Hey there. I need another opinion. 03 Vue 4cyl VTI. Daughter bought it this past spring (It has been mine since new) and I had all 4 tires replaced last fall. They were worn but evenly worn. I got a ride into town last night and the rear end was all over the road and she says OH it only does it on this road when it rains. Well I jack it up this morning and the front tires still look new and the rears are down to the metal mesh on the insides and the outside edges look like new. What is going on. I am still trying to find something grossly wrong but thought I'ld toss it out right now. Any ideas would be appreciated. I will post any thing I find wrong here also. Thanks.

 

How to read tire wear.

Click on link:
http://www.procarcare.com/includes/c...dtirewear.html

 

I used to be a mechanic. I have rebuilt front ends and rear ends. I have aligned front ends and know tire wear. I am looking at what might be wrong to cause this problem. I am sure someone out there besides me has experienced this before. I hope to see what to look for rather than tear it all apart first. Tire wear that I have is usually caused by certain bushings or bearings going bad. What ever it is it went bad in about 10k miles or less. Keep the ideas coming.

 

Lets see you have the VUE and can raise it up and view at it. We do not have the VUE and can not raise it up to view it. You "were" a mechanic so you should be able to tell what "your' looking at. As you can see we do not have many VUE owners on this site so I'm going to say the subject has not come up before. I for one hope you find the problem and post it on the site for others that have this problem in the future with a FWD VUE.

 

interesting.... you left out the right rear wheel bearing replacement in the description above .. but not in the post at saturnfans.com.... (?)

I would find it uncanny that the side with the newer bearing would end up just like the side with the original bearing.

Assuming you did the bearing work and kept the car in alignment all these years -- did the Vue get an alignment with the new tires? Aka -- when was the last alignment? (Sorry -- gotta start with the obvious). Is there a heavy static load in the rear that was not there when you drove it?

 

Don't have a working knowledge of Vue's would have to look up anything.
Insides worn down, outsides look good?
Camber is really wierd, this should be visiible sitting on the ground? Is it. You've owned it since new?
Was it wrecked?
Solid or independant rear axle?
If solid bent axle? Generally comes from wrecking.
AWD vs 4wd. Don't know might be important but in either case, camber sounds really wierd, the thing should show it sitting normally loaded on the ground. Does it?

 

I appreciate the help (I really do) but I should have been more specific. Oh I will find out what is wrong and fix it. I am going to a friends today that has a lift as it is easier to spot trouble. I was and still am looking for someone here that can say YEA that is exactly what mine looked like and this is what the problem was. Just trying to save some time here OK. I have seen cars with bad camber do stuff like this but it is almost always 1 side and then it is a bushing or balljoint or bearing that caused it or they ran into a curb really hard. But both tires wearing this bad on a new set of tires and in less than 10k and the fronts still look new that is weird. And the fact the old set of tires had normal wear pattern. Hey something just let loose and I just could not believe I am the first to experience it. This web site is just another tool in my box. My Boy used to work at a Saturn dealership and gave me a couple of Guys to call today. If I am the first one to have this problem then what I find will help the next person out. We're all in this together EH, and when I post the fix everyone wins. Remember misery loves company.

 

OK I got it now. The lift was in use and both the Saturn Guys could not help either. Jacked it up in the garage real high and pulled the wheels. I was focusing on the bushings first. Lo and behold on the drivers side rear end, the lower strut that has an adjust cam ahead of the axle sheared the head off the inner bolt with the cam part on it. There was at least 3/4 to 1" horizontal movement there and it has been broken for awhile. This would change the camber and toe alll at once. So goin to Ace Hardware and get a bolt with a hi grade value and reinstall. Then get the tires that should be here today mounted and align the darn thing. Just glad it is an easy fix. The front tires look new so I just got 2 for the rear end at the tune of about $240 plus the bolt and an alignment. I hope this helps some other Vue owner but it could happen to just about any vehicle owner. I'll get back to Ya'all when it's all done. Thanks for the support. GO Packers.

 

,and you wanted us to take a guess and give advice on that happening to anyone on any rig. Always does a body good to look before asking questions. Got Milk?

 

Man, that's really strange. Would that affect both sides and make them wear out like that, though? Or was the bolt broken off on both sides? I'm not being facetious, but I don't have a Vue but have been considering looking at one to replace my nearly 200,000 mile Grand Caravan.