SL/R230: Inside rear tread wear and sport mode
02-20-2015, 10:21 AM
#1
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Inside rear tread wear and sport mode
I purchased a pair of Michelin Pilot tires for my 05 SL500 last May and immediately had the car 4-wheel aligned at the dealership. In August I replaced the control arm bushings and again had the car aligned at the dealership. At that time they noted that all tires were in "good condition."
Fast forward to January when my A service reported severe inner tread wear on the back tires, nearly bare.
what could cause this in less than 5K miles later? I alone drive this car and haven't hit so much as a pothole. Is this an alignment (toe in or camber) or is it due to driving the car in Sport mode. Either way, shouldn't a dealer alignment last more than 5K miles?
The tire dealer won't replace the tires because they claim it is an alignment issue, not a tread wear problem. Is there any recourse with the dealer?
Fast forward to January when my A service reported severe inner tread wear on the back tires, nearly bare.
what could cause this in less than 5K miles later? I alone drive this car and haven't hit so much as a pothole. Is this an alignment (toe in or camber) or is it due to driving the car in Sport mode. Either way, shouldn't a dealer alignment last more than 5K miles?
The tire dealer won't replace the tires because they claim it is an alignment issue, not a tread wear problem. Is there any recourse with the dealer?
02-23-2015, 01:24 PM
#2
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2007 SL550
dmingo777
I run the same Michelins on my 07 230 and they wear on the inside first. Its not an alignment, its the way the car is set up. Not sure how many total miles you have or how you drive, but I was surprised to that I actually had cords showing on the inside of one of my rears at 30K. I do use the tires, but thought that was a little premature so I read up on it.
Evidently when you are driving normal, (even with good alignment) the bulk of the weight is on the inside. This was explained to me that the only time it is evenly distributed is under extreme load. This doesn't sound right, but the way it was explained is because it cant be right in both cases, normal driving or extreme load. i.e. cornering. So it is set up to handle the cornering. The guy told me this when I bought the tires. He said it is only truly flush when loaded (performance). Well 30K later, what I saw was exactly what he said.
I run the same Michelins on my 07 230 and they wear on the inside first. Its not an alignment, its the way the car is set up. Not sure how many total miles you have or how you drive, but I was surprised to that I actually had cords showing on the inside of one of my rears at 30K. I do use the tires, but thought that was a little premature so I read up on it.
Evidently when you are driving normal, (even with good alignment) the bulk of the weight is on the inside. This was explained to me that the only time it is evenly distributed is under extreme load. This doesn't sound right, but the way it was explained is because it cant be right in both cases, normal driving or extreme load. i.e. cornering. So it is set up to handle the cornering. The guy told me this when I bought the tires. He said it is only truly flush when loaded (performance). Well 30K later, what I saw was exactly what he said.
02-24-2015, 08:49 PM
#3
Super Member
negative camber is why
The car has negative camber (top of tire toward center of the car) in both ends and sides. You can set the negative camber to be less negative (more positive, or less tilt) which will even the wear, but decrease the ultimate grip when cornering.
Unless you are racing the car, and using all the cornering grip it has too offer, you might want to dial out this negative camber.
My guess (it is just a guess) is the car has -1 degree camber, and if you set it to -0.5 degrees this wear problem would be diminished or go away.
This inside camber wear is more evident as the tires get wider, which this car has very wide tires.
Check the camber alignment settings and ask for 1/2 of the negative camber to be placed on the car. You likely will not notice the difference in handling, but will see the difference in even tire wear.
Unless you are racing the car, and using all the cornering grip it has too offer, you might want to dial out this negative camber.
My guess (it is just a guess) is the car has -1 degree camber, and if you set it to -0.5 degrees this wear problem would be diminished or go away.
This inside camber wear is more evident as the tires get wider, which this car has very wide tires.
Check the camber alignment settings and ask for 1/2 of the negative camber to be placed on the car. You likely will not notice the difference in handling, but will see the difference in even tire wear.
02-24-2015, 10:29 PM
#4
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Dealership Discovery
I finally took the car into the MB dealership to press them for an assumed inaccurate/less than optimal alignment several months ago. I had all the records to back up my case, but the technician discovered an all too obvious, tho unnoticed problem.
When I purchased the new Michelin Pilots for the rear wheels, Tire Kingdom mounted the wrong tires. They didn't research the staggered wheel setup for the r230 chassis and simply mounted the same size tires that were on the front wheels.
Simply put, I've been driving for thousands of miles on 245/45 ZR18 tires when they should have mounted 285/35 ZR18 tires. The tires were too narrow for the rims. There's more to the story, but I'm writing a rather stern letter to Tire Kingdom corporate "requesting" that they not only provide the correct size tires to replace the now damaged ones, but suggesting that they also pay for another alignment.
kbob, I appreciate the advice. MB claims that there is no actual adjustable camber for the SL on the rear, only toe. Can this camber adjustment be "bolted" differently?
So much for competence and misplaced trust.
Thots?
When I purchased the new Michelin Pilots for the rear wheels, Tire Kingdom mounted the wrong tires. They didn't research the staggered wheel setup for the r230 chassis and simply mounted the same size tires that were on the front wheels.
Simply put, I've been driving for thousands of miles on 245/45 ZR18 tires when they should have mounted 285/35 ZR18 tires. The tires were too narrow for the rims. There's more to the story, but I'm writing a rather stern letter to Tire Kingdom corporate "requesting" that they not only provide the correct size tires to replace the now damaged ones, but suggesting that they also pay for another alignment.
kbob, I appreciate the advice. MB claims that there is no actual adjustable camber for the SL on the rear, only toe. Can this camber adjustment be "bolted" differently?
So much for competence and misplaced trust.
Thots?
02-25-2015, 12:00 AM
#5
SPONSOR
The car has negative camber (top of tire toward center of the car) in both ends and sides. You can set the negative camber to be less negative (more positive, or less tilt) which will even the wear, but decrease the ultimate grip when cornering.
Unless you are racing the car, and using all the cornering grip it has too offer, you might want to dial out this negative camber.
My guess (it is just a guess) is the car has -1 degree camber, and if you set it to -0.5 degrees this wear problem would be diminished or go away.
This inside camber wear is more evident as the tires get wider, which this car has very wide tires.
Check the camber alignment settings and ask for 1/2 of the negative camber to be placed on the car. You likely will not notice the difference in handling, but will see the difference in even tire wear.
Unless you are racing the car, and using all the cornering grip it has too offer, you might want to dial out this negative camber.
My guess (it is just a guess) is the car has -1 degree camber, and if you set it to -0.5 degrees this wear problem would be diminished or go away.
This inside camber wear is more evident as the tires get wider, which this car has very wide tires.
Check the camber alignment settings and ask for 1/2 of the negative camber to be placed on the car. You likely will not notice the difference in handling, but will see the difference in even tire wear.
KEEP IN MIND THE ONLY OEM ALIGNMENT IS FRONT AND REAR TOE!
With K-MAC the statement “Full front and rear alignment” means what it says.
The (ongoing) capability to precisely adjust front for Camber to resolve costly premature inner edge tire wear/improve traction. Caster to resolve steering pull, improve steering response with better turn in and directional control.
For the rear also, Camber with extra Toe adjustment to compensate for the new Camber facility.
Special freight deal MB World Members USA/Canada next 4 weeks $30 one kit or $40 front and rear kits.
05-07-2015, 11:38 AM
#6
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Update: inner tread wear on rear tires
Turns out that while I do enjoy taking the Interstate exits at a pretty good clip (love that ABC 
), the tires that were mounted on the rear of my SL were the wrong size. Tire Kingdom simply matched the tires on the front. Tire Kingdom HAS since replaced the incorrect size rear tires with new correctly-sized Michelin Pilots. It took a stern letter and a lot of followup, but they did the right thing.
Now if I can learn to take it a little easier on the off ramps, I should do better.
), the tires that were mounted on the rear of my SL were the wrong size. Tire Kingdom simply matched the tires on the front. Tire Kingdom HAS since replaced the incorrect size rear tires with new correctly-sized Michelin Pilots. It took a stern letter and a lot of followup, but they did the right thing.Now if I can learn to take it a little easier on the off ramps, I should do better.
05-07-2015, 04:00 PM
#7
Super Member
Toe In
It's possible that the situation will be even worse with the wider tires.
I'd re-check the rear toe in. On my Fiat X1/9, the dealer misread the toe in spec and set the toe in as 0.5" rather than 0.05" and the inside edge was gone in 3K miles. So it is not just camber that causes inner tread wear. (With the incorrect setting, the car was very "squirrelly" on wet or snow conditions.)
I'd re-check the rear toe in. On my Fiat X1/9, the dealer misread the toe in spec and set the toe in as 0.5" rather than 0.05" and the inside edge was gone in 3K miles. So it is not just camber that causes inner tread wear. (With the incorrect setting, the car was very "squirrelly" on wet or snow conditions.)
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05-07-2015, 08:56 PM
#8
Junior Member
Thread Starter
re: toe in
slk55er, thanks for the advice.
I've heard about the camber bolts but was not aware that toe in played into this inner tread wear issue. I'll definitely look into that.
BTW, I'm a lifelong barbershop addict myself- mostly choruses, though I do follow a handful of favorite quartets. My dad and I sang together in several quartets when I was a lot younger. He raised me right! I don't participate vocally anymore but I listen every day.
There aint no purer sound in the world than well-disciplined four-part male harmony. Congrats.
I've heard about the camber bolts but was not aware that toe in played into this inner tread wear issue. I'll definitely look into that.
BTW, I'm a lifelong barbershop addict myself- mostly choruses, though I do follow a handful of favorite quartets. My dad and I sang together in several quartets when I was a lot younger. He raised me right! I don't participate vocally anymore but I listen every day.
There aint no purer sound in the world than well-disciplined four-part male harmony. Congrats.
