Scrubbing outer edge of tyres! Badly!

[C180_Driver]

Hi all!
My 05' C270 is running 'Sport Contact 3's' and has been four wheel laser aligned. It scrubs the outer edges and seems to do it alternately they never seem to do it evenly with each other. The outer edges are almost bold, where as the Central tread has plenty of mm's of tread! I've had to change my tyres twice on the front both sides after just a few thousand miles each!
Also any suggestions on a tyre to change too? Front and back? Thanks all!!

 

[Geoff A]

If the geo has been set properly, I'd try over-inflating tyres by 3-5 psi to move wear onto the middle of the tyres. And slow down a bit through corners and roundabouts to cut down on excess scrubbing. Tyre pressures are just a guide, so be prepared to experiment a bit, to find a combination that suits.

 

[brabusvito]

mercs do this alot due to the angle the wheels go to on full lock and beeing rear wheel drive the car is pushing the front wheels making them scrub, not sure if you will be able to do this on your car, but i run amg wheels on my van, and they scrubbed all the time until i changed the width of the tyre from 245 to 255, solved the probblem and saved me a fortune on tyres, you just need to check on your car you would have enough clearance if you want to do this!

 

[bolide]

If the car is wearing out tyres in a couple of thousand miles the the alignment is wrong

Nick Froome

 

[developer]

I'm changing my SC3's to SC3's (or possibly SC5's).

It isn't the tyre that's at fault - it's the geometry.

SC's are as good as the best of the rest for road use.

 

[C180_Driver]

Cheers for the response guys!

I'd agree it wa still a geometry problem or my current geometry is wrong BUT the equipment it was aligned on is, as they say 'the shizz' you don't get better laser aligners from what I understand, and the guy that did has done many jobs for me and friends before.
That's why Im struggling so hard to understand the cause because it isn't alignment or camber issues.

 

[Dieselman]

Do you turn a lot of tight corners or use the power steering to turn the wheels while stationery?

 

[C180_Driver]

No more than anyone else, that I can think of!
Im in a normal town type environment, I try not to use steering with no forward movement for exactly this sort of reason, so no I don't.
Because the front tyres have warn at separate rates i have changed them both separately I'm going to next time put a brand new pair on together and see if this helps.
Cheers for the replies everyone!

 

[RFdesigner]

Was it aligned by MB / MB indie?

They apply a special 'pre-loading' bar to the suspension during alignment. Mine was eating inside edge despite generic lazer alignement, after MBindie alignment no wear issues.

Derek

 

[Rashman]

If you're happy with the alignment work, I'd be inclined to say it was perhaps your cornering speeds.

As suggested above, try increasing your psi and slowing down when cornering and see how you get on.

 

[BlackC55]

Or the suspension is worn/poor quality parts fitted.

 

[C180_Driver]

Again thanks for all the replies everyone!!

Tonight I have put the PSI up from 29 ( as stated in the diesel cap) to 33 and see if that helps!
With regards to warn parts there is a 'knocking' on braking and lock. When assessed by a garage they said it was nothing obvious but could well be warn anti roll bar bushings?
But at the same time was told the amount of wear on the edges of my tyres wouldn't be an affect of this due to no 'badly' warn parts.

 

[mct_cars]

Either worn bushes or the alignment not done properly - more likely alignment without camber done, especially as outer edge - suspect too much positive camber......... or you drive heavily understeering round all corners.

 

[C180_Driver]

Well, just been outside to have a thorough look at my tyre and when I got underneath to inspect the inner part of the tyre I found two things:
One, was the fact that the tyre IS wearing on the inside aswell, which shows it is wearing on the inside but a lot more heavily on the outside as I said.
Two, a fluid coming from my under tray an trailing half way down the car!!!!! :O Slight smell of Diesel I'd say! Any ideas anyone, from whete its leaking from!
Cheers

 

[Dieselman]

The fluid will be diesel, probably from a leak off pipe or the pump.

 

[BlackC55]

Have a look at the front thrust arm bushes. They are the aluminium ones with a large bush at one end. These do wear and can cause odd tyre wear.

 

[Benzowner]

If your tyres are wearing both edges, that is a sure sign of under inflation, over inflation wears out the centre of the tyre. 29psi does seem a tad low to me, but I have never owned a C Class.

 

[rf065]

If your tyres are wearing both edges, that is a sure sign of under inflation

Normally you would think so, but to me it's only a sure sign that it's a Mercedes. All my fronts have worn on outer edges and rears in the centre. I too have upped the pressure in the fronts but they still wear on the outside edges. Geometry is spot on too, some things you just have to accept.

Russ

 

[C180_Driver]

Ive left it over time and been using 32PSI in all tyres. There rears have done 11,000 and are spot on minus one having a slow puncture, which I monitor.
The fronts haven't changed since my last update but I have spoken to a lot of people that say due to the nature of the cars steering (It giving the wheel an almighty angle when you turn and being a heavy beast) it will naturally wear the outers.

Im just waiting for the rears to wear a bit more (Currently at 3mm) and then I'm going to change all four tyres. The fronts to Contact 3's and the rears Contact 5's.
Cheers all