"Overdriving" my tires?????

[Oldsfan]

Well, I was at my friendly Dodge dealer today.

I noticed a couple of weeks ago that I had "feathering" (for lack of a better description) on the outside edges of both front tires. Rear tires seemed fine, in spite of aggressive acceleration.

Had a couple of the alignment guys here at work take a look at them. They both agreed they thought it was a toe-in problem.

So today it went to the dealer for service and tire rotation and a couple of minor warranty issues - and alignment, which they said would be no problem because it's only around 6K miles.

Got a call this afternoon. Everything is ready to go. The alignment "didn't turn up much". They say I've got wear on all 4 tires (news to me). And they say I'm "overdriving them."

That's an interesting term.

I do accelerate briskly quite often, but it's not like I take corners on two wheels.

I didn't think I was overdriving them - which is a term I've never heard before today and I've been in dealerships for almost 20 years.

So it looks like I'm getting the same run around as everyone else.

Maybe I should have taken it back to the selling dealer.

I'll be watching the "new" front tires closely to see what happens.

And maybe my brisk accelerating will take care of the feathered ones that are now on the back...

Paul

[Northern Rider]

You are not overdriving them. They are not up to the requirements and demands put on them by the E Class suspension.

the Contis should have never been on the LX platform in the first place. I bumped my tire pressures up to 34 lbs to stiffen the sidewalls and prevent feathering on the edges.

Last week I took my car to a road circuit and basically wore them out - deliberately, so I could justify some better tires.

(see the link in my sig)

[LtlDad]

I thought I had been reading about (those with the Conti's) getting a 'credit' on the tires and could be used towards a different maker??

[Northern Rider]

I thought I had been reading about (those with the Conti's) getting a 'credit' on the tires and could be used towards a different maker??

That would be nice! Best I've heard, so far have been OEM replacements on bad feathering at low mileage (from my SM). I've heard lots of stories of owners getting no adjustment whatsoever from DCX or Continental.

[magnuman]

Back when some were initially talking about the feathering problem, I went out and checked mine. Yup, they were feathering. I didn't want the "nine miles of bad road" from the dealer, so I took mine to my local, reliable, knowledgeable, trustworthy alignment shop. The guy explained everything to me, aligned it with me in the car (you should see how much difference there is between empty and with the driver), and told me to run 40 PSI in the tires. It's been that way for about 8 months now, except I've lowered the rears to 38 PSI. I have very slight feathering, which the alignment guy says is normal, and caused by in town cornering. I check the tires monthly with a tread depth gauge, and they are all wearing evenly. My guess is 25000-30000 mile tread life. I have 7300 miles on my RT and have about 7 mm of tread life left.

[dchemi]

Front tires feathering is a HUGE problem in my opinion.

I am now on my 3rd set of front tires. Original plus 2 dealer replacements. Now at just under 17,000 miles my 3rd front set is shot. The dealer has finally agreed that the Continental Tires are no good for the Magnum. Tomorrow they are replacing all 4 tires with Pirelli P6 Four Season Tires. Hopefully this will correct the problem.

Anyone that is seeing their front tires wear out needs to contact Chrysler and complain about it.

[Old Navy]

I only ran the OEM Goodyear's that were on the SE off at 7000 miles because they were poor on traction wet or dry. They did had even ware across tread without feathering, I measured them and the dealerships gave me $40 each for them. Now I live in the Ozarks and was taught to drive by a father that had driven moon shine cars in the day, and I love driving to the limits on curvy roads. Anyway I have a set of 215/60/17 Michelin HydroEdge on the Mag and it's like the car is on rails like my old MB. Sometimes when I'm driving I wish I had an RT, then I come here and read about all the problems and I love the little SE even more. Also I hate to think how bad my gas mileage would be with a Hemi, as I wear lead fill 15D shoes.

[thuffman03]

A couple of months ago I went in for my inspection with 12k on my car. All four tires did not pass inspection. The dealer called Conti and got 4 new tires shipped to them to replace at no cost....Well I had to pay the dealer to mount and balance them....I will wait until these are shot and then buy something better. I am at 16k now so I should have 8k to go...looks like fall for replacement.