Re: tire wear

["Fred Munro" <munrof@isys.ca>]

Hi Tracy;

    Sorry, I didn't read your post carefully enough and missed the 32k miles
you have on the car since your front end work. The alignment comment still
holds, but I don't think you can hold the shop accountable after 32k miles!
Then again, a good alignment on my car lasts for years - I only have to get
it redone when parts have been replaced.

Fred Munro
'91 200q  263k km
-----Original Message-----
From: Fred Munro <munrof@isys.ca>
To: TRACY.M.FINNEGAN@monsanto.com <TRACY.M.FINNEGAN@monsanto.com>;
quattro@coimbra.ans.net <quattro@coimbra.ans.net>
Date: Wednesday, December 09, 1998 7:57 PM
Subject: Re: tire wear


>Tracy;
>
>    The most probable cause is poor wheel alignment. After major suspension
>work the car must be properly aligned and your dealer may have missed the
>boat. Since the critical front end components have been replaced, the tire
>wear points to improper alignment. Give the dealer another chance to get it
>right (at their expense) before you buy new tires - in fact, they should be
>willing to make an adjustment for you on the tire wear their presumed
>ineptness has caused.
>    I had a similar problem with my first '86 5ktq - the dealer's 4 wheel
>alignment wore out my (admittedly old) front tires in two weeks. They
>apoligized, re-aligned the car, and gave me a good deal on 4 new V rated
>Continentals. The downside was the Contis were the worst tires I've ever
>owned and I spent the next several years wishing they would wear out! Alas,
>they were still on the car and in good shape when it was totalled.
>
>HTH
>
>Fred Munro
>'91 200q  263k km
>-----Original Message-----
>From: TRACY.M.FINNEGAN@monsanto.com <TRACY.M.FINNEGAN@monsanto.com>
>To: quattro@coimbra.ans.net <quattro@coimbra.ans.net>
>Date: Wednesday, December 09, 1998 1:34 PM
>Subject: tire wear
>
>
>>     About 32K miles ago I had new outer tie-rod ends, new struts, strut
>>     bearings, and strut rubber stop all replaced by the dealer.
>>     Immediately after I had new D60A2's installed.  After the repairs I
>>     felt the car did not handle as it once had.  The alignment is
strange.
>>     The car follows the grade of the road.  Driving in the left lane
makes
>>     the car pull left, driving in the right lane makes the car pull
right?
>>     Also, making very tight, slow turns (parking lot stuff) the wheel
>>     seems to "hinge", meaning it is not smooth throught the turn radius.
>>     None of these problems were present before the intended improvement.
>>     The tires now show considerable more wear on the passenger side.  The
>>     car has been to the dealer several times, but they don't seem to
fully
>>     comprehend the situation.  Any ideas, I need to replace tires again
>>     and want to try to avoid wearing these prematurely as well.
>>
>>     Thanks
>>     Tracy M Finnegan
>>     tmfinn@monsanto.com
>>     89 200 Turbo, Non-Quattro, 184K miles
>