Tire "Stepping"

https://mobiloil.com/en/article/car...-archive/how-to-check-wheel-alignment-at-home

Suggests a toe problem. Nice graphic of stepped effect.

Thanks Bob. But my issue is front to back on the tread. Not side to side. And all four tires though front a little more.

I will try to take a picture but I really doubt the camera will capture what I am just starting to feel.

~Bob

rebop said:

Thanks Bob. But my issue is front to back on the tread. Not side to side. And all four tires though front a little more.

I will try to take a picture but I really doubt the camera will capture what I am just starting to feel.

~Bob

Click to expand...

but, but, but, you said...

there is light stepping on all tires all (inside to outside) treads

Click to expand...

Sorry. Tried to say all treads from the inside to the outside and the middle. Wheel well to lugnuts. Not just the treads on the outside edge as if from cornering maybe. Same across the entire tire surface. But the "steps" are from front to back of the car with the higher being the one in the rear of each lower.

Has that made it more clear or muddier?

~Bob

yes to both

Bob also

Are you parked on a hill?

Not parked on a hill, Bob. Checked a little further yesterday. Both front and rear but 2 or 3 times as much on fronts. And just starting really. But noticeable to the touch. Significantly more on the inside and outside treads of the tires and next to nothing on the inside treads. I'm thinking to Google the highest rated tire shop in my area and go ask them. Maybe it is just tire pressure. If anything more, under warranty of course. ~Bob

I'd do an alignment check anyway - this sounds more like that kind of issue than simply pressure - and yours is high enough that unless you're auto-crossing every day, should not be a cornering issue. If you were running 30-32 for comfort, then I'd suggest a few more pounds -

OK. I'll take it in. Thanks.

I will check my car (quattro) for this later this week and report back - meanwhile, I rotate fronts straight to back and backs cross to front, about every 4-6K ... Remember that our quattro cars are ESSENTIALLY front drive 95+% of the time. Unfortunately most folks WON'T take their cars in for a simple rotation unless another service (like oil) is also needed. Remember the NHTSA/DOT are mandating maintenance intervals these days which has ALMOST nothing to do with good practices so you maybe missing the best you can do if you merely subscribe to the mandated recommendations.
The 'stepping' observed above is also called 'feathering' or 'scalloping', and to a degree IS normal, but can be a sign of alignment issues (especially camber) and cross rotation can help if done often enough...

Thanks.

I did an immense amount of reading on this and feathering and scalloping are shown as two different issues from this. Feathering is across the tire inside to outside, not front to back. And scalloping is much more severe and is not on every tread block..

I think the best thing is rotation and likely at every 5,000. I will be doing this tomorrow. And likely X which reverses the tread blocks on the affected fronts.

Thanks.

~Bob

Many VW/Audi vehicles that are based on the Mk5/Mk6 Golf suspension seem to suffer from this treadwear issue, causing excessive tread noise issues, due to tread blocks that don't wear "flat". Often called tread block feathering, sometimes incorrectly called "cupping". The harder tread compound tire, like the OEM Contis that VAG often uses, are more prone to this.

I don't think it is an alignment issue, rather a design issue with the rear suspension, related to the amount of negative camber, and my guess of a toe change versus suspension compression, which is a characteristic of the suspension geometry design.

I think the only thing you can do is rotate the tires, to spread the feathering wear.