Front tires worn on the inside, Audi A3

Hello,

Unfortunately, the alignment of the Audi A3 8PA was only temporarily adjusted after a minor accident.
After approximately 15,000 km, I noticed that the front tires were wearing down more on the inner edges than on the outer edges.

The dive angle may not have changed dramatically, and if it did, the nature of the impact would likely have adjusted it in a positive direction. In that case, the outer edges of the tires would be more likely to wear down excessively.

Therefore, I suspect the trail is incorrect, especially the angle of the follow-up path, which seems too large. Can anyone with experience confirm whether tires wear out more on the inside when the toe-in angle is slightly too large (meaning the wheels are further apart at the front of the tire than at the rear)?

Best regards, Rainer.

Essentially, only a comparison of planned versus actual values helps, at least with the tools available.
I'm surprised that you're writing about Nachspur. My A4 has positive camber values (toe-in), as do all the other cars I've owned in recent years (Golf 7, Audi 80, Polo 6R, Passat, etc.).
What setpoints are you using?
hg
Herbert.

dieselschrauber wrote:

Can someone with experience confirm whether tires wear out more on the inside than normal when the rear track width is slightly wider than the front track width (meaning the wheels are further apart at the front of the tire than at the rear)?

That's definitely true! Please refer to my post: /viewtopic.php?t=30681.

How did you set up the axle geometry back then? Try using the rope method if you can assume that the settings on the main unit are correct.

Hi,

Front-wheel-drive vehicles with a tie rod located behind the wheel absolutely require toe-in, which also counteracts negative camber.
The geometry changes primarily during acceleration. When accelerating, the front of the car lifts, causing the tie rods to move upwards, which pulls the two wheels inwards. The track width is becoming "even narrower behind the wheels," which is precisely what's causing or exacerbating your problem. Therefore, with this front-axle design, it's absolutely essential to always have sufficient toe-in.
I always align my vehicle using the old method (which my father showed/taught me) by using a string along the edge of the rim. The measurement from the front of the tire to the string is mm per wheel. I have always had evenly worn tires and a straight steering wheel so far. Of course, it's essential that all joints and rubber bushings are in good condition, and the steering wheel must be locked in place before adjustment.

I know this method isn't the most up-to-date, but based on my experience, it's perfectly sufficient for DIY enthusiasts and vehicles with standard suspension to get back to normal driving after a repair.

Regards, Mpire.

Thank you for the tips! The siding/trailing track wasn't actually switched back then; it just went straight ahead.
It might not be significantly misaligned, but it's enough to now create a noticeable difference between the inside and outside.

Best regards, Rainer.

Everything is back to normal. Attached are the target values for the alignment settings of an Audi A3 8P.

Best regards, Rainer.

Hi,
Clear correction. The sag values are still quite negative, especially in the front left. Is the rear axle also adjustable on this model?
hg
Herbert.

Hello Herbert,

Herbert wrote:

...Is the rear axle also adjustable on this model?

a hunch. However, everything is fine at the rear, which I define as meaning that nothing has ever been done to it, nothing has ever gone wrong with it, everything functions as it should, and the tires show normal wear.

The rear tires are relatively worn.

Best regards, Rainer.

Hi.

Regarding the negative camber in the rear... unfortunately, I lack a sense of the scale at which certain things become noticeable.

Could it be that the negative camber (i.e., the wheel stands lower on the inside than on the outside, https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radsturz) due to wear on the wheel bearing)? As I said, nothing has ever been done to the rear of the vehicle, not even any minor collisions or bumps.
I would definitely leave it like that because the tire wear is incredibly even, even on winding roads.

However, I would still like to know the cause of the difference compared to the target value. Or is this normal for a vehicle that's about 10 years old, because the wheel suspension has simply settled or shifted slightly?

Best regards, Rainer.

Hello Rainer,

Do these values also match the installed suspension? The A3 had three options, including the "Magnetic" suspension. These values correspond to the "Dynamic" suspension, which is standard on the "Attraction" trim level. The Ambition already had the sports suspension.

LG
brezelmann01

"Guten Frage" is an ambition. I hope that the information was retrieved correctly...

Quote:

The Ambition already had the sports suspension.

Sure? It actually drove quite normally, not excessively hard.

Best regards, Rainer.

Yes, absolutely.
Unless you have actively opted out.

Take a look at the PR codes.

Attraction: Standard suspension = Sport suspension = UA0/UA4
Ambition: Sport suspension = UA1/UA5/UA9/UA6