Anyone got any advice on this please? I’m crap with cars!!

Back in October, our 62 plate Volvo S60 had it’s service, and it was reported that the front tyres where down to the wire on the inside edge on both sides. They recommended changing the tyres (obviously!) and getting the tracking checked. We replaced the tyres and got the front wheel tracking checked a few weeks later whilst it was in for an MOT. Tracking came back as fine, so we didn’t think anything more of it.

Fast forward to last week, when I got a puncture. Whilst it was getting replaced, the garage mentioned that both the front tyres were down to the wire again on the inner edge, after less than 10,000 miles.

The car is in the Volvo garage today and they have rang to say they can’t find anything wrong: no worn bushes in the suspension ,wishbones, trailing arms and all that stuff. Their only suggestion is getting the 4-wheel alignment done, which they do not do at that garage (and doesn’t look like there’s many locally that do this). I’ll try and find somewhere locally to do this, but apart from that, is there anything else that I should be looking at that could be causing this issue?

Their only suggestion is getting the 4-wheel alignment done

I was going to say “wheel alignment” after I’d read the first two sentences.

Find a place that specialises in alignment, not just a tyre fitter. There’s a place in Huddersfield which is well known for that sort of stuff, does race car set up etc as well as road cars so experts in geometry issues. I looked into it and it was about £50-70 which is much cheaper than just one tyre.

Has it wider wheels/tyres than normal?

Only ask because many years ago I had an Omega MV6 at the wheels/tyres were slightly wider (lower ratio tyres) than normal and had constant tyre wear issues. Factory supplied etc.

Had to have a 4-wheel alignment everytime I out new tyres on.

Cheers all, nope normal tyres. We did get the front wheel alignment checked and it was ok last time. When they mentioned the 4-wheel alignment, they made it sound a bit like a last-gasp idea rather than something they thought would be the fix. Going to get it sorted anyway.

Edit- there’s a place in Larbert nearby that seems to specialise in this stuff, will try and get booked in.

I had the same in my A6 Avant (all four tyres). A friend has a similar car (just the saloon version) and his did exactly the same.

I was at the dealership this morning on an unrelated issue and mentioned it to them – they simply said ‘it’s a big heavy car, it happens’.

TBH, if you’ve had the front wheels aligned, I’m struggling to see what difference a 4-wheel alignment is going to make. Unless it was aligned by a gibbon I suppose.

You’ve got enough air in them, haven’t you?

Do you spend a lot of time ragging at the power steering whilst stationary? That might do it I guess – you should always move as you turn, not do it in situ.

You’ve got enough air in them, haven’t you?

That wouldn’t cause the inner rim only to wear.

Do you spend a lot of time ragging at the power steering whilst stationary?

Neither would that.

The place in Larbert that does 4-wheel alignment has a broken machine and huge backlog at moment :cry:.

The Volvo main dealer can’t even do a front wheel alignment at the moment as their machine is broken, makes me wonder…slightly…if they didn’t do it properly last time. I’ve booked it into another garage this afternoon for front wheel only alignment, it’s only £29 and at least will get second opinion and have it aligned again since the time in October.

Your nearest large Audi Main dealer usually has the kit for 4 wheel alignment. An independent will be cheaper mind.

Had a golf that did this.

Had camber adjustment on it and the previous owner had played with it to put some camber on it. Not much not noticeable without the gauge to be honest.

I had the garage dial it out.

I went back a week later asking them to put it back.

Turns out the camber was about the only thing keeping it on the road.

How folk can drive a stock golf is beyond me as i don’t even make progress….

I think it’s a well known fact that Volvo suspension parts are made of cheese.
I have had my V50 4 years and it regularly has to have tracking done.
This was one of my front tyres 6 months after having new tyres and tracking.

Yep, similar to mine (A6 Avant)

In other news,

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/mk-5-golf-rear-tyres-wearing-on-the-inner-edge-common-problem-i-think

If you are near Edinburgh give these guys a try.

http://clcm-autotyre.co.uk/clcm/2156424

They sorted out my V70 alignment. These Volvos are heavy on their suspension bushes, I’d have thought they’d have lasted longer on yours. It sounds as though something is out of alignment straight from the factory unless you’ve clobbered a kerb.

Bit of an update:

Got the front alignment done at a Halfords garage after picking car up from main dealer (who’s machine was broken). The guy said it was massively out of alignment : 8 something or other…degrees maybe? Said he has corrected it and to come back for free in 10 days to check its still ok. Didn’t get any print out with numbers so not sure exactly what was done though. Will still get a 4-wheel one sorted in a few weeks after we’ve moved house.

I think it’s a well known fact that Volvo suspension parts are made of cheese

Sweeping generalisation internet flannel….for balance I’ve had the same Volvo for 10 years / 130 thousand miles and everything except shockers is original…..and I only changed them ‘just in case’. Plus I use the motor on Forestry Commisson roads that wreck suspension.

If it was mine I would just tweak the adjustment manually and keep an eye on it. (No more than 1/8th of a turn at a time though).

Cars can be made to run right, even if they are big and heavy.

My car manages 50,000 on the fronts, and I haven’t worn a set of rears out yet at 115,000.

My works van is similar, 60k on the fronts and 120k on the rear and the rears still have 4mm on them.

The vans full upto the 3.5t limit every day so weight isn’t an issue.