"Eric Nadler" > wrote in message
news:1095463452.Y3aVc3gE6cQyTbQ5fjAMMw@teranews...
> "Fred W." <Fred.Wills@'remove this to reply to' myrealbox.com> writes:
> > >
> > > My 97 E36 M3 always wears out the center of my rear tires, and the
> > > insides of the front tires.
> >
> > The only thing that will wear the center faster than the edges is
> > overinflation. How high do you pump-up the rears?
> >
>
> Hmm, I thought I had read on a forum somewhere that it was normal to
> wear out the rear tires in the center on an E36 M3. I guess I was
> mistaken.
>
> I usually go 36/38 when I inflate them, but I don't check them very
> often... I just checked them now and the rears are at 26 and 29.

36/38 is on the high side. Good for performance driving as they will not
roll-over on the sidewalls, but a bit stiff for street driving and you
*might* wear the centers first. OTOH, 26 and 29 are definitely
underinflated. You will wear the outer edges (both inside and outside)
faster than the centers if left at that pressure. You will have a cushier,
mushier ride and the tire's performance will be degraded.

Try to shoot for somewhere around 32-35 psi (depending on the tires) and I
think you'll be happier.

>
> Not sure, maybe I was mistaken. It is easier to see the center and
> outside of the rear tires compared to the inside. But I thought my
> wear bars on the center were lower or the same as the inside of the
> tire.

I have a little gauge gizmo that makes it easy to see the remaining tread
depth. It makes it easy to see because you view it from the side of the
wheel. They are very cheap and can be picked up at most auto parts places.

-Fred W