Rear tires wearing super fast. Offset issues?

[dougiefresh369]

My first post... I have a 1987 325is, I bought it about a year ago from a kid that was pretty young and I don't think he knew too much about cars. The wheels are 17x7 with 40mm offset and the tires are 205/40/zr17 and the car is lowered about 1.5 inches(?). The rear tires are completely messed up. The inner sides of the rear tires where the tread meets the sidewall is pretty much gone with the wires showing and everything. Could this be because the wheels have such a high offset or is my frame messed up? I figured maybe the inners of the tires were scrubbing something in the fender well maybe when I hit bumps or something. The guy at firestone said my frame wasn't straight, but I really don't want to believe that especially because my car was never wrecked and the guy seemed kind of lazy. please help.

[Joe G]

Lots of negative camber. do the wheels appear to tile inward?

[trackjunkie21]

Characteristic of an e30, or any BMW really.

[dougiefresh369]

The wheels are sunk deep into the wheel wells.. The wheels look completely straight. They don't look cambered at all, and the tires are planted flat on the ground on both sides of the wheels.

[dougiefresh369]

Actually they are a little cambered. But the amount of wear on the corner just seems so excessive compared to the rest of the tread, it doesn't seem right.

[vpilarrt]

If your car was lowered at all you have more than spec'd negative camber. Even of the tires look flat on the ground there is more pressure (and therfore more wear) on the inside edges.

[Pac1373]

my guess would have also been negative Camber. if it is lowered at all, there will be some.
and as far as your extreme wear spots, is it more on the tread where tire meets the road (camber issue) ? or sidewall area?you say the wheels are sunk into the wheel houses, is there physical contact?

I assume it is the inside tread block area...

also tires over/under inflated?

*looks like Vpilarrt beat me to it. mostly what he said.

[ohthejosh]

stop chauffeuring fat chicks in the back seat

[ak-]

Your toe is poopoo.

[Koen]

Could it be that the rubber bushings on your rear trailing arms have worn out? That would cause the rear wheels to be out of alignment, which in turn would cause the tires to wear unevenly.

Negative camber should not be that much of an issue IMHO.

[blefevre]

I'm surprised 40 offset even works. Anyways, it's a BMW and a lowered one at that. Negative camber and more then likely toe as well.

[bloodshot-e30]

pics?
does it look like this??

[Uber E30]

If you are talking about the sidewall then i am guessing you are rubbing the fenders because they haven't been rolled.

[IminDiegoTriick]

Adjust your toe!

[Uber E30]

@OP is it like this:



Or like the photo bloodshot posted?