Steering Funnies...

[mystery machine]

Over the past few weeks I've noticed my Hawkeye WRX's steering reacting increasingly to ridges, ruts and seams in the road surface. It only seems to be a problem when these ridges run parallel with the tyre (i.e. parallel with the kerb). Travelling across them causes the steering to twitch one way and then the other - in extreme cases the car's travel is kicked out of the straight ahead and has to be corrected. It feels like it's being sucked into the ruts and repelled away from the seams...

The most obvious possible cause I could come up with was wheel alignment, but I had that set a couple of months back by a reputable Scooby-aware garage - and just to be sure, I had it re-checked a couple of weeks ago by another garage, who told me that it is "spot-on" (it's a standard 'parallel' setup, as opposed to 'fast road', BTW).

So I don't think that wheel alignment is the problem.

The only other thing I could think of is that my tyres are gash. I had all four fitted prior to the wheel alignment being set - they're a 'mid range' brand with a 'V' tread pattern. Car felt fine when they were fitted though - like I say, this has come on gradually.

It's becoming a right pain in the erse, as I'm starting to pay more attention to the road surfaces than what's up ahead on the road...

Anyone else experienced this? Any ideas what may be causing it?

Many thanks.

P.S. I'm considering swapping my tyres back->front just to see if that makes a difference.

Edited December 4, 2008 by Mystery Machine

[gus the bus]

Tyre pressure...........or if directional tyres make sure they are all fitted correctly and heading the right direction.

I once had this problem with Bridgestones and found that the tyre was actually punctured but due to the strength of the tyre wall it was hardly noticeable that it had a flat

[mystery machine]

Cheers for the reply, Gus.

I visually inspected the tyres when I began to suspect a problem (I check the pressures now and again anyway), and the garage that checked the alignment the second time also checked the pressures and found no problem.

I know what you mean though, it does kind of smack of a partially flat tyre - although the steering doesn't feel any heavier than it ever did...

[mystery machine]

Just nipped ootside to check tyre pressure - all four are sitting around 29psi (slightly harder at the front, slightly softer at the back). That's a touch on the low side I suppose (which I'd attribute to the considerable drop in temperatures since I last checked them), but certainly nothing to cause the kind of weirdness I'm feeling through the steering wheel, I wouldn't have thought.

P.S. They're all running in the proper direction - something I always check before leaving the tyre fitters. Never fully trusted any of them since that time ten years ago when some basturt battered chap-on weights onto my rims after I'd asked for stick-ons...

[irn_bru]

My Hawkeye Sti did the same with the original Bridgestones fitted. Was "fixed" by increasing the tyre pressures a good few psi.

Problem came back worse than ever when the tyres were about half worn tho.

Do a search on here m8,i am sure there were a good few posts about this.

FWIW- am now running Toyos and have not had any sign of this so far.

Colin.

[scoobyseller555]

uneven tyre wear,Colin has hit it on the head and bridgestones seem to be the worst for it.

Gav

[zarabad]

Mine dose the same at slow speed WRX 06

Run my tyres @36 all round now

Dose not do it at speed

Has only don’t this after I fitted new tyres

It made me think I had a flat

Now have valve caps that tell me the pressure so no need to check

[mystery machine]

Thanks for all the replies, folks. Sounds like it's worth experimenting with higher tyre pressure (assuming the edges of the tread are wearing faster than the inside).

Incidentally Gav, the original Bridgestones didn't exhibit this problem and they were very unevenly worn (by the previous owner).

zarabad - mine's the same - doesn't seem to be a problem over 50mph, seems worst at about 35mph.

I'll be scunnered if these new tyres are wearing unevenly, especially after having paid for four wheel alignment. Never had a problem with uneven tyre wear with previous motors (most of my mileage is covered on the motorway).

Hmmm...

Cheers again.

Edited December 4, 2008 by Mystery Machine

[scoobyseller555]

have you heard any steering rack noises?that wearnt there before.

Strange with the bridgestones,i have experienced this both on my own sti and many others i have driven,especially when the outer shoulder of the tyre wears thin on the nearside front.

Gav

[mystery machine]

No strange noises from the steering, Gav.

Re the Bridgestones - they had been swapped front/back by the seller before I took ownership of the car, so perhaps that mitigated things a little in my case.

If a pressure increase doesn't make any diff, I might swap front/back. A diagonal swap would be best, but then of course I'd need to have the tyres off the wheels. I suppose it'd also be worth measuring the tread at various points in the tyres to see if they're wearing unevenly - I had a quick butchers', but couldn't see any obvious uneven wear (they're only three or four months old).

How are your guys in Ian Grief's fixed for diagnosing this kind of thing, Gav? I only ask because I know you don't do wheel alignment.

Cheers again.

[scoobyseller555]

our wheel alignment is carried out by Progrip,good job thats how.

Gav

[mystery machine]

Cheers again for the info, Gav.

Are ProGrip associated with Hypertech at all?

[thewelsho]

Cheers again for the info, Gav.

Are ProGrip associated with Hypertech at all?

No, two different companies.

[mystery machine]

No, two different companies.

Who would've thunk it? I mean, not only is Bonnybridge THE centre for extra-terrestrial activity in Western Europe, but it's also home to not one, but two 4-wheel alignment specialists

[thewelsho]

Who would've thunk it? I mean, not only is Bonnybridge THE centre for extra-terrestrial activity in Western Europe, but it's also home to not one, but two 4-wheel alignment specialists

LOL!

[mystery machine]

Actually Welsho, perhaps that's what started it - aliens seeking 'total flying saucer alignment'!

I mean, you've seen all the science fiction movies - those intergalactic cruisers crab to the side like a bast*rd!!!

I'll know it's true when I see the Millennium Falcon poking its erse out of the garage door at Hypertech's new rolling road

[thewelsho]

Actually Welsho, perhaps that's what started it - aliens seeking 'total flying saucer alignment'!

I mean, you've seen all the science fiction movies - those intergalactic cruisers crab to the side like a bast*rd!!!

I'll know it's true when I see the Millennium Falcon poking its erse out of the garage door at Hypertech's new rolling road

Hahaha!!!

[mystery machine]

In case anyone's interested, I upped my tyre pressure - now 35 PSI front and 33 PSI rear - i.e. a little over manufacturer's spec.

Car feels a lot better. I can still feel the steering react to 'lines' in the road surface, on account of the uneven tread wear no doubt, but it doesn't become 'rutted' like it did before. Steering also feels sharp like it used to

I'm not sure why the pressures had dropped in such a short space of time since I last checked them, but I suspect that the garage that re-checked the wheel alignment may have let some air out after I mentioned to them that the car was over-reacting to uneven road surfaces - they did say that they'd "checked the tyre pressures"...

Anyway, thanks muchly for the tips folks

[thewelsho]

In case anyone's interested, I upped my tyre pressure - now 35 PSI front and 33 PSI rear - i.e. a little over manufacturer's spec.

Car feels a lot better. I can still feel the steering react to 'lines' in the road surface, on account of the uneven tread wear no doubt, but it doesn't become 'rutted' like it did before. Steering also feels sharp like it used to

I'm not sure why the pressures had dropped in such a short space of time since I last checked them, but I suspect that the garage that re-checked the wheel alignment may have let some air out after I mentioned to them that the car was over-reacting to uneven road surfaces - they did say that they'd "checked the tyre pressures"...

Anyway, thanks muchly for the tips folks

Nice one

[jamiew]

been fitting tyres for a few years and had a few customers saying they feel the car track more with a v style tread pattern.had this on an old rs turbo i had was really bad at low speads sometimes it would pull to the kerb when comin to a stop if the road was a little off camber.mind dont put your tyre pressures to high as you will wear out the centre of your tyre and have less tyre contact on the road cheers

[mystery machine]

been fitting tyres for a few years and had a few customers saying they feel the car track more with a v style tread pattern.had this on an old rs turbo i had was really bad at low speads sometimes it would pull to the kerb when comin to a stop if the road was a little off camber.mind dont put your tyre pressures to high as you will wear out the centre of your tyre and have less tyre contact on the road cheers

That's interesting you mention tracking with V-tread tyres - I did wonder ('wander', even ), because I had them on a previous motor a few years back, and if memory serves me right they tracked badly too...

I know exactly what you mean about over-inflation causing wear to the centre of the tread, but my feeling is that the outsides were seeing too much of the road - a wee bit compensation is required in this case, I reckon

Cheers

[jamiew]

yeah just keep a eye on them mate you have had it all set up so should be ok.cheers

[sparky_sj04]

Hi mate,

I've had a bit of tramlining with all the cars i've had with Bridgestone REO-70s, especially the first blobeye STI, and they all had about 5-6mm on them, but never noticed any big differences in where they were worn unevenly right enough.

Then changed to Goodyear Eagle GSD3s on my second one and didn't really have any (and they are V-treaded).

Now have REO-70s on my Hawkeye and it's not much of a problem, apart from knocking teeth out every time you hit a bump because the sidewalls are so stiff! I'm not an authority but i would say it's mainly down to the type of tyre...

[ur.a.bus]

on my previous corrado which was running very low, i used to go through alot of ball joints and drop links.

when the car started following the white lines in the road it usually ment something was needing replaced.

could be another possibility?

steve

[mystery machine]

on my previous corrado which was running very low, i used to go through alot of ball joints and drop links.

when the car started following the white lines in the road it usually ment something was needing replaced.

could be another possibility?

steve

It's a possibility, Steve - but the car's only done 19K miles. Having said that, seems these motors do have their weak points around the suspension - like many others it's already had to have the rear struts replaced (under warranty).

I wouldn't rule anything out as long as this behaviour persists, but increasing the tyre pressures has improved things to a point where - provided it doesn't get worse again - I could happily until the next tyre change and see if that eradicates it completely.

Cheers.