Uneven wear

[Alice]

Tyres..
Will having the tracking done solve the problem of uneven wear & is this best done by a garage?
What other factors cause it..
Incorrect pressure in the tyres & scraping along the kerb & should I be rotating tyres anyway?

&.. is the jacking point on the front meant to be bent like that!

 

[Cannonball Bob]

You're correct on every count Alice.
Any of the things you mention could lead to uneven wear, although needless to say there's no telling which is causing wear until it's been investigated/recitified.
Tyre pressure is the easiest/cheapest to check first, followed by a full four-wheel alignment check. Although Haynes describe how to do this, money spent at a decent laser alignment place will disclose far more about your wagon's wheels.
Scraping kerbs won't help.
Can't help on the jacking point as I'm a Disco man meself.

And why are you parked on double yellow lines?

 

[Bernie]

Incorrect tyre pressures will lead to uneven wear. The most common patterns would be:

Tyres underinflated = a strip at each side wearing more quickly than the centre strip.

Tyres overinflated = the centre strip wearing more quickly than the outer strips.

Tracking out = EITHER a strip on one side OR the other wearing more quickly, but not both, and not the centre.

Definitely get a garage to do the tracking, or better still a tyre bay - not the Kwik Fit type but a smaller local independent, and preferably someone who does bigger vehicles suchs as vans, maybe tractors etc.

Once the tyre has started wearing in a certain pattern, it's terminal. Setting the tracking will make the wheels run more true but it won't halt the uneven wear to the tyre itself, as the tyre has set itself into that shape.

I've never been convinced of the benefits of swapping wheels around, except perhaps you might want to put the ones with more / better tread on the front, as they are not just spinning round but steering too = more and different loads and stresses.

 

[Bernie]

Whoops sorry, meant to say, your jacking point looks the same as mine :dunno:

 

[Geobloke]

&.. is the jacking point on the front meant to be bent like that!

Uhh no! [tries not to sound patronising] are you sure you pushed the rod in to the jacking point far enough?

I always hated the standard defender jack, never felt right or strong enough, dangerous too.

 

[bahamarover]

Don't forget to have the wheels balanced, as you can end up with a bald spot...........keith

 

[kram]

I keep my wheels bathed in mud it does wonders for there complexion

 

[fender]

worn swivel pins and a wheel out of true (buckled wheel )will also cause funny wear patterns or it could even be the tyres themselves . I just had to take 2 of my 90 as the tyres had gone out of shape ,no bulges on one but the tread was out of line
you would be better if you could find a jack to fit under the axle ,much better with the new tyres and no ajusting needed

 

[redhand]

The jacking point is fine. as said earlier you should push it as far in as possible (maximium penetration is always the best option) .

Don't forget to chock the wheel that is diagonally opposite the one you're jacking up. To prevent the vehicle from rolling and throwing the jack. Especially important if using a hi-lift type jack.

 

[Alice]

And why are you parked on double yellow lines?

because I had to move forward (or back) a tad as that silly curved bit of metal that is meant to sit behind another wheel was going to fall through the drain cover.

 

[baz]

You're unbalanced Alice

As for the tyres, post a pic of the tyre and the above peeps will have a better idea.
On a 'used' vehicle when doing the tracking with lasers you must make sure they push the front of the wheels out hard to take up the slack otherwise it is a waste of time. The book used to instruct driving forward 6 ft to get things settled in. The way they jack the wheels up on the ramp only works properly with new cars with tight bearings.

 

[Alice]

Uhh no! [tries not to sound patronising] are you sure you pushed the rod in to the jacking point far enough?

I always hated the standard defender jack, never felt right or strong enough, dangerous too.

Good point Geo No matter how hard we push, jack often slips out. This is less amusing when the wheel is off & one of the kids is joining in with the wheel changing & others are hanging around close to! That's why I questioned the angle of the point of entry.

It's not the best jack.. I've already snapped the stopping point by winding it up the wrong way. The flat plate of the base likes to slide about on the tarmac until there is enough weight bearing down from above to keep it still & the ratchet point is too close to the vehicle to make a full circle. I'm going to rumage through the socket extentions & adjusters to find a suitable attachment to give more length & better clearance.

 

[welshlaner]

Looks a bit like mine (can't really see on the photo) but defender jacking points do suffer from corrioson round this area

I fitted a Series Bumper a lot cheaper and stronger you can use a farm jack on the fully plated part near the leg irons

 

[Alice]

You're unbalanced Alice

As for the tyres, post a pic of the tyre and the above peeps will have a better idea.

My tyres are a bit sad I shall post pics tomorrow for general amusement.
I've bought 2 new ones but can't remember if I left one of them at the garage when I went back for a later tube replacement. & before anyone asks why... I was on a learning curve & thought that if they went flat then the tyre would be unsafe so no point storing it in the front garden or driving about with a 6th one in the back.
I've since learned that tubes only cost a tenner & air in = no flat.
For sure I have excessive wear on the outside of the front passenger wheel. I'll check notes but I think that's the one I've changed the most so at least 2 wheels have the wear on the outer side wall.

Brakes sticking on would be the other reason for pulling to the left (or right) but I think mine are ok atm although the rear drivers side is showing signs of seepage on the inside of the wheel drum/hub.

 

[mmgemini]

One point nobody seems to have picked up.
The length of the drag link. If the drag link is the wrong length then the left front tyre, assuming a r/h drive vehicle, will run off because of the self centering steering effect.

Now what I do find interesting with the Haynes books is that in the Discovery book the drag link length is given. Not so in the Defender book. I would assume that they are both the same.

 

[Alice]

I've not heard of 'drag link' before, I'll look in the workshop manual I've got to see if it jumps out at me
Our mechanic changed the cv on that wheel as it was making a noise when I reversed around a left? hand corner.. nothing wrong with the cv though & wheel still makes a noise on full lock (me thinks it could be the screw loose on the mudflap) But he did have great difficulty slotting the half shaft back in & couldn't quite see why.

 

[Alice]

The worn tyre, taken off.
I think it should be replaced with new as wear looks to be excessive to me. I haven't measured it's depth of tread yet.

 

[Alice]

Looks a bit like mine (can't really see on the photo) but defender jacking points do suffer from corrioson round this area

I fitted a Series Bumper a lot cheaper and stronger you can use a farm jack on the fully plated part near the leg irons

jacking point is no more Will a steel tube inserted into the front be enough to re-enforce where corroded or not.

 

[Alice]

One point nobody seems to have picked up.
The length of the drag link. If the drag link is the wrong length then the left front tyre, assuming a r/h drive vehicle, will run off because of the self centering steering effect.

Now what I do find interesting with the Haynes books is that in the Discovery book the drag link length is given. Not so in the Defender book. I would assume that they are both the same.

Landrover workshop manual section 04 says Track is 1485.9
It would be easier to scan pages as it all looks terribly involved.. but that's not really the done thing.

 

[bahamarover]

[
I've since learned that tubes only cost a tenner & air in = no flat.
For sure I have excessive wear on the outside of the front passenger wheel. I'll check notes but I think that's the one I've changed the most so at least 2 wheels have the wear on the outer side wall.
Alice,our 110 came from the UK with tubes fitted, it may be the hotter weather but we have had two flats where the tubes rubbed against the inside of the tyre and punctured, there was no puncture in the carcass of the tyre, just something you may want to bear in mind..........keith