time the alignment needs to be adjusted.
Before someone says 'SLOW DOWN' I annoy a lot of other motorists when I travel over them at 10 mph.
Fortunately my local tyre dealer does not charge for a check and no charge within 3 months foe an adjustment
 
Bloody hell, that is scary! Not familiar with speed bumps doing that myself. Frightening on a car that can get to silly speeds.............. I have a habit of checking my tires more frequently than is healthy I suppose, but it's one of the things I'm really paranoid about, brakes included, on this type of car. Not just due to the expense of poor tracking/alignment eating tires, or the fact that the CLS likes eating them almost more than it likes a drink, but because, well, it goes without saying I guess.

Hope you get to the bottom of it, that tire is more threadbare than things I've seen on 40 year old Ladas..................
 
At this point I should say that I don't actually go over that many speed humps during a normal week's driving, and I'm very careful when I do.
In fairness to the tyre tech at Merc, he was telling me that I didn't need to spend an extra £199 with them getting the geometry sorted !
As above, it doesn't look (to me at least) the sort of more progressive wear across the tyre that you'd expect from simply badly set up geometry, but I'm no expert on this.
 
At this point I should say that I don't actually go over that many speed humps during a normal week's driving, and I'm very careful when I do.
In fairness to the tyre tech at Merc, he was telling me that I didn't need to spend an extra £199 with them getting the geometry sorted !
As above, it doesn't look (to me at least) the sort of more progressive wear across the tyre that you'd expect from simply badly set up geometry, but I'm no expert on this.

I bet he didn't, blame the speed humps not the car.
 
I'd add that it seems a bit suspect, with a bit more thought. I go over 3 sets of bumps, twice a day 5 days a week, on low profile 19's and have never seen this sort of wear? Think the tech may be dodging but again, no expert.............. Under inflation maybe? Mind you, if you're talking about those block shaped things where you just about clear either side with the wheels rather than the long sleeping policeman, it may be a different matter.............
 
Had this on my e430 a/garde few years back same result found inside of tyre flexed rubbed on suspension under load cornering mine was more on front than rear tyres
 
Bloody hell, that is scary! Not familiar with speed bumps doing that myself. Frightening on a car that can get to silly speeds.............. I have a habit of checking my tires more frequently than is healthy I suppose, but it's one of the things I'm really paranoid about, brakes included, on this type of car. Not just due to the expense of poor tracking/alignment eating tires, or the fact that the CLS likes eating them almost more than it likes a drink, but because, well, it goes without saying I guess.

Hope you get to the bottom of it, that tire is more threadbare than things I've seen on 40 year old Ladas..................

Let me guess, still on the same fronts as when you bought it off me and now on the 3rd set of rears? :D
 
Yeah, I've seen this with my neighbour in his CLK500 - speed bumps every single day - multiple times on his journey to work - harbour estate. Those daft square type speed humps which allow motorbikes to get through unscaved
 
That's still mainly the geometry as you can see the inner tread blocks are heavily worn. Mostly just the camber the cars run but worth getting it checked.
 
Looks more like a suspension geometry problem. Some AMG models run quite a lot of toe in to aid high speed stability which can lead to uneven wear. Very Unstable C63 Coupe.
In terms of tyre rubbing against suspension--- with the correct wheel/tyre width+offset----suspension geometry should dictate the suspension should bottom out before any tyre contact?
 
This is why I have my alignment checked every 3 months and every time the alignment needs to be adjusted.
Before someone says 'SLOW DOWN' I annoy a lot of other motorists when I travel over them at 10 mph.
Fortunately my local tyre dealer does not charge for a check and no charge within 3 months foe an adjustment
10mph is still quite fast to go over a hump, particularly those that are almost the size of Everest! I literally crawl over them, and as said much to the annoyance of those behind, I have 19s and low profiles, I do try to avoid them like the plague in the first place though.
 
Not convinced that this is just due to speed humps, for tyres to wear that badly they would surely need to be scrubbing continuously - unless you live somewhere with miles of these speed humps.

My previous C63 had worn inner edges on the rears surprisingly quickly @ 6/7k miles and this was due poor alignment , as I had the car from new I would normally not think to have this checked.
 
In 13 years at our house, I go over eight large speed bumps every time I go out, and again when I come home. In all that time I've only had one pair of front tyres with that wear, right throught to the canvas and steel wire on the inside edge.
Had the alignment done, it was way out, new tyres and never happened again. So nothing to do with speed bumps, the tyres in question had only covered a couple of thousand miles and still had 6mm tread on the outside, so why the wear?
Mercedes dealer had fitted two ball joints at the previous service and never bothered checking the alignment, that's what we pay the big bucks for when Mercedes service our cars!
 
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Yeah, I've seen this with my neighbour in his CLK500 - speed bumps every single day - multiple times on his journey to work - harbour estate. Those daft square type speed humps which allow motorbikes to get through unscaved
He still has it then Shaun? How old now?
 
In 13 years at our house, I go over eight large speed bumps every time I go out, and again when I come home. In all that time I've only had one pair of front tyres with that wear, right throught to the canvas and steel wire on the inside edge.
Had the alignment done, it was way out, new tyres and never happened again. So nothing to do with speed bumps, the tyres in question had only covered a couple of thousand miles and still had 6mm tread on the outside, so why the wear?
Mercedes dealer had fitted two ball joints at the previous service and never bothered checking the alignment, that's what we pay the big bucks for when Mercedes service our cars!
I agree with this. I'd be very surprised if tyres could be so damaged by speed pillows. And if they could do this...why only to the front tyres...you never hear of this happening due to speed humps on the rears.
 
I would take the car for a geometry check somewhere independent. I would be surprised if everything was okay with that level of wear on the inner edges.
 
Can't see the make of tyre but would it be Pirelli by any chance?. Loads of people on the Audi sport.net & RS3 forums having the same problem, so much so that Pirelli them selves have got involved.
 
Says Michelin on the sidewall ;) :cool:
 
Yep deffo Michelin from where I am looking.

I had this on my Audi but with Toyo tyres. Turned out to be a bad batch of tyres.

I go over a dozen or more speed bumps every day but never have this issue.

Have you had the car on a lift to see if there is anything catching or looking like it could catch/rub under load?
 

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