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How to Fix Inner Tire Wear on Mercedes & AMG (Camber & Toe Explained)

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How to fix the most common Mercedes tire wear problem.

If your Mercedes or AMG is wearing out the inner edge of the front or rear tires, you’re not alone. These cars use multi-link suspension that naturally runs negative camber, and when combined with incorrect toe—or lowering—the inside shoulder can disappear fast. This guide explains the real causes of inner tire wear and the simple alignment adjustments that stop it.

Why Mercedes & AMG Wear Inner Tires

  • Negative camber is built into the suspension. The wheels tilt inward to improve stability.
  • Toe misalignment magnifies wear dramatically. Even slight toe-out can destroy inner tread.
  • Lowering the car adds camber automatically. A 1–2 inch drop can add 1–1.5° of extra negative camber.
  • Worn bushings (common on older cars) can add unintended toe and camber under load.
Key point: Toe angle is the #1 cause of inner tire wear. Camber contributes, but toe kills tires fastest.

The Two Real Causes of Inner Tire Wear

  • Excessive negative camber (often from lowering)
  • Toe-out or too much toe-in (the biggest tire killer)

Fixing these two settings usually doubles tire life on daily-driven Mercedes and AMG models.

How to Fix Inner Tire Wear (Without Ruining Feel)

1. Reduce Excess Negative Camber

You only need mild negative camber for a daily driver. Bringing camber closer to neutral instantly improves tire longevity.

  • Front Camber: Aim for around -1.0° to -1.3°
  • Rear Camber: Keep slightly more than front for stability

If the car is lowered and cannot reach these ranges, adjustable arms may be required.

2. Correct the Toe

Toe is the most important setting for stopping inner tire wear.

  • Front Toe: Set to 0.00° (best tire life + stable steering)
  • Rear Toe-In: Keep light toe-in (about +0.06° per side)
Why rear toe-in matters: A small amount of toe-in causes the rear wheels to naturally pull the car straight. This improves highway stability and reduces the “wandering” some owners feel. Too much toe-in, however, drags the inside edge across the pavement and accelerates wear.

Lowered Cars Wear Tires Faster — Here’s Why

Lowering increases negative camber as the suspension compresses. On many Mercedes/AMG platforms, even moderate drops can add:

  • ~1° extra camber in front
  • ~1.5° extra camber in the rear

This is why lowered cars often have severe inner wear unless camber is corrected.

Does Fixing Tire Wear Hurt Cornering Performance?

Yes—slightly. Dialing back camber and toe will:

  • Reduce maximum cornering grip
  • Make the car more stable but less eager to rotate
  • Soften the “point-and-turn” response

But for daily driving, the tradeoff is worth it: your tires last longer, the car tracks straighter, and wear becomes much more even.

Already Have Inner Wear? Check These First

  • Front or rear toe (most common issue)
  • Camber gained from lowering
  • Worn suspension bushings throwing alignment off
  • Shops using factory specs on a lowered vehicle

Correct toe first—it solves 80% of tire wear problems.

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