Uneven Tread Wear Help
 

Got a bone stock '01 E53 4.4i Sport. Has OEM tires (285/45/19 rear) with about 58k miles. According to my local tire shop, my alignment is fine. However take a peak below (came off right rear). Could this somehow be a function of old tires? I switched to a spare set (235/65/17) and they are running fine w/out any abnormal wear. 3 months running with the 17's and no issues. Could it be the wheel? Perhaps the tire is too old, going out of round and perhaps falling apart. I'm trying to figure this out before I replace the 285/45/19. Thanks for the help...

How many miles on your X? It's possible the rear suspension components are worn. Otherwise it is normal for these cars to wear tread on the inside more than other cars. Part of why the car has such good handling for an SUV.

when you say alignment was "fine", what do you mean?????

The BMW spec is huge, and toe that is still "in spec" can cause your precise issue....

There is 58,000 miles on tire in the pix.

These are the numbers from the rear alignment...

To me this seems more like a camber issue in your wheel alignment (as opposed to toe). Perhaps your car has far too much negative camber. Great for the track, not so much for a daily driver.

Looks like 'normal' rear tire wear, esp on wide rear staggered wheels, that one would see on 95% of the Xs on this board after some time. Not saying that is the 'correct' look, but pretty normal; just worn too far... And, 58k on those tires! Were you expecting more? :confused:
GL, mD

Appreciate the feedback Thanks. I have to agree that 58k is more than enough. I just dont want to replace them and do nothing only to see replacements start to do the same thing. I had something similar on my Porsche, but the "indie" tech I used was able to dial it out.

Yes you can. Reduce the amount of camber you have and you'll see a much more even wear.

As I’ve mentioned aggressive cambers are great for the track when you’re going ten-tenths on corners most of the time. But how often do you do that in daily driving?

If you're going to take it for a wheel alignment, ensure your vehicle is as it is as how you drive it most of the time (ie. if fully loaded, then bring it in that way etc.).

With the integral four-link rear axle suspension of the X5, the more weight it carries, the more cambered the wheel gets (even with the self-levelling suspension), thus inducing more uneven wear.

I think 'toe' is key, along with 'camber'...

"Have the TOE set to 0.01 on both rear wheels and your tire life will triple. ..."
From a post by ard, in a very good thread on alingment/tire life:
http://www.xoutpost.com/bmw-related-...side-wear.html

GL, mD