Rear tyre wear on A209

[Ted]

On 29 April this year I had four Pirelli P Zero tyres put on the CLK. I also had the tracking done.
Now, five months later and 4,000 miles on they are on the wear bars.
Surely they can't have worn this quickly - I don't drive fast or in any way spiritedly.

The tyres are both worn, they are worn evenly across the tread and tyre pressures are correct.

I had no problems with wear on the previous tyres - they were over half worn when I bought the car and lasted a year before I needed to replace them.

Since I had the new tyres, I have often noticed a rubber smell at the end of a run, and the car 'shimmies' when hitting a pothole - very similar to scuttle shake, but other than that, it runs true and there is no excessive tyre noise.

Does anyone have any ideas what could have caused this? I simply can't believe that they should have worn so quickly.

 

[renault12ts]

If the wear is even and the car drives as expected...it's just a poor compound. Or you lend it to someone who doesn't treat it well.

 

[Dieselman]

Tyre pressures or rear toe would be my thoughts.

How many miles?

 

[Ted]

The poor compound has crossed my mind. Only myself and Mrs Ted drive the car.
The tyres have done 4k, the car 37k

I'm stumped.

 

[Dieselman]

Take them back to the supplier and let the manufacturer have a look at them.

 

[Ted]

That is what I'm thinking of doing, DM. The compound does seem to be soft, but that could be my imagination. I've had a look round the internet, but I haven't seen anyone with the same issues.

 

[Dieselman]

Maybe the front brakes are seized on.

 

[Ted]

Hmm, the car coasts fine and fuel consumption is good.
I haven't noticed either of the font wheels getting warm or smelling of friction material.

 

[rifiki]

Dud tyres? I would go back to tyre shop.

 

[def90cars]

Just throwing in some ideas.
The shake would seem like poor alignment.
Are the rear shocks OK? would give wheel shake.
Diff working correctly?

 

[wheels-inmotion]

"Tracking" i hate that word because it's such a con misguiding the public into crocodile tears.

Back on topic is it the front or rear tyres that concern you? The issue when hitting a pothole is it the case you need to correct the line of travel?

 

[markjay]

I think he said it was rear tyres.

 

[Ted]

Thanks for all the replies.
Yes, rears only.
If the alignment was THAT bad, I would expect the tyres to be feathered (shouldn't I?) and the straight line (and to a degree on the bends) performance to be impacted. It's not.
I would also expect some tyre noise.
In terms of duff tyres - how could that be? Made from a major tyre manufacturer, I can't see how this would happen.

The other thing I don't get is the shimmy on a pothole as if they were under inflated and the rubber smell.

One thing, are these tyres directional? I can't see an arrow - there IS a marking that says 'Outside' and this is on the outside of the tyre.

 

[def90cars]

Thanks for all the replies.
Yes, rears only.
If the alignment was THAT bad, I would expect the tyres to be feathered (shouldn't I?) and the straight line (and to a degree on the bends) performance to be impacted. It's not.
I would also expect some tyre noise.
In terms of duff tyres - how could that be? Made from a major tyre manufacturer, I can't see how this would happen.

The other thing I don't get is the shimmy on a pothole as if they were under inflated and the rubber smell.

One thing, are these tyres directional? I can't see an arrow - there IS a marking that says 'Outside' and this is on the outside of the tyre.

Shake and rubber smell would still make me want to check diff and shock.

Diff..as transmission wind-up would cause release and shake on bumps.
Shocks as the addition load transmitted through boucing would cause the tyres to heat up more.

 

[markjay]

...One thing, are these tyres directional? I can't see an arrow - there IS a marking that says 'Outside' and this is on the outside of the tyre.

If it says 'Outside', then the tyre is asymmetrical (which is very common).

But a tyre can not be asymmetrical and unidirectional at the same time.... (if it was, youl'd need different tyres for the left and different tyres for the right).

So they are not unidirectional.

 

[buster651]

had this prob but all 4 tires cured by 4 wheel laser tracking the tires were all worn even

 

[camerafodder]

Ted I've looked into this and I think your problem is the A209. Its too bendy. You need a straighter road like the A5 or M6.








On a more helpful note what model of P-Zero are they?

 

[def90cars]

If it says 'Outside', then the tyre is asymmetrical (which is very common).

But a tyre can not be asymmetrical and unidirectional at the same time.... (if it was, youl'd need different tyres for the left and different tyres for the right).

So they are not unidirectional.

Tyres can be (uni)directional and asymmetrical. Yokohama AD06 as fitted to Lotus. And because they were staggered sizes they were actually location specific... absolutely not rotation! (Except when the wheels turned! - for all the pedants)

 

[markjay]

Tyres can be (uni)directional and asymmetrical. Yokohama AD06 as fitted to Lotus. And because they were staggered sizes they were actually location specific... absolutely not rotation! (Except when the wheels turned! - for all the pedants)

OK... but it is very rare and realistically it is unlikely that the OP has these

 

[Ted]

Thanks again all for the suggestions - especially Camerafodder's

These are 'just' P Zeros not Corsa or Rossos

I think that I am just going to have to grin and bear it, and get some new ones, definitely NOT P Zeros. I will also get the rear alignment checked again.
I'll also express my concerns and dissatisfaction I can't see how it can be anything but the tyres.