04 inspection found front alignment problem

[fannsx]

I brought my 04 in today for state inspection. The technician found my front tires are very worn on the inside and he suspected an alignment problem.Under warranty, they readjusted the alignment and Acura is replacing my front tires with the OE tires(Potenza 040).Do other new owners have that problem?
Now I have a few questions, do I replace the back tires with OE tires, or should I get something more aggressive such as Potenza 050 or S03 pole position since the OE tires only lasted 3500 miles in one season last year? Is it OK to match front and back tires? These tires are actually cheaper than the OE tires. Thanks in advance for any advice.

 

[MiamieNeSeX]

Tire compounds vary from manufacturer to manufacturer, so having different tires on the front and rear is not recommended.

Armando

 

[Mr. Duck]

how did you get them to replace the tires?

 

[fannsx]

They just told me because the uneven wearing was due to the alignment problem.

 

[fannsx]

The tires I mentioned are all made by Bridgestone under the Potenza series.

 

[docjohn]

Stick with oe and if the rears still have good tread remaining no need to change now.I suspect your front camber was more negative than recomended,maybe they thought all nsx's need max neg camber up front like the bee! :wink: I hope Brian treated you well.

 

[fannsx]

John,
Brian was very courteous. He took good care of the car.
My rear bearly passed inspection. Probably another 2000 miles max on those rears.
The front ones are being replaced like I said by Acura.Is it OK to run new ones in the front and more than half worn tires in the rear?

 

[docjohn]

order the new rears and in the meantime you should have no problems driving as is,just make a note to self to be careful in standing water on rainy days,the rear tires may hydroplane before the fronts.

 

[Mr. Duck]

My fronts are worn on the inside too, only 7500 miles, Im going to the dealer.
did they give you any hassles.

Go to tire rack.com they say re040's are not good buy s03's instead. I wouldn't buy re040's if I had a choice. They Don't last too long.

 

[YUMNA2]

my insides wear out first as well, I thought this was because of the negative camber

 

[nsxtasy]

The technician found my front tires are very worn on the inside

It's common for the front tires to wear faster on the inside edge of the tread, particularly if the car sees mostly sedate driving on the highway and local streets. Those who mix in track use or aggressive cornering (highway ramp, anyone? ) tend to find that the front tires wear more evenly (maybe not totally evenly, but not all that bad).

Now I have a few questions, do I replace the back tires with OE tires, or should I get something more aggressive such as Potenza 050 or S03 pole position

The stock tires (RE040) are plenty aggressive, and were designed to give a feeling of precision when cornering. Do you like how they handle?

Most of the RE050 tires are made for specific vehicles other than the NSX, and I would not get those. The S-03 is a very good, general-application tire, and it may last somewhat longer than the stock tires.

the OE tires only lasted 3500 miles in one season last year

I assume you're referring to the rear tires. 3500 miles is pretty quick for rear OEM tires on a newer model. Assuming you're not driving on a racetrack, stock rear tires generally last 4-7K on a '91-93, and maybe 5-10K on a '94-05. Front tires last longer (10-15K or so).

My suggestions are the usual. You're getting the car aligned, and that's good. Check your tire pressures regularly; 33 front and 40 rear are Honda's recommendations, but you may find that 37-38 rear works better. (You can use treadwear to judge this; faster wear in the center than both edges is typically a sign of overinflation, and faster on both edges than the center is underinflation.) And check the entire width of your tread on all four tires fairly often, to keep an eye on the wear (obviously).

 

[fannsx]

My fronts are worn on the inside too, only 7500 miles, Im going to the dealer.
did they give you any hassles.

Go to tire rack.com they say re040's are not good buy s03's instead. I wouldn't buy re040's if I had a choice. They Don't last too long.

They gave me no hassle at all. Luckily the Acura rep was there that day. He approved the replacement without hesitation.
I am probably getting the Potenza 050 or S03. They are cheaper than the 040. But dont know how long they will last either.
Firestone will install two 050a for $400.

 

[fannsx]

The stock tires (RE040) are plenty aggressive, and were designed to give a feeling of precision when cornering. Do you like how they handle?

They are fine for me. Except they feel hard and lack grip when cold. In 30s and low40s like in the mornings in Northeast PA during springtime, the 040s feel like I over inflated the tires.

[/QUOTE]Most of the RE050 tires are made for specific vehicles other than the NSX, and I would not get those. [/QUOTE]

OK, maybe I wont get the 050a.

[/QUOTE]The S-03 is a very good, general-application tire, and it may last somewhat longer than the stock tires.[/QUOTE]
Can I mix the S03 in the rear will 040s in the front? Since Acura is replacing the front ones for free.

 

[fannsx]

order the new rears and in the meantime you should have no problems driving as is,just make a note to self to be careful in standing water on rainy days,the rear tires may hydroplane before the fronts.

So John, You think I should just stick with OE tires? 3500- 5000 miles seems short lived.
I dont even track the car yet.

 

[docjohn]

To be honest Iain I don't spend too much time thinking about my street tires,I have used so3 and now pilot sports and both are fine for street driving.Personaly I agree that it is not advisable to mix different tires front to rear but for Myself I would do it if faced with your situation,but again your tires should last longer now that the car is realigned.

 

[nsxtasy]

They are fine for me. Except they feel hard and lack grip when cold. In 30s and low40s like in the mornings in Northeast PA during springtime, the 040s feel like I over inflated the tires.

That's true of most high-performance tires. They are designed to work best in fairly warm temperatures, which is why they're often called "summer tires". You'll probably find the same to be true of the S-03 and other high-performance tires.

All-season tires have a wider range of optimal ambient temperatures, but they generally don't perform as well in warm weather as "summer tires".

Can I mix the S03 in the rear will 040s in the front?

As others have noted, it's generally not a good idea to use one model tire on the front and a different one on the rear, because the handling can be unpredictable. (One end might grip well on dry pavement, and the other end might do better on wet pavement, for example.)

Does that mean you can't do it? No, you can; it's your decision. While I would avoid doing so, if you decide to drive with mixed tires anyway, I would suggest driving very gingerly, particularly in low traction conditions (e.g. rain, low tread, etc).

 

[fannsx]

Thanks for all your inputs.

 

[amgnsx]

Just noticed my front tires are worn, called Acura, and they will call me back tomorrow and let me know what they can do.

fannsx: PM SENT

 

[D'Ecosse]

Just noticed my front tires are worn, called Acura, and they will call me back tomorrow and let me know what they can do.

fannsx: PM SENT

It's common for the front tires to wear faster on the inside edge of the tread, particularly if the car sees mostly sedate driving on the highway and local streets.

There's your problem - you need to be more aggressive!

j/k - hope they take care of it for you - Good Luck!

 

[Osiris_x11]

I need runflats =/

hmmm... My tires usually explode or blow-up before they wear-out due to road debris, mother nature (animals, branches, rocks/gravel after torrential downpour), curbing, shattered glass/metal in parking lots, and my favorite: nails from construction-areas/zones. I'm still waiting to see what kinda mileage in terms of treadlife I can get on a complete/new set of rubber. . .

The most treadlife-friendly alignment specs' for a 1991 NSX are the 1993+ settings, correct?