[goodmonkey]

With my recent purchase of a 2011 Touareg with 20 inch rims I've noted some uneven wear on all four wheels. The assumption here is that the camber adjustment may be off somewhere, but I don't know which end. I've read about the inside of the tires wearing faster, but on mine it looks like the outer tread is wearing faster than the inner tread, and the center even faster. The worst example is on the right rear, with just less than 1mm on the outside and around 1mm on the inside, with just over 0mm in the center. The left rear isn't much better, though the front does show similar, with the inner tread being about half a mm taller than the outer, and the center going faster. I believe the center going quicker is probably due to over inflation, as even now they are set around 42 PSI all around.



I'm going on the hunt for new tires shortly, but probably not replacing with the same Michelin Latitudes that are on there, instead trying something cheaper. This simply because if what I'm reading is correct, I might not get 20k miles out of more expensive tires, so why not go for something half the cost? My question though lies in how often are alignments called for, and are they four wheel or just front end or rear? My rig is at 138k miles, and from the Carfax report it seems it had an alignment done at the VW dealership around 70k. If I do go for an alignment I'm probably going to Firestone or NTB or someplace like that vs the dealer. If warranted, I'd also look at one that will cover multiple years and I can get it checked every six months or so.

 

[Black Grouse]

I get full alignment done before each set of new tyres.

 

[goodmonkey]

I get full alignment done before each set of new tyres.

Thanks. For you, how often is that and what size wheels do you have?

 

[noobytoogy]

Why aren't you running your tires at the correct pressures?

You need a full 4 wheel laser alignment AFTER you have fitted the new tires when the car is sitting on fresh, new, unworn rubber.

You also need to make sure you don't suffer Steering Wheel Shakes (SWS) by having the wheels refitted and torqued up correctly to 133 ft lbs.

There's along thread on here about it.

One of the fixes before the TSB came out was to fit Michelin Latitude Tour tires!

Touaregs normally wear their tires pretty evenly but the life can vary hugely according to the way the car is driven and where.

See post #16

https://www.clubtouareg.com/forums/...forums/f44/new-technical-bulletin-issued-for-steering-wheel-shake-191057-2.html

One more point - you shouldn't be buying tires based only on price. You should be looking for good handling, good braking and good water clearance. Quietness and comfort are bonuses.

 

[Black Grouse]

Thanks. For you, how often is that and what size wheels do you have?

I don't know how often - I'm only half-way through the OE set of Bridgestone 265/50R19 because I use Dunlop 235/65R17 in the winter.


Noobytoogy - you make the point about alignment AFTER replacing tyres, why is that better than just before?

 

[TheChunknorris]

I don't know how often - I'm only half-way through the OE set of Bridgestone 265/50R19 because I use Dunlop 235/65R17 in the winter.


Noobytoogy - you make the point about alignment AFTER replacing tyres, why is that better than just before?

I mean you should get them done after and if you have any type of suspension component changed, that's alignment/maintenance 101. I may have missed it but why do you inflate them to 42psi? Suspension components wear based on the tires on the car, you change the tires or wheels(Snow set up in your case)... you should get an alignment. In this case, it wouldn't be a bad idea to get an alignment to verify you can achieve OEM spec before you go out and buy new tires. It's better to do it that way then to have to pay for all 3 things at one time in the event you have something amiss with any of the suspension components.


Cheaper tires is relative and I would purchase tires based on your needs for the time of the year your Treg doesn't have the winter set up on. The only advice I can give you is, determine what you're looking for first. Ride quality? Sound quality? Price? Road Warranty? I went from 18' to 21' and the tires on the 18' were rough... I went with 21' Latitudes as my #1 consideration for tire purchase is sound. Softer compound tires are generally(not the rule) quiet or higher performance in nature ( ex Michelin Latitude vs Michelin Pilot Sport 2 vs Michelin Defender LTX). Hopefully this info helps you moving forward.

 

[goodmonkey]

Thanks. I've only put about 50 miles on the rig in part because of the shape of the tires and it isn't my daily driver. I have no plans on running at a higher pressure, that is what they were set at when I got the vehicle and I haven't rectified it. But I have no way of knowing if they were always run at that pressure or not, just suspect it to be so based on the center wearing out quicker. During my download of data from erWin I have seen the what the pressures are spec'd at for those tire sizes.

As for steering wheel shake, yes I've seen the thread and am aware.

I'm looking at some Cooper tires right now, in part based on another club member's review. Those are much cheaper than what is on there now.

 

[TurboABA]

You need an alignment any time things go "out of alignment". This is not milage dependent.
If you drive into a curb, if you hit a bad pot hole, if you have a failed\worn out bushing or any other suspension component.... those are all typical contributors that will throw things out of line.... it is not a magical milage value.

Each vehicle and it's use is different. You as the owner have the most in-depth knowledge of how your vehicle is performing. Since you are seeing funny tire wear, you need one. If you get one, and you still see funny wear a month later, you need another one, etc.....

A good shop will inspect your suspension and tell you what needs replacing in order to keep everything proper.
As a generic idea, most users get aligned every 3 years or so when they replace tires. Always a 4 wheel unless you only care about your front\rear wheels or unless you only had the front suspension worked on, etc.

A proper alignment makes your tires last, your vehicle handle properly, and overall a more enjoyable experience.

Also, don't listen to these guys about tire pressure. Run what you need to based on your situation and results. If your tires are only wearing out down the middle, then yes, they are over inflated. I run mine at 45psi COLD (the 20s) and my wear is even.

 

[noobytoogy]

Car makers spend a lot of time and money trying to get an optimum set of tire pressures for their new cars and in doing so will cover many, many more miles than any owner ever will so using the pressures on the door placard should be your starting point.

 

[TurboABA]

Ofcourse they will.
What type of loads\road surfaces\driving conditions are the door placard dictated pressures for? Rock crawling? Autobahn driving? Towing? Snow traction? Offroading? Full load? Partial load? If we, as self proclaimed enthusiasts can't even determine what tire pressure suits our individual use best, we shouldn't be driving.

But sure, if you don't know anything about the differences, go ahead and stick to the suggested pressure...... it's a safe approach, but certainly not the bible.

 

[tadpole]

Abnormal wear tells you you need to have a "good" shop do an alignment with a print out to show you what is going on with your car. Tire pressure and wheel balancing all play into the tire situation as well as the actual suspension condition.

These cars will run through tires faster than sedans and lighter vehicles. I can get 50-60K miles on a GSW and barely 40K on the TREG with everything tuned well on the suspension and wheels. Don't skimp on the tires you put on the TREG or you will be disappointed with the performance you get. It is a 5000lb beast.

 

[goodmonkey]

Road conditions have a lot to with tire life too. Getting 40k out of the tires on the Touareg I don't consider awful, it is the reports of 15-20k that seem a little off.

I've honestly not had to do very many alignments even after some pretty rough roads and pot holes, and have bent steel wheels without knocking the suspension out of wack on some A1 platforms.

This was really just to get a gauge to see what others were doing, and knowing that in general when getting new tires doesn't seem bad.

As for pressures, once new tires are on I will go with specs for half load most of the time, 2.3 and 2.5 bars. If I need a heavy load I can easily pump up to 2.5 and 3.0 bars fairly easily. The compressor was missing for the spare so I am carrying around my portable that we've used on 10 ply trailer tires before, or I can just pump up with the compressor at home. When I've owned HD Silverados the approach is the same, lower pressure without a load, higher pressure with one. Passats aren't nearly as heavy as the Touareg, but I've routinely run with more pressure to increase mileage with no ill effects on the tires. These tires though have been abused and I hope to treat the next set better.

Thanks for the data points, I've got a plan of action now and don't feel like it is any worse than it really is.

 

[TheChunknorris]

Glad the forum could give you some insight.

 

[EddyTreg]

With my recent purchase of a 2011 Touareg with 20 inch rims I've noted some uneven wear on all four wheels. The assumption here is that the camber adjustment may be off somewhere, but I don't know which end. I've read about the inside of the tires wearing faster, but on mine it looks like the outer tread is wearing faster than the inner tread, and the center even faster. The worst example is on the right rear, with just less than 1mm on the outside and around 1mm on the inside, with just over 0mm in the center. The left rear isn't much better, though the front does show similar, with the inner tread being about half a mm taller than the outer, and the center going faster. I believe the center going quicker is probably due to over inflation, as even now they are set around 42 PSI all around.



I'm going on the hunt for new tires shortly, but probably not replacing with the same Michelin Latitudes that are on there, instead trying something cheaper. This simply because if what I'm reading is correct, I might not get 20k miles out of more expensive tires, so why not go for something half the cost? My question though lies in how often are alignments called for, and are they four wheel or just front end or rear? My rig is at 138k miles, and from the Carfax report it seems it had an alignment done at the VW dealership around 70k. If I do go for an alignment I'm probably going to Firestone or NTB or someplace like that vs the dealer. If warranted, I'd also look at one that will cover multiple years and I can get it checked every six months or so.

Why aren't you running your tires at the correct pressures?

You need a full 4 wheel laser alignment AFTER you have fitted the new tires when the car is sitting on fresh, new, unworn rubber.

You also need to make sure you don't suffer Steering Wheel Shakes (SWS) by having the wheels refitted and torqued up correctly to 133 ft lbs.

There's along thread on here about it.

One of the fixes before the TSB came out was to fit Michelin Latitude Tour tires!

Touaregs normally wear their tires pretty evenly but the life can vary hugely according to the way the car is driven and where.

See post #16

https://www.clubtouareg.com/forums/...forums/f44/new-technical-bulletin-issued-for-steering-wheel-shake-191057-2.html

One more point - you shouldn't be buying tires based only on price. You should be looking for good handling, good braking and good water clearance. Quietness and comfort are bonuses.

That wear seems fairly normal. Tire pressure and rotations are gonna be your saving grace on tire longevity. I align my Touareg every rotate (3k or so). As long as you dont buy the cheapest tire on the market, the Touareg will do very well. Being a tire guy for many years, I've never had good luck with Michelin, but to watch their own.

 

[Blownvette]

.

 

[VWBob]

We run the Michelin OEM tires on our 11 Touareg VR6 (19" so not exactly same situation), they have worn evenly, have good tread life and are quiet so I am not sure that we are the exception or what should be expected with a tire that expensive.

Aligning the Touareg is a challenge, make sure you use a place with high end equipment and a technician skilled in using the equipment. I know from experience.

My guess is most 20" tires are not designed for long mileage and have softer rubber compound, less expensive tire may mean replacing more often so will it end up being a cost savings ?