As the title mentions having issues with rear negative camber that is eating inner tires. Now i have replaces springs and shocks and full adjusted the camber all the way out and it still is not enough to overcome the negative camber. Im close to pulling all suspension compents off to see if i can find a bushing or something that i am not seeing that could be adding to the issue. anyone have any known failures for the rear suspension to cause this?
Rear Camber/inner tire wear
- Thread starter AaronB
- Start date
oilhammer
Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
Something might be bent. How far out is it?
I see no visual damage, I've owned the car about 6 years now and it just recently started getting worse over time. That's what i replaced shocks/springs. No readings but with camber fully adjust you can tell with eye and tire wear it still has negative camber. I'm just going to go ahead and replace all the bushings and a few arms, since they all have bushings in them. Hopfully I can get it back to not eating tires again here soon.
No wasent going to spend the money on a alignment at the moment when it can see it has negative camber still with it fully adjusted out. I plan on getting one once i change the bushings/arms.
senez
Veteran Member
What he said.
Without putting it on the rack to check, you'll never know. It's more expensive to keep tossing parts and time at it than getting it checked. I look at my rears all the time and they look out, but the machine assures me they're right. *shrug*
oilhammer
Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
This is all just guessing.... until you provide an actual printout of the alignment on your car, and compare it to the chart I provided.
The NMS will NORMALLY wear the tires out worse on the inside edges, especially in the rear. It's worse the bigger the wheels are (because the wheel diameter also means lower profile/wider tires). However, if the rotations are done properly at every service, you should be able to even out the wear and have ALL FOUR tires ready for replacement at the same time. But I would still 100% expect that the limiting factor of tire life will be that inner edge wear, even if the rest of the tire still has some tread left.
The NMS is also VERY hard on the compliance bushings on the front control arms. They are often wiped out by 80k miles. This can be exacerbated by warped front rotors which is often due to the rear brakes simply not working because people won't use the parking brake like they should, and the rear calipers sticking right where they are. Those bushings will cause the front camber to worsen, and increase the wear on the tires on that axle as well.
Also add in, like a lot of cars with big wide low profile tires and negative camber settings, they are made that way to allow for good road holding on curvy roads... and the NMS for being a big, soft, rental car, does indeed handle the twisties pretty admirably. BUT... those same settings also mean that driving in a straight line down the interstates puts more wear on, you guessed it, those inside edges of the tires. The standard base NMS tire, which is a 205 16, is not as bad about this, but the big 17 and especially 18 inch wheels... yeah, not the ideal size for just rolling down the highway. Look neat. Handle great. Tire wear and cost? Not so much.
And I'm well versed on the NMS, I service a lot of them... three here right now (along with that NCS Jetta)..
The NMS will NORMALLY wear the tires out worse on the inside edges, especially in the rear. It's worse the bigger the wheels are (because the wheel diameter also means lower profile/wider tires). However, if the rotations are done properly at every service, you should be able to even out the wear and have ALL FOUR tires ready for replacement at the same time. But I would still 100% expect that the limiting factor of tire life will be that inner edge wear, even if the rest of the tire still has some tread left.
The NMS is also VERY hard on the compliance bushings on the front control arms. They are often wiped out by 80k miles. This can be exacerbated by warped front rotors which is often due to the rear brakes simply not working because people won't use the parking brake like they should, and the rear calipers sticking right where they are. Those bushings will cause the front camber to worsen, and increase the wear on the tires on that axle as well.
Also add in, like a lot of cars with big wide low profile tires and negative camber settings, they are made that way to allow for good road holding on curvy roads... and the NMS for being a big, soft, rental car, does indeed handle the twisties pretty admirably. BUT... those same settings also mean that driving in a straight line down the interstates puts more wear on, you guessed it, those inside edges of the tires. The standard base NMS tire, which is a 205 16, is not as bad about this, but the big 17 and especially 18 inch wheels... yeah, not the ideal size for just rolling down the highway. Look neat. Handle great. Tire wear and cost? Not so much.
And I'm well versed on the NMS, I service a lot of them... three here right now (along with that NCS Jetta)..
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Had a set of junk rears on it. Didn't want them on the front. Car is all matching now and will rotate.
Highwaylizard
Well-known member
Just replaced my rear suspension bushings and have a quick question. Had a devil of a time getting the rear lower control arms installed and bolted back in - are they left and right specific?
Talking about the arm with the spring mount?
Highwaylizard
Well-known member
Yes
Highwaylizard
Well-known member
Bump - does anyone know if the rear lower control arms are side specific?
oilhammer
Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
They are not. There is a part number on them, but it may just be a white sticker that isn't easy to read or even present any more.
The same part that fits a lot of cars, 1K0-505-311-AB
The same part that fits a lot of cars, 1K0-505-311-AB
Highwaylizard
Well-known member
Thank you sir - I appreciate the clarification.
2004LB7
Veteran Member
I had a similar issue on my MK5. Went for years without tire issues. Then all of a sudden the rear tires started wearing on the inside so bad in a short time that the cords started showing. Plenty of tread in the other part of the tires.
Tried adjusting it but ran out of travel long before the camber was even close to being correct. Inspection found both trailing arms where bent. Passenger side more than driver. Not sure what or how it happened. No pot holes or other activity that could have caused it. I am the sole driver so I'm pretty familiar with it's use.
Had to use a jack to straighten them out. Afterwards the camber was much better. New tires are showing good tread life after a few thousand miles.
Tried adjusting it but ran out of travel long before the camber was even close to being correct. Inspection found both trailing arms where bent. Passenger side more than driver. Not sure what or how it happened. No pot holes or other activity that could have caused it. I am the sole driver so I'm pretty familiar with it's use.
Had to use a jack to straighten them out. Afterwards the camber was much better. New tires are showing good tread life after a few thousand miles.