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Tire wear/ alignment

2K views 12 replies 8 participants last post by  Bikerbob 
#1 ·
I did a few searches of the forum before asking this. I have a '16 GT convertible and with only 19,000 K (12,000 M) on it and the front tires are ruined. It looks like too much negative camber to me. The insides of both tires are badly worn and scalped.
I took it to the dealer and we swapped the tires rear to front and put it on the alignment rack only to have it show it was " in spec."
I know the P zero's on it are soft rubber but really?
The question is, are the alignment specs the same for an ecoboost and the heavier GT? What tires should I purchase next? This is a highway car and never abused.
 
#2 ·
is your car lowered by any chance? on earlier years, lowering will put it on the extreme negative edge of the spec range, and that can cause the kind of wear you describe; I assume it is the same on S550 cars

did they give you the alignment sheet with the readings? if so, is it on the extreme negative end of the range for camber?

I'm pretty sure the alignment specs are the same for all of the Mustangs regardless of engine; but the weight of the engine can affect the alignment

also do you have the super-soft summer only tires? if yes, they don't last long
 
#3 ·
I've heard that the P Zeros don't last very long but you should still get at least 30K+ on them. The alignment specs should be different for different engine options. More/less weight on the front would change the need for caster/camber. Also I'd take a tape measure to check toe-in. A quick measure at both front of tire and rear of tire will give you a rough idea. And you could raise one wheel off the ground to verify you don't have a loose tie rod. Hopefully, you don't have non-stock rims (they would require different alignment specs).
 
#5 ·
Just because its in "spec" does not mean it is right.....although there is a range that will show 'green" on your sheet, a good tech will put it on the mark.... whereas a production tech will simply make sure it's in the correct 'range".....and that sounds like the potential issue......the tires are an extremely soft compound.. Also FYI- Pirelli was sold to the Chinese several years ago all production at the Hanford Ca facility was shut down 15+ years ago....and when the company was sold (about 5 years ago....all production in Europe was shut down and "moved" to china...…. I've seen the difference in the quality of the tires and IMHO, I would not have them on my car...but....given the combination of all of these issues, I'm not surprised by what you are experiencing.
 
#6 ·
. . . put it on the alignment rack only to have it show it was " in spec."
I know the P zero's on it are soft rubber but really? . . . .
. . . . did they give you the alignment sheet with the readings? . . .
also do you have the super-soft summer only tires? if yes, they don't last long
I've heard that the P Zeros don't last very long but you should still get at least 30K+ on them. . . . . Also I'd take a tape measure to check toe-in. . . . .
Just because its in "spec" does not mean it is right.....although there is a range that will show 'green" on your sheet, a good tech will put it on the mark.....

in summary:
> check the sheet that they hopefully gave you, to see where it is "in spec" and it may need to be adjusted to the middle . . . if they didn't give you the sheet, you might want to go back or go somewhere else
> I think we can trust the dealer to have the specs right for the model car that you have

> it's not just camber that is important, toe can contribute too

> there are different P-Zero tires and the "summer only" ones don't last long, 10K miles is not crazy for those
> once you get a better handle on the alignment, then look at other things
 
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#7 ·
Have the tires been inflated properly at all times? It sounds like a possible toe out situation, did you check that? Does it make any sound from the tires when cornering?
For highway driving you don't require extreme grip so I'd look at 80,000 mile tires.
 
#8 ·
You need a front set of tires with only 12,000 miles on them?


Did you buy one of those experimental front wheel drive S550 models and do a lot of burnouts? :grin:

I would have the suspension components inspected really good. I once had the front struts and tie rod ends replaced and the front aligned and learned the tie rod on one side was not fully tightened causing it not to seat. And yes, the alignment was good as it sat statically but once the car moved the alignment would shift causing tire wear. I highly doubt that would be the case in your situation but I would have them check all the front suspension components and then ditch the P's. I am not a fan of those tires. They call them P-Zeros because you get zero mileage out of them.
 
#9 ·
This happened to my 2005 GT at 23 k miles and P-ZERO's combined with completely worn ball joints. This was in 2016, it had been a garage queen for 11 years up in Gawjah. Apparently the ball joints corroded.
 
#12 ·
^ ^ ^ I'm guessing he does not have it, some of us asked about that earlier in the thread and he did not respond to it . . . I guess if he does not want to deal with the details of the alignment, his other choice is to buy harder tires
 
#13 ·
My heartfelt apologies for dropping out. I was vacationing and got away from the computer.
No I did not think to get the printout and I have not been back to the dealer in Florida. I have looked up the spec and camber is -.72 with a tolerance of +- .75, so +.03 to - 1.47? WTF. I think you would see the tire lean at that.
I am back home now and will be talking with my dealer. The tires are ruined now after a 12000k round trip.

Thanks for all your inputs.

Bob
 
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