# So, I got wider tires... now I have problem.



## Dynamitega (Feb 24, 2003)

I went from 175 to 205 in width on my tires.... I've had them a few weeks now.

Anyways, there's a problem and I want to know if it's fixable.

Of course, that's a huge upgrade in width, but now my steering is pretty messed up. It sort of turns with the road and most notably when I'm braking. It seems pretty dangerous at times as sometimes it pulls pretty sharp.

Is there anyway to correct this problem? I want it to drive more smoothly without the pulling. I doubt alignment will fix the problem, but if no one can think of anything, then I guess I might try that.

Edit: I should also note that it's not limited to pulling one way... sometimes it'll go left and other times it'll go right. That's why it seems to be moving with the road.


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## LIUSPEED (May 29, 2002)

sound like u have the same problem as me.


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## Token Moron (Mar 28, 2003)

actually an alignment will help more than u think


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## himilefrontier (Jan 21, 2003)

Could be just run of the mill tramlining compounded by torque steer.Or, It may be a bad suspension component.
TRAMLINING:The tendency for a wheel to be pulled by road irregularities.Can sometimes be increased by wider tires.


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## Teknokid (Jun 1, 2002)

i have 205/40/R17 falken tires up front and i have noticed a difference but it was actually better. 

I dont feel that pulling when braking and im sure we are on the same roads cause youre from southern cali. 

The reason why its pulling more, i believe, is because now your car has more of a contact patch on the ground which would in turn allow your car to grip the road better. I can drive my car with no hands (i dont advise it) for a few seconds and it doesnt turn to the sides. I havent done anything as far as lowering it or modifying my suspension although i should but i cant for now. It may just be the roads youre on. Are you experiencing this on highway or streets?


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## Centurion (Sep 5, 2002)

When I went from 175's to 185's I coluld believe it or not feel a huge difference. The handling felt sloppy and sensitive to every road irregularity and would dart during maneuvers. However, after a week or so all the problems went completely away simply because I got used to it.


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## Shawn (Sep 18, 2002)

I feel ya man. It seems like these wider tires want to follow every grove in the road. I also get that "brake steer" shit, but i'm used to it after 2 years with these tires (and more than 50% tread left, with a drop )


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## Neil (Aug 13, 2002)

now is that just on small econobox cars like ours or does this also happen on cars that come with 215 or 205 width tires standard?


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## tcn311 (Jul 17, 2002)

i have that problem too, but i got an alignment and it helped a little but it still does it when i accelerate as fast as i can


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## Dynamitega (Feb 24, 2003)

Yeah, it's really annoying. I don't really experience it on the highway much, but then again, I don't drive on them at all (or once every few weeks).

I guess it's something I have to live with. It's a lot nicer to have wider tires... better pro than con I think. I just hope it doesn't steer my car too much when I'm not hanging on to the wheel tight enough some day.


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## Teknokid (Jun 1, 2002)

Yo Dynamite, i know this doesnt happen a lot here in southern cali but when it rains, please hold on to your steering wheel. You never know when youre gonna go over a deep puddle and spin out.


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## Dynamitega (Feb 24, 2003)

I'm from GA... hence DynamiteGA... it rains a ton there. I know how to drive in the rain a lot better than most people. My hands are never off the wheel and always use two when it's raining.

What I meant was when I'm driving (leisurely), I sorta of just have my left hand resting on the wheel to steer it instead of holding it. That's what I was talking about.


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## Rama (Mar 8, 2003)

Damn Georgia yet location says Southern California weird. Anywho I went from stock to 205/40R 16 and I noticed the Tramlining big time but it was a big performance difference from my 13's that it came with but I am glad I went and got them. No suspension upgrades yet though can't afford it yet. I gots some nice wheel gap but I don't care I'd rather have wheel gap than have it lowered with a fucked up suspension setup but yeah the wider tires will cause the tramlining.


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## Equivocal (Sep 6, 2002)

Yep, I just put my 18s on, it seems the steering goes to one side to one side when I hit a road irregulary. Not too big of a deal, kinda scares u for a sec when u hit a bump and the steering wheel jerks to the right or left.


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## Dynamitega (Feb 24, 2003)

Rama said:


> *Damn Georgia yet location says Southern California weird. *


I said, "from Georgia." That doesn't mean that I live there now. I live in So Cal now.




> *Not too big of a deal, kinda scares u for a sec when u hit a bump and the steering wheel jerks to the right or left.*


Yeah, it scares me too. Fortunately, it only feels sharp on the wheel... it doesn't turn the car a whole lot. I guess it probably could turn the car a lot though if you didn't catch it.

I'll try alignment and probably putting a front sway bar on, as himilefrontier suggested to me.


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## LIUSPEED (May 29, 2002)

well i guess that it time to do a brake upgrade for me. 

mine does that on bumpy roads and on non bumpy roads.

i done the alignment and it nothing wrong. i guess the wider tires just like to hug the road more.

o wellz


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## Dynamitega (Feb 24, 2003)

There's a road here that I take to work that just got repaved... it's so smooth to drive on. I don't get any of that pulling going on.

I don't think it's an alignment problem because when I let go of the wheel on a level road, it goes straight, it doesn't turn.

Liu, do you have a sway bar in yours?


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## LIUSPEED (May 29, 2002)

nope. do you? aim me dynamitega


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## Dynamitega (Feb 24, 2003)

some reason I can't... error code #3... hmmm


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## LIUSPEED (May 29, 2002)

weird


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## Darthkissling (Oct 22, 2002)

*tire pull*

it will happen with wider tires, the best thing to do is just get used to it, after a while you wont notice it anymore


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## Ninety-Nine SE-L (May 5, 2002)

an alignment will help alot if it seems to be pulling to one side constantly. Being that you have wider tires on a small car, the tires will tend to grab any imperfections in the road, so get used to it.


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## himilefrontier (Jan 21, 2003)

I must say I am a little surprised at the number of people who experience tramlining with such a narrow tire(relative to me being into domestic RWD's).I have some of it in my Olds Cutlass with 245 50 16's all the way around, but it's hardly noticeable.Maybe it's a relative thing as to trackwidth compared to treadwidth.Just a thought.


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## Ninety-Nine SE-L (May 5, 2002)

other than tramlining have you guys had any other problems with wider tires? This almost goes without saying, but hydroplaning is a big issue for me. I live in FL and if you happen to live near the water's edge, yo uknow that the roads get some nice puddles after only a few minutes. I was driving on the courtney campbell causeway (thin strip of land in tampa bay that connects tampa to clearwater) and my car was hydropaning every other second for 5 miles.


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## Neil (Aug 13, 2002)

i get hydroplaning now though with my 175 width tires... I think though since these tires are all year tires they dont have very good water channels so comperable wider tires with a good water system would be equal at least to these.


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## himilefrontier (Jan 21, 2003)

I live in the Tampa Bay area too and yes I get hydroplaning.It usually is dependent on the tires and their tread depth and pattern.Some tires just shed water better than others.


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