Tyre wear and rooted suspension

[Spook's_Skyline]

My car has had firm suspension since we got it, and had been lowered. I remember getting a quote from fulcrum to fix the firm ride and they said the springs may have been heated to achieve the lower stance.

Anyway, we never bothered, got used to dodging potholes, until recently in the last few months, the ride has become increasingly harder, to the point where it feels like the car is being shaken to bits

im pretty sure something is bust

now, the other thing that is completely shitting me off is my tyre wear. i roll on 235/45s up front and 265/35s at the rear, so as you can imagine tyres aint cheap

im lucky to get 20k out of my front tyres (no track work, sensible driving 99 percent of the time) before the inside edges of the fronts are scrubbed off

the tyres i have on now, almost look new on the outer 3/4 of the tyre, with pretty much no wear at all, but the inside rim of the tyre is down past the rubber

i had been trying to fix the problem with regular 4 wheel alignments, but this was expensive and nissan (who were doing them) said i was wasting my cash and pretty much refused to do it until i got new tyres approx 7000ks ago (tyres had only done 13000 ks at that stage, as the insides were too far gone already)

what do i have to do to prevent this tyre wear problem? Ive already been told that i pretty much need to go coil overs to keep my ride height, but i will never take my car on the track, or probably even down the strip

what do i have to do to get even tyre wear?

i love my car dearly, but all of the costs associated with keeping it running, are starting to wear thin.

can anyone recommend someone in brisso for me to go see to get some straight answers about these problems?

ill probably go back to fulcrum and maybe ring some other tyre joints around and see what they say

any advice welcome!

[Sydneykid]

Inside tyre wear is an indication of either too much toe out or too much negative camber. Post up the wheel alignment readings for your "regular 4 wheel alignments" and we will be able to diagnose the problem. Toe adjustment is available using the standard components. Camber adjustment will require a kit, around $100 for most Skylines from Whiteline.

I suggest that Whiteline springs will improve the ride problem (second choice would be Kings). Cheaper than 1 pair of tyres including fitting.

You haven't specified the shock absorber brand, are they standard? If the car has travelled more than 60,000 k's then the shocks should be replaced. I would suggest a set of Bilsteins, add extra circlip grooves if you want to set the height exactly to your liking.

Usually if the front suspension is too low or poorly aligned, the rear is worse. Once again toe adjustment is available using the standard components. Small camber adjustments are also available using the standard adjusters. Larger camber adjustment will require a kit, around $100 for most Skylines from Whiteline.

Hope that is of some help.

[Spook's_Skyline]

Ok, from my last report

Front left Camber

before

-2'23'

after

-2'22

Front right camber

before

-2'37

after

-2'39

Front left toe

before

+2.2

after

+1.4

front right toe

before

+2.6

after

+1.2

caster front left

before

+7'10

after

+7'09

caster front right

before

+7'24

after

+7'24

need rears as well?

ok, new suspension on way

already had a quote for bilsteins for 1500 fitted from a year or so ago when i toyed with the idea of getting it done

will get other quotes from other suspension mobs

ta for the advice sk

[blind_elk]

If everything is standard, I wouldn't expect there be that much neg camber at the front, even on lowered suspension. I'd be checking the bushes in the front upper control arms first.

[Sydneykid]

Ok, from my last report

Front left Camber

before  

-2'23'

after  

-2'22

Front right camber

before

-2'37

after

-2'39

Front left toe

before

+2.2

after

+1.4

front right toe

before

+2.6

after

+1.2

caster front left

before

+7'10

after

+7'09

caster front right

before

+7'24

after

+7'24

need rears as well?

ok, new suspension on way

already had a quote for bilsteins for 1500 fitted from a year or so ago when i toyed with the idea of getting it done

will get other quotes from other suspension mobs

ta for the advice sk

My suggestions;

Front camber is way too much, 1 degree negative would be my suggestion. You need a Whitleine camber kit to fix that.

Toe out 3.6 mm is too much, try zero.

Caster is OK

Absolutely need rears as well.

If it has no camber adjusters on the front then that amount of camber usually indicates that it is far too low. What are the centre of wheel to guard verticle measurements? Might as well post up the rear measurements, chances are they could be a problem as well.

PS; Bislteins are around $900 for the set and Whiteline coils are around $300 for the set. You could install them yourself, or installation would be around $250, plus a wheel alignment.

[Spook's_Skyline]

er, u would have to have skillz and tools to install them myself

i have neither

im a computer guy, not a tool guy

ill be paying someone;

here come the rears:

rear left camber

before

-2'12

after

-2'13

rear right camber

before

-2'27

after

-2'26

rear left toe

before

-2.5

after

+0.2

rear right toe

before

+2.7

after

+0.1

after getting down under the car and having a jolly good look, rears appear to be wearing evenly so far

ill have to check centre of wheel to guard measurements, but i can tell you theres a small amount of scrubbing at full lock and bugger all spare room in the guards

[ferni]

As SK said, your just running too much camber.. thats your main problem for tyre wear...

[Sydneykid]

er, u would have to have skillz and tools to install them myself

i have neither

im a computer guy, not a tool guy

ill be paying someone;

here come the rears:

rear left camber

before

-2'12

after

-2'13

rear right camber

before

-2'27

after

-2'26

rear left toe

before  

-2.5

after

+0.2

rear right toe

before

+2.7

after

+0.1

after getting down under the car and having a jolly good look, rears appear to be wearing evenly so far

ill have to check centre of wheel to guard measurements, but i can tell you theres a small amount of scrubbing at full lock and bugger all spare room in the guards

Oh yes, just as I figured, far too much camber on the rears as well (should be around 0.5 degree negative). The standard camber adjusters won't do that much correction, so a Whiteline rear camber kit would be my suggestion. The insides aren't wearing because there was too much toe in, they fixed it though. So it will start wearing now.

Yep, sounds likes it far too low.

[Spook's_Skyline]

thanks matey

ill be hitting suspension mobs up for quotes to get it fixed

will i be able to keep my ride height and fix the problems?

if you're even in brisso and have pc problems dont hesitate to come see me! (or you want something printed, i work in a high volume printing)

[Sydneykid]

thanks matey

ill be hitting suspension mobs up for quotes to get it fixed

will i be able to keep my ride height and fix the problems?

if you're even in brisso and have pc problems dont hesitate to come see me! (or you want something printed, i work in a high volume printing)

Sorry, but I don't know what the ride height is so I can't say whether or not it is possible. But looking at the suspesnion geometry, I would say no chance.