Excessive Rear Tire Wear
05-02-2004, 03:36 PM
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Excessive Rear Tire Wear
THE REAR TIRES ON MY C230 COUPE HAVE WORN 3/32" IN 4000 MILES AS OPPOSED TO THE FRONT USING LESS THAN 1/32" FOR THE SAME MILEAGE. THE CAR CAME WITH 16", H-RATED MICHELIN TIRES WHICH I RAN FOR 7000 MILES AND SWITHCED TO 17" YOKOHAMA EVS100'S ON CARLLSON WHEELS. IN 7000 MILES THE REAR YOKO'S WERE AT 2/32" AND THE FRONTS AT 6/32". YOKO REPLACED THE REARS AND I ROTATED THEM TO THE FRONT AND PUT THE WORN TIRES ON THE REAR. 2500 MILES LATER THE REARS WENT FROM 6/32" TO 3/32". BACK ON WENT THE STOCK TIRES WHICH HAD 8/32" TREAD ALL AROUND, I DID ROTATE THEM ON THE REINSTALL ANYWAY. 4000 MILES LATER THE FRONTS ARE AT 7/32" AND THE REARS ARE AT 5/32". ALIGNMENT HAS BEEN CHECKED TWICE AFTER THE FIRST SET OF YOKO REARS WORE OUT AND WAS FOUND TO BE IN SPEC BOTH TIMES. THE DEALERS EXPLANATION: "THEY ALL DO THAT" BUT COULD NOT EXPLAIN WHY THE FIRST 7000 MILES WORE 1/32" BUT THE NEXT 4000 MILES 3/32" ON THE REAR MICHELINS. HE ALSO EXPLAINED THAT IT DIDN'T MATTER WHAT KIND OF TIRE WAS ON THE CAR, Z-RATED WITH A TREADWEAR OF 280 OR A H-RATED WITH A TREADWEAR OF 400, THAT THEY WORE OUT THE SAME BUT HE COULDN"T EXPLAIN HOW THE CAR KNEW WHICH TIRE WAS ON IT SO THAT IT COULD ACCELERATE THE WEAR 0F THE H-RATED TIRE TO MATCH THE WEAR OF THE Z-RATED TIRE. MUST BE MERCEDES MAGIC.
HELP.....ANYONE EVER HEARD OR EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM?
HELP.....ANYONE EVER HEARD OR EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM?
05-02-2004, 08:35 PM
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C230K Coupe/Orion/C4/C5/CD/AMG Spoiler/V60/TeleAid, 2 MGB's
You're misunderstanding your tire guy...
Z rated tires often have a much softer rubber compound, making them wear substantially faster that H rated tires. Some tire manufacturers (Michelin included) use multiple compounds in layers to keep the wet handling properties similar through the life of the tire; Harder rubber on a new tire, that wears to softer rubber as the tread wears down.
The important factors are treadwear ratings; the higher the number, the better the wear (280 on a Z will wear faster than 400 on an H), Temp ratings A-C, A being better, and proper inflation. Check www.tirerack.com for more details....
FROM THE LOOK OF YOUR POST, YOU PROBABLY DRIVE AS AGGRESSIVELY AS YOU TYPE....so check your tire pressure often, rotate your z's ever 3k miles and ....try a little decaff.
Z rated tires often have a much softer rubber compound, making them wear substantially faster that H rated tires. Some tire manufacturers (Michelin included) use multiple compounds in layers to keep the wet handling properties similar through the life of the tire; Harder rubber on a new tire, that wears to softer rubber as the tread wears down.
The important factors are treadwear ratings; the higher the number, the better the wear (280 on a Z will wear faster than 400 on an H), Temp ratings A-C, A being better, and proper inflation. Check www.tirerack.com for more details....
FROM THE LOOK OF YOUR POST, YOU PROBABLY DRIVE AS AGGRESSIVELY AS YOU TYPE....so check your tire pressure often, rotate your z's ever 3k miles and ....try a little decaff.
Last edited by Rick; 05-02-2004 at 08:40 PM.
05-02-2004, 09:26 PM
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rick- thanks for your input. please read my post again a little slower this time and you may realize that the michelins are h-rated and wore 1/32" in the first 7000 miles and then 3/32" in the next 4000 miles. my driving style did not change and the pressure was maintained at 30psi front and 32psi rear. i sold tires for a number of years for western auto, therefore i understand the dynamics of the utqc rating system and the importance of maintaining proper inflation and alignment. the question is has anyone encountered a problem with the car that has caused a sudden increase in rear tire wear. thanks again for your iput.
05-02-2004, 09:31 PM
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Rear wheel drive cars....
Rick is right on....fast starts and shifts with rear wheel drive cars wear the tires on the rear faster than the front....unless you corner aggressively as well and then the front tires will wear on the outer edges quickly as well. Wear factors will change the timing.
05-02-2004, 09:59 PM
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mleskovar
7000 miles 2/32" (second post stated 1/32" but was a typo and should read 2/32") of tread used, then in the next 4000 miles 3/32" of tread used. tread wear increased as mileage decreased. the driving style did not change. this indicates that there may be another problem other than the obvious.
obvious: z tires wear faster than h tires, improperly inflated tires wear differently than properly inflated tires, out of alignment causes irregular tire wear patterns, aggressive driving wears tires out faster, front tires and rear tires have different wear patterns and rates (that's why you rotate to even tire wear), and one more you may not know the rate of tire wear (amount of tread wear per mile) decreases as the mileage increases due to less squirm of the tread, in other words a tire that used 2/32" of tread in the first 7000 miles would generally use somewhat less than that over the next 7000 miles, unless something is amiss.
please, anyone out there besides the "obvious guys" that has seen this problem before?
7000 miles 2/32" (second post stated 1/32" but was a typo and should read 2/32") of tread used, then in the next 4000 miles 3/32" of tread used. tread wear increased as mileage decreased. the driving style did not change. this indicates that there may be another problem other than the obvious.
obvious: z tires wear faster than h tires, improperly inflated tires wear differently than properly inflated tires, out of alignment causes irregular tire wear patterns, aggressive driving wears tires out faster, front tires and rear tires have different wear patterns and rates (that's why you rotate to even tire wear), and one more you may not know the rate of tire wear (amount of tread wear per mile) decreases as the mileage increases due to less squirm of the tread, in other words a tire that used 2/32" of tread in the first 7000 miles would generally use somewhat less than that over the next 7000 miles, unless something is amiss.
please, anyone out there besides the "obvious guys" that has seen this problem before?
05-02-2004, 10:41 PM
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'01 C320 SS
...no one can explain it to you...Shi* happens. 
Most likely, as you've become more comfortable with the car or perhaps the change of seasons. Or, your driving style, tire pressures or alignment has changed. Do a search of the forum, and you'll see that your issue is not unique. It happens not only to the W203, but other Mercs as well. Google the net for reviews on the tire in question.
Good Luck
Most likely, as you've become more comfortable with the car or perhaps the change of seasons. Or, your driving style, tire pressures or alignment has changed. Do a search of the forum, and you'll see that your issue is not unique. It happens not only to the W203, but other Mercs as well. Google the net for reviews on the tire in question.
Good Luck
