Rear Arm Bearing Falure Causing front Tyre Wear?

[rory_perrett]

Has anyone experienced front tyre wear due to rear arm bearing failure? My 2000 Xantia HDi seems to have very quickly taken the inside edge (about 15-20mm) off the driver’s side front tyre possibly coinciding with developing a tendency to drift to the right on straight roads.

Tracking is set OK and there is no sign of wear in front arm bushes, ball joints or steering components.

I have been trying to convince myself that the nearside rear wheel is not developing the dreaded lean but perhaps it is. Could this be the cause? Strangely rear tyre wear seems even.

Rory

[Lighty]

I personally cant see how a rear bearing can cause this problem, after all no matter what happens at the rear, if the front tyres are parallel then the tyres should not wear unevenly no matter what.
Anyone care to prove this theory wrong ?

[Peter.N.]

If only one tyre is wearing I would strongly suspect that the tyre is faulty unless the camber angle is way out on that side, stand it on a perfectly level surface and check the uprightness of the front wheels with a spirit level, they may not be perfectly vertical but the shoud be out by the same ammount both sides.

Inside edge wear would normally indicate that the front wheels are towing out, measure the depth of tread on the other front wheel and see if that is also wearing on the inside. I track mine up with a length of threaded rod insid a metal tube so I can adjust it to the track width, I set mine towing in very slightly and have never had a problem with uneven wear.

Peter

[DickieG]

I'd point a finger towards worn suspension bushes allowing the wheel to move excessively under load, the tracking might be correct on a stationary vehicle but as soon as it moves the wheels are then out of alignment due to side loads and toe-in/out.

[addo]

Yes, failing P-bushes. Been there, done that, got the T-shirt.

[citronut]

if it is only one front tyre wearing the fault will be at that cornner, as above the rear cant cause front tyre wear,

there only needs to be very slight movement in a front bush or lower swivle joint, it mmight be so slight you cant feel it with the wheel off the ground,
the force that goes through all the suspension components with the car moveing is far more than you can reprduce with hands and levers,

also if tracking was out in the slightest this would/will wear both front tyres exactly the same,

regards malcolm

[addo]

...the force that goes through all the suspension components with the car moveing is far more than you can reprduce with hands and levers...

Absolutely; the best simple test I have found for hidden lower arm bush wear is hard acceleration from a rolling start - the car will pull to the most worn side.

[jgra1]

I am quite sure (some of) mine are on the way out.. I think I will get the arm undone from everything else and wiggle - no change of direction with accel, but the front end is very unhappy with potholes now, steering wheel shake and slight direction changes..