GranTurismo front tyres

Lavazza

Member
Messages
1,060
Car has tyres fitted in late March and geo. 9 months and about 3k miles ago; the inner front edges are on their way out. Seems pretty nuts, the rest of the tread width is pretty fresh. Is this normal?

What should the geo settings in a 2009 GTS be?

I'd expect to get a good 6k miles out of a set of fronts with spirited driving as a minimum.

Also, getting P2187 and 2189 fault codes (running lean), any ideas?

I live in NW Cumbria National Park, which is not surprisingly a Maserati wasteland with the nearest specialist being a good 2 hours away in any direction. If there is anyone up here, would be good to know.

Thanks.
 
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CatmanV2

Member
Messages
48,539
Thanks, a helpful reply in seconds, and totally logical!

I'm nearly insulted ;)

It can get a *lot* more complex but the factory spec has toe out which makes the car turn into corners faster but, as you've seen, wears the inner edges. Certainly I know several of us have gone for zero toe. My personal experience is it makes the car less fidgety without making it less agile. YMMV

The other thing I'd observe is that *normally* when one goes to get geometry done you're not going from one 'good' (i.e. consistent, even state) to another good state, but frmo a bad state to a good state. It's easy to get carried away and think that the geometry you've selected is the dog's danglies simply because it's much better than whatever screwed settings you were driving with. You're not comparing it to the factory settings, unless you do a proper back to back comparison.

In honesty, same thing with tyres. Most of us never take new pirelli p-zeroes, and then try new PS4s. We go from ******* p-zeroes to new PS4s. <shrug>

C
 

Zep

Moderator
Messages
9,110
In honesty, same thing with tyres. Most of us never take new pirelli p-zeroes, and then try new PS4s. We go from ******* p-zeroes to new PS4s. <shrug>

C

I agree, a unbiased (or at least not based on flawed data) opinion is hard to find. Your comments about alignment seem on the straight and narrow though :D
 

Lavazza

Member
Messages
1,060
Can you share settings that are suitable for a 2009 GTS with zero toe on the front?

I've read older threads on here that suggest only taking it to a Maserati specialist for adjustment (something about shims).

Any recommendations? I'm wondering if I can save my front tyres in time, although I think they might be past saving sadly.

I'm in the Lake District, so about 2 hours from any Maserati specialist (that I know of anyway).

Thanks
 

CatmanV2

Member
Messages
48,539
Hmm, well I'd say Wheels In Motion but they are a schelp from you. There's a place in Northampton that I took mine to with the esteemed Zep of this parish with good results.

Tracking.JPG
 

safrane

Member
Messages
16,746
Autoshield in Manchester is likly to be the closest... and you could do some Christmas shopping under electric lights rather than candles.

(Latter said in jest and I will be moving theremyself in seven years)
 

Lavazza

Member
Messages
1,060
I've contacted Marios, yes it's likely my closest, but still 2 hours away.

Will probably plan to tie it in with a few other jobs.

Ps. Candles are the height of sophisticated good taste.
 

GeoffCapes

Member
Messages
14,000
I had Hunter alignment done on the car on 28th April (the paperwork should be in the file) when the spacers went on. So the inner edges shouldn't be worn.
I had the settings changed (from Maserati settings) as the previous tyres (P Zeros) were seriously worn on the inner edge, so much so they failed the mot.

The front suspension bushes were changed when I bought the car, so it cannot have been them (I wouldn't have thought).
Very strange.
 

Lavazza

Member
Messages
1,060
Yes, this is the geo and this is my front nearside tyre now, really scrubbed on the inner shoulder, otherwise, barely worn. I've not done 1k miles yet.

I think I'm going to have to change them.
 

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Oneball

Member
Messages
11,071
Assuming that’s the after tracking sheet it looks like they’ve decreased caster to try and reduce inner edge tyre wear although the increase in -ve camber would negate this slightly. The slightly lower caster on the left would cause the car to pull that way slightly and hence steering against it increase tyre wear but I wouldn’t have thought enough to cause an effect. Spacers can also cause increased tyre wear especially on the front but not to the extent you’ve got.

In short I have no idea, but I would suggest those geo settings don’t explain the wear. I wouldn’t be surprised if they are no longer at that.

Understeering round tight corners/islands would cause that sort of wear.
 

Zep

Moderator
Messages
9,110
As Oneball says, spacers increase the scrub angle and therefore wear. The caster would increase the self centring action and increase the negative camber when the wheels are turned away from straight ahead. Increasing wear. The camber is already a bit too negative and then it will become more so due to the castor.

I would get the camber and the caster done as it will definetly improve things.

The castor is adjusted by shims, everything else is adjusted by eccentric bolts etc, so you could get a few shims (they are cheap) and have it done somewhere more local with a good quality machine.
 

Lavazza

Member
Messages
1,060
Thanks, I can confirm I'm not running with the spacers since buying the car.
I'll report back on what I sort out.
If I get shims, will a local place really know how to sort it out?
I used to take my GT3 to Chris at Centre Gravity, but that's about 4 hours away. Any excuse for a trip!
 
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Zep

Moderator
Messages
9,110
Thanks, I can confirm I'm not running with the spacers since buying the car.
I'll report back on what I sort out.
If I get shims, will a local place really know how to sort it out?
I used to take my GT3 to Chris at Centre Gravity, but that's about 4 hours away. Any excuse for a trip!

Well, you will still have to choose carefully, but as it is a case of loosening the bolt, pulling one spacer and inserting another (not forgetting to do it up again) it’s not rocket science. This is a bit labour intensive so might explain why there is a castor difference side to side.

I have heard good things about Center Gravity, mainly Porsche but good with everything apparently.