ZX front tyre wear

Brian Oblivion · Post by **Brian Oblivion** » 14 Nov 2005, 12:36

My front tyres are badly worn at the outer edges as you look at them. The inner edge and center are ok. Is this a tracking issue or a sign of something else? The rears are fine. The tyres are Brilliantis, 11 month's old with about 12k on them.

fastandfurryous · Post by **fastandfurryous** » 14 Nov 2005, 13:10

Either too much toe-in, or you've been cornering like John Clelland.

Brian Oblivion · Post by **Brian Oblivion** » 14 Nov 2005, 14:03

Ta for that, is the toe-in a garage job?

fastandfurryous · Post by **fastandfurryous** » 14 Nov 2005, 15:20

Depends entirely on how skilled you are.

Personally, I have never had a vehicle tracked at a garage. I always do it by eye, and have never yet had an abnormal wear pattern on my tyres.

If you are going to have it done by a garage, make sure they do it properly (rolling the vehicle forwards after each adjustment etc..) as many garages assume that just because they have a £20k tracking machine, it's always right. Unfortuantley, a 20IQ fitter can render said £20k machine useless.

Dave1 · Post by **Dave1** » 15 Nov 2005, 18:14

The ZX does this all the time. They are tracked with a certain amount of toe in. I had mine set with less toe in deliberatly last time and it has stopped the problem entirely.

I have a 306 which did the same. I adjusted that myself , about half a turn on each side and again the problem is solved. There does not seem to be any adverse effect on steering at all. Just better tyre wear.

Post by **Peter.N.** » 15 Nov 2005, 21:21

For years I have tracked my wheels up using a length of threaded rod with two nuts that slides inside a piece of metal conduit tube and my tyres have worn almost perfectly evenly.

jeremy · Post by **jeremy** » 15 Nov 2005, 21:43

Have a similar device which is alloy bars sliding in a square tube. I bought it when I had a Triumph 1300 that pulled hard left which I found was due to a dent in the subframe that was not rectified by the main dealer on an accident repair but I got that to run correctly using it and I have tracked numerous cars with it since.

I just don't like using it on the BX as I normally get underneath with it but don't trust the BX hydraulics, and also there's precious little room under one on normal height!

citroenbx · Post by **citroenbx** » 15 Nov 2005, 22:19

To Peter.N. and jeremy

Any chance of a diagram or photo's of the tracking kits you use.Would love to do my own.

You just cannot get this job done well any where. I had a car done a few years ago,what a mess they made. A young chap couldn't undo the adjuster on one side so he left it but adjusted the other side,can you amagine the drive !

Cheers

jeremy · Post by **jeremy** » 15 Nov 2005, 23:17

Essentially all you need is an extending bar and you measure between the inner tyre walls (being careful to avoid moulding marks etc) You measure smaller first, then extend to larger and measure how much you have extended the gap - or if you prefer you could for example make up a coarse feeler gauge out of suitable thickness plastic strip (eg 1mm thick feelers)

You will probably have to crank the bar to clear obstructions.

jeremy