I am currently getting through front tyres on my old escort at an expensive rate! Had the old tyres changed recently got the tracking sorted as it was WAY out Negative camber, thought that was the problem sorted. Have just done near 1000 miles since tyre change and now see that outside of tyres are wearing very fast, ie Positive Camber. Every time I go around a corner at reasonable speeds I get a horrid screeching from the front tyres. The car is a 98 reg, back shocks were changed very recently, the front I believe have never been done, that said they do dampen recoil movement but it takes my fully body weight just to compress them when compared to the rear.
Does anyone have any idea what could be causing the tracking to go from one extreme to the other so soon?
Many thanks
|
Fords have always had problems with front tyre wear on Escorts and Fiestas fitted with the diesel engine; basically the engine is too heavy for the suspension.
I believe there is a TSB about this which recommends setting the tracking to a different figure to that which was originally quoted. A Ford dealer should know about this, or, failing that, get a Ford CD off Ebay for a couple of quid and look through the TSB's.
I know someone whose diesel Escort failed it's first MOT after 3 years due to the tyre wear you describe. As I say, it's a very well known problem and cannot be completely cured. They all do it!
You should also, of course, check that no rubber bushes, etc, are worn.
|
Galaxy,
What's a TSB? The bushes on the wishbones were replaced 20000 miles ago, should'nt need doing again so soon should they?
|
|
TSB=technical service bulletin.Ford's way of advising dealers of concerns.I own a t/diesel Escort Est.(V) and have never had any concerns with unusual tyre wear or even had the tracking set.No other problems-the only work that has been done was the cambelt at 60,000 instead of 80,000.
|
We had 12 Diesel Escorts that clocked up 30k miles a year in a business I worked for. Front tyre life was 20-30k miles.
They don't all do that!
Get the tracking and camber checked with a specialist with computer assisted equipment... odds on you have a bent track rod or steering rack or a worn balljoint...
madf
|
do all 1800td"s have power steering?
if yes is this the problem?
if no is this the problem?
bottom arms on these horrible escorts were always a problem ,especially when they went on to non oe arms made by jing tong ting,even worse when you have your own bushes fitted as the non ford bushes were particularly bad in comparison to the oe ones
you could get away with fitting bushes in fiestas but as has been said on a big heavy ecky with a tractor engine in it i reckon a bush has come out or was never right in the first place
If it was my long term car i would have 2 oe arms fitted 2 new tyres and then a proper tracking
|
|
|
|
I'm not really familiar with the Escort set up but i would think that only the Toe setting is adjustable (I presume this was sorted and not the camber setting as tracking usually refers to toe adjustment). Camber is controlled by suspension geometry although it can be affected by badly worn bushes and balljoints. If the camber is way out it suggest previous accident damage such as a bent hub carrier caused by hitting a kerb etc.
|
|
Correct-only toe.I've not touched my present car but in the past when needed I've always set to zero.
|
|
|
|
Right then, just been to budget to get my tracking done, (again). Three weeks ago they corrected it after I had two new front tyres. Immediately after this I noticed tyre scrubbing when going around corners and sometimes in a striaght line. Steering wheel spokes were also far from horizontal. Took car back had them re-adjust this sorted out all the above problems. Trouble is after another 500miles the tyres are now starting to wear unevenly more so on the outside rim than the inside. Took car back to budget to re-adjust. This time exactly back to square one as before tyres scrubbing around corners, can't get much above 70mph when turning right can nearly do a 360 on the spot, but going left need a football pitch.
Anyone any ideas what is wrong. Ball joints, wishbones bushes are good, strut seems to be doing its job no apparent leaks car settles immediately after compressing.
Cheers
{Moved to your other question asked as it's related - DD}
|
Go to a proper firm... they seem to be incompetent.
That's my opinion "Steering wheel spokes were also far from horizontal" is the sign of track rod ends incorrectly adjusted ..
then "Trouble is after another 500miles the tyres are now starting to wear unevenly more so on the outside rim than the inside"
Hopeles..
Try a proper garage with computerised checking... a local performanc etuning compnay should have the right equipment.
I would not go anywhere near the place you are going to: they clearly are a bunch of...words fail me:-(
madf
|
|
If your car will only turn right and not left ,the rack needs to be set up.You need to find the mid point of the rack,then get the steering wheel set up to the correct position and then adjust each trackrod individually to the correct toe without moving the steering wheel.This does not need computers-a competent person could do this on a flat floor-but the word is competent.
|
i have the same trouble with my escort td with mine it was the wish bones ihave had the car for 4years and i have put about 9 sets of wishbones on it
|
|
|
|
