Are all the wheels the same?

[SirDavidAlhambra]

Hi friends!

I'm off to get some new tyres fitted tomorrow and had some questions.

Firstly, are all the wheels on the Alhamb the same? So in other words can I move the front wheels (wheels+tyres together) to the rear on the same side and have the new tyres fitted to the front?

Secondly, is it worth getting the tracking done? And should it be 2 wheel or 4 wheel tracing? My front tyres wore out quite badly on the inside edge and the near side front had one particular patch on the inside edge where it had worn very significantly indeed. In other words, one bit along the inner edge circumference was much more worn than the rest of it? What could cause that?

Thank You.

[brianh]

The rear axle on the Galaxy/Alhambara is fixed, no adjustment there. Front wheel alignment should be fine to correct what you've got going on.

As to the cause - top mounts, worn bushes/balljoints/track rods/ends all can contribute. As can underrated or underinflated tyres

A single patch worn suggests a distorted wheel as a possible cause - any sign of a dent on the rim near where the tyre is worn?

The wheels on the front and back should be the same, but of course we can't tell if they have been swapped. Earlier models had 15" wheels as well to add to the mix, though you'd still expect 4 of the same wheels to be on the car. Standard fitment if it has Alloy wheels is for the spare to be a steel wheel.

You'd be advised to actually look at the wheels if you suspect they are different, there are a few different options you might have, but all look different. Theres a part number cast into the bit around where the wheel bolts to the car, compare that?

[SirDavidAlhambra]

Thank you very much Brian, that's really helpful.

The wheels all look the same and they're straight out of the factory (no modifications or changes over the years) so from what you've suggested I think they should be fine to switch over from front and rear.

Regarding the worn patch, this had me baffled but your question reminded me of something. The tyre does have a puncture repair, so I wonder if this somehow distorted the shape and caused the wear in one part only. I can't wait to get the tyre removed so I can look properly.

Also I think I'll just get 2 wheel alignment done, it seems very pricey and as you say, the rear axle is fixed so I'm not sure they could actually do anything with a 4 wheel alignment anyway??

Thank You again