It started out innocently enough as a planned 30 minute drive to where a lot of cool cars gather on a Sunday AM. I stopped for gas and noticed my driver's side rear tire was way low. I scurried home without incident. Upon pulling off the tire I discovered a couple of things:
1) half a masonary nail embedded in groove valley, no doubt the cause of the slow leak.
2) a slight elevation in the inner sidewall seemingly caused by what appears to be an area that rubs either now or in the past. 3) due to a fairly aggreessive negative camber setting there is much more wear on the inside tread than outside.
The important facts:
1) As I tried to re-inflate to near normal pressure the inner side wall elevation became more and more of a bubble, but not where it appears it was going to burst any second.
2) the position and rub area which goes completely around the circumference of the tire is only about 1/4 inch wide and is dead on where the tread meets the side wall, and just above that elevation/bubble.
3) The car is riding 19 HRE 545R with Yoko AVS 315/25 rear and 235/35 front. The suspension is H & R coilovers with upgraded front springs. The car was lower for the first 4000 miles and is now almost fully raised for the last 2500 at the spring install. When the car was raised, all tires were checked for balance and an alignment was done.
4) In feeling around behind the passenger rear tire I can't find anything which could create the rub but things may be quite different under driving load.
5) I don't track the car or drive it particularly hard.

It's obvious I need new tires and am most concerned about what I'm calling the rub area. Because of where it is, do you think it's possible it's not a rub and just wear that occurred due to the very negative camber? The tread leading to this area is just about worn flat. I know there are differences in the actual size from one manufacturer to the other, as these Yokos don't really even cover to the outside lip of the rim. I never drive in the wet, and since I don't track the car or drive real hard, I'm willing to give up some performance for increased tread life. I know many of you guys have been through tires left and right so any insight would be helpful. Also, if any of you sponsors/retailers has a set of 4 tires in stock and ready to ship to NY, please PM me with info as I'd like to order within the next day or so. Thanks in advance for any help.

 

Drjim, Post pics of the wear. It will be easier to determine whats causing it, also feel you inner fender lips for rubber.

 

it sounds like the negative camber. I am always amazed when I pull the back wheels to see how the insides are completely bald, and the rest of the tire has 1/2 its tire life left.

How about this for annoying tire stuff. I just replaced the rears with new conti sport 2's 2 weeks ago, and I got a screw in the right rear where the tread meets the sidewall. My installer said there was no way to fix it because of the hole location. So I get to buy another $300 rear tire. Nothing like about 60 miles of use out of that tire!

 

I looked around in there with a light while the wheel was off and didn't really see anything unusual. I'll see about getting a picture at another point because I've got the wheel back on (supported by the jack at normal ride height) to avoid having a jacked car in the garage with the kids around and whatnot. I inflated the spare and although I didn't put it on, it would appear that it is much taller. Has anyone had to use the spare in the back when running 19's and a lowered height?

 

Without pictures, I agree. It is hard to predict what tires will do with some serious negative camber. Of course they aren't designed for that.

 

It sounds like the tire has been rubbing on the spring or spring perch.

 

I would think we would see more of this from other cars running similar set ups. My next move is to look at the other side and see if the same condition exists. This will be almost impossible to see under nearly any circumstance. Any ideas on how to rule it out?

 

315/25 is VERY wide on a lowered car. Your offset will have to be perfect or it's going to rub. I agree with the inside rubbing on the spring or perch. I'd like to see pics as well. I can show our fitment team and we can figure it out for you. I'd stay 305 or less in the future to be safe.

 

FWIW, I have H&R coil overs and Yoks 315 x 25 and have never had any rubbing issues. Ever.

 

Since I'm a computer illiterate, the picture of how the car is sitting right now is viewable here: http://community.webshots.com/photo/...16652806nZyIiZ
Something someone else suggested that the area may have come from riding with low pressure made me think that maybe this area came from the 3 mile ride back from the gas station with the tire at very low pressure. Simply, maybe it occurred only after the fact of the leak and I'm thinking it was there all along. Possible?

 

By that pic, I can see how the edge of the rim could cause some type of delamination to occur esp if the pressure were low enough to cause the sidewalls to roll under. On lowered 996tt that area is where the contact patch would be.

 

do you think those two 300 lb. fat hookers you had in the car saturday nite could have caused this?

 

It also might be rubbing on the wheel well liner where it bulges over the turbo hose connection. You need to pull off the wheel and look for a shiny spot where it's rubbing.

 

Doubtful, but at least I didn't rupture my radiator when jacking up the car like someone else I know who has a hot girl washing a Ferrari in his avatar.

 

, that's a joke right?