Tracking An Allroad

[motionpotion]

I've just got new tyres on my A6 Allroad & also got the tracking on it done.

The fuel economy has dropped significantly. I think it is because the tracking has not been done correctly.

When the old tyres came off I noticed that the left front was more worn than the right. And all around the tyres were worn on the outside edge. The last tyres were worn on insides all around.

Is there a specific way that tracking needs to be performed on an Allroad (because of air-suspension).

Does it need to be tracked at each level? Does it go out of alignment more quickly than normal cars?

[MarkTM]

Different tyres wear differently, but allowing for the size being OEM and at the correct pressures they should all wear evenly.

You've not stated where you got the tyres and what type of tracking was done (it could have been done incorrectly!). Most good places will give a 'before and after' print out, if you didn't get this then I'm guessing that it's not done properly. In fact a change of tyres doesn't require a realignment, so most probs they've bodged it

As air-suspension only raises height you only have to align at one height.

Best to look at Align My Car and get it done again...perhaps then go back to the original place and demand your money back.

[motionpotion]

@MarkTM i got the before & after measurements & they do differ. But I don't know enough about the measures to tell whether it is correct.

Prior to the new tyres it was wearing on the left front side & on the outer edges of all tyres.

[MarkTM]

Perhaps would help if you shared before and after for:

Front Camber:
Front Caister:
Front Toe:

Cross Camber:
Total Toe:

-------------------------
Rear Camber:
Rear Toe:

Cross Camber
Total Toe:

That way peeps could reply with their settings?

[zollaf]

what tyres did you have before and what tyres have you had fitted ?
for the tracking to be out far enough to make it use a noticeable amount more fuel, it would be handling like a pig, so you would be complaining about that rather than the fuel, as you would have had to drive further to know about the fuel.

[motionpotion]

I watch the average fuel - on the same trip with old tyres I got 44-47 MPG on the digital read out. With new tyres I'm getting 39-42 MPG.

Old tyres were bridgestone and new tyres are Kumho.

I'll input the before & after numbers from the sheet they gave me when I have it to hand.

[MarkTM]

Temperatures the same? I know mine drops by 10% when the temp drops, although appreciate it's been a little warmer here than usual until now.

You've also not confirmed whether tyre sizes are the same old as new, important as know that my OEM 245/40/18 winter rubber is more economical than my summer 245/45/18, however my Summers do ensure the speedo is accurate (as is MPG), whereas OEM winters are about 5% under speedo and over mpg

[motionpotion]

Above is the alignment report.

[motionpotion]

Temperatures last week hovering around 12-14 degrees for the same journey as on the old tyres. Same fuel too from same place. Tyres are 255/55/R17 - same size wheels as came on the car when new as far as I remember.

[Splash]

Temperatures last week hovering around 12-14 degrees for the same journey as on the old tyres. Same fuel too from same place. Tyres are 255/55/R17 - same size wheels as came on the car when new as far as I remember.

Wow. They're big unless that's a typo.

I oversized mine for winter and fitted 235/55 on 17s. That's an additional 20mm x 0.55 =11mm ride height over mine, putting it almost at C7 allroad diameter - except they don't accommodate 17" wheels... (The tyres are now spare if anyone's after a set ).

That extra 20mm width is bound to show more shoulder wear too. I considered trying my 255 section C7 allroad wheels on my C6 allroad but came to the conclusion there was virtually no room available because of the front suspension. Are you sure this inside shoulder isn't rubbing once the weight of the car is factored in?

Are you absolutely sure they fitted 255s, and are they on original allroad wheels with an offset of 42 or thereabouts?