Tyre wear question

[Lee]

Curious as to possible cause of this problem, NSF tyre is wearing faster than the OSF, but it is completely even wear across the tyre. It does have a somewhat "scrubbed" look compared to the other one (the rubber on the other one looks smoother) but the inside and outside edges are not scrubbed out like you'd usually see with a problem.

Wondering whether it's the car or the tyre*? Handling is fine...

Focus 1.8, Continental premium contact 2 both fitted at the same time, balanced etc and pressures checked regularly. The NSF is almost down to the twi, the OSF is about 1 to 1.5mm above the twi on just under 6k of normal, mostly town/country driving.

I have read that this car/tyre combo is heavy on wear, along with heavy front pad wear, but even without the mismatch this seems excessive? The rears are fine, of course. 12K and still lots of wear left.

*Clearly needs to be changed soon anyway so wasn't really up for swapping them about, but I suppose I could if it proves a point...

[The Natural Philosopher]

Asymmetric wear is the norm.

The roads are all cambered one way, the nearside of the road is where all the gravel collects..and wheelspin or brake locking most likely...

Which is why we used to rotate tyres from front to rear and swap em across the car and include the spare..

[Lee]

ISWYM, I suppose I'd better get searching reviews for something to replace them with which will give better wear without being non stick...

Lee

[Nick]

Does the NSF wheel show any signs of damage from kerbing etc? I would think as a point to start- get the alignment checked. Probably before or perhaps at the same time as new rubber being fitted. Don't know the age of the car but duff shock absorber is probably not responsible. A broken or damaged spring is also a likely contender. Speed humps and other traffic calming measures play havoc on vehicle suspension systems. Just as they do to adjacent buildings. Damned things should be gotten rid of. Nick.

[Adrian]

I've never been terribly impressed by the longevity of hard-used Contis, have to admit.

It's one area where Michelin normally scores very highly.

[Dave Baker]

I take it "twi" means "tread wear indicator".

My 2.0 Focus, same weight and suspension as yours, runs front tyres to about

25k miles and rears to about 55k. If you've shagged a set of fronts in 6k miles then the tracking is out by miles.

[Adrian]

One tyre has worn more heavily, but evenly, than the other.

Tracking would affect both tyres, but unevenly across the tread width. Castor or camber would affect one tyre, but unevenly across the tread width.

[Bob Minchin]

I've been pleased with Kumho tyres on my focus cmax following a forum suggestion

[Lee]

Yes and given I've just checked and the NSF also has slightly higher pad wear than the other side I'm going with TNP's suggestion. This thing has "traction control" malarky which it uses the pads for...

According to Etis there are no outstanding software updates, it's not throwing any fault codes and it's out of warranty anyway so I'm thinking of putting a pair of harder wearing tyres on there and see what happens.

Thanks.

Lee

[Lee]

Having had to drive a car home with tracking that bad before, I think I'd know :) Average for this model (Mk3 ti-vct) seems closer to 12K and roughly 12-14K for the front pads, from what I've read.

[Adrian]

Do you tend to drive, umm, enthusiastically?

Because, if you don't, the pad wear shouldn't be particularly affected by stability control - since it doesn't do anything at all unless and until you exceed the available grip. Then it gets a bit flashy-light at you.

I'm wondering if that front brake's dragging slightly. I wonder if that could cause increased tyre wear as well as pad wear?

[Mrcheerful]

Roundabouts and road camber mean the nsf is the first to wear out. But 6k is seriously low mileage for a Focus front tyre, perhaps you should try a set of Michelins, they seem to give the best life/grip combo. for any car. I drive my Focus pretty hard and yet the tyres last for years, not months.

One possibility: Are the tyres fitted the correct way around?

[Capitol]

Yes, we scrapped all the Contis as they repeatedly punctured.

[Lee]

SWMBO drives it more than me and yes I guess "enthusiastically" would describe her driving style...well as much as you can in a 1.6 ti-vct :)

Certainly feel it kick in occasionally in on the very dusty roads round here, (leave the freshly washed car outside for a day and it looks like it's been through the desert) though I haven't noticed any flashy lights.

Possible...there is a bit more of a wear lip on the NSF disc. Haven't been out there with an IR thermometer, (duly bookmarked as a job for next weekend) but both wheels are quite hot after a drive, though they seem about the same, as in I can't tell if one's hotter. With the wheels in the air neither feels like they are binding though, so if it is, it could well be an ABS issue :(

Brake balance seems fine, but of course I don't know how much the car is/can compensate for a problem. Pad change due soon anyway, maybe something will show up...

[Lee]

*Embarrassed face* just checked, yes they are, as in "outside" is to the outside, there aren't any arrows. *But* while what I said before is true, it's genuinely down to the twi bars on one side, not quite on the other, measuring it just now with a tyre depth gauge says 3.2mm for the OSF and 2.8mm for the NSF so the actual wear is nowhere near as bad as it seemed. Lesson learned (use the proper tool) and sorry to waste everyone's time.

What is the point in the twi if it's set higher than 1.6mm though? Unless the limits are different elsewhere?

Lee

[Lee]

Forget that, see my last post about measured depth. /embarrassed face.

[Adrian]

It's telling you the tyre is almost dead, not that it is actively illegal NOW.

[The Natural Philosopher]

Lewis Hamilton can shag a set of tires in 50 miles. Its all down to how you drive ...

[The Natural Philosopher]

As usual people with no experience chiming in with asinine suggestions.

Heck you could say with more justification 'do you turn right harder/more often than you turn left?

[The Natural Philosopher]

That is definitely a pissobolity