Tire Wear Audi A3: Front Tires Worn Inside

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 impact 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 such a case, the outer edges of the tires would be more likely to wear down excessively.

Therefore, I suspect the alignment is incorrect, particularly the toe angle, which seems too large. Can someone with experience confirm whether tires tend to wear down more on the inside when the toe angle is slightly too large (meaning the wheels are wider 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 talking about negative camber. My A4 has positive camber values (i.e., 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 toe angle is slightly too large (meaning the wheels are further apart at the front of the tire than at the rear)?

That is definitely so! Please see my post regarding this: https://community.dieselschrauber.org/en/viewtopic.php?t=30681.

How did you adjust the axle geometry back then? Try using the string method, assuming that the settings on the rear axle are correct.

Hello,

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. This makes the track "narrower than the space between the wheels," which is likely the cause of the problem you're experiencing, or at least exacerbates it. Therefore, with this front-axle design, it is absolutely essential to always have sufficient toe-in.
I always align my wheels using the old-fashioned method (which my father taught me) by running a string along the edge of the tire. I add +1mm to the front of the tire on each wheel. So far, I've always had tires that wear evenly and a straight steering wheel. Of course, the prerequisite is that all joints and rubber bushings are in good condition, and the steering wheel must be centered before making any adjustments.

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

Regards, Mpire.

Thanks for the tips! Back then, the toe-in/toe-out wasn't adjusted at all; it was simply set straight.
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 fine-tuning of an Audi A3 8P.

Best regards, Rainer.

Hi,
Clear correction. The alignment values are still quite negative, especially on 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 how significant the effects are at different levels.

Could it be that the negative camber (i.e., the wheel sits 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, not even a minor bump or collision.
I would definitely keep them like that because the tire wear is incredibly even, even on winding roads.

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

Best regards, Rainer.

Hello Rainer,

Do these values also match the installed suspension? The A3 came with three different options, and Magnetic was one of them. These values correspond to the "Dynamic" suspension, which is standard on the "Attraction" trim level. The "Ambition" trim level already had the "Sport" suspension.

Best regards.
pretzelman01

That's a good question, and it's quite an ambition. I hope 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 = Dynamic suspension = UA0/UA4
Ambition: Sport suspension = UA1/UA5/UA9/UA6