[Vwdiesel] Tirewear in a unique pattern

[Pavneet Arora]

Hello,

Our car is a 1998 A3 Jetta TDI with 235 000 km on it.

Recently, I thought that our front right bearing was going  (there was a
whining/slapping sound form the front) so I took it in to our trusted shop
who diagnosed it instead to be uneven tire wear on the insides of the two
front tires.  Now the front tires were just swapped to the front this
summer; last summer they were in the back.  The mechanic saw that there
was some oil on one of the right struts in the back (all four dampers are
Bilstein's replaced about two years ago).  Biltein, btw, thinks that this
oil is normal....mmm.

Now, I am seeing (or perceiving ;-)) the same tirewear pattern developing
on the tires that were put on to the back.

Anyone have any suggestions what it might be?  The mechanic, I am certain
is going to insist that it is dampers and because getting replacement
Bilsteins is going to take some time, and the expense of replacing them
means that it could turn out to be an expensive experiment it they aren't
the problem, I am looking for help.

The unevenness of the wear pattern is most apparent if you run your hand
over the inside of the wheel.  There is a "bumpiness to the feel" while on
the outside of the tire the surface is smooth.  True to form the tires are
nearly new :-( (Nokia NRT-2).

Many thanks for your help.


----
Pavneet Arora

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