Something Not Right

MyHarley · Mar 16, 2006

Last week I was at the tire store having the tires balanced.....well some of you know I got distracted a bit........but afterwards when I was walking the bays, I noticed them switching tires.......I asked what are you doing and he said rotating the tires........I said whoa there, no rotation of these tires, they're staggered, you know that.......he said yeah but the paperwork says to rotate......I have been going there for three years and get the new guy......anyways.......he worked it out with the service writer and said sorry, but the car is not right.......the back end is loud........either the tires or the back end of the car is loud, even a customer today commented on it........I took off for Corpus immediately after the balancing and kept telling myself it was the highway......I don't remember all the specifics now about my tires, since I go to the same place, I didnt think I had to remember the tire sizes.....but tonight in the dark I could make out the number on the front tires.....Michelin 225/40..........I know the back is something different......like 255/30 or something.........which should be on the front and which should be on the back.....the same sizes match on the front and the back so they didnt get them lopsided.......but its not right......you can always tell when the car rattles more especially over bumps, that its just not balanced or the tires arent right.....

So which is it? 225/40 on the front or the back.............

jrt67ss350 · Mar 16, 2006

Lisha,
The tires with the larger first set of numbers (in this case the 255's) should be on the back of the car. So, it sounds like they got it right.

Don't know why the car would be louder now [???1]

Tom · Mar 16, 2006

Normally if its staggered than the smaller series tires would go in the back. Additionally if the two tires read 225/40 and 255/30 then the 255 would definitely go in the back since its wider.

jrt67ss350 · Mar 16, 2006

Tom said:

Yes. Her car has 225/40 on the front and 255/35 on the back.

I just had a revelation! Maybe they switched the tires side to side, and since your tires are almost certainly directional, the tires would then be rotating the wrong direction when moving forward. That would definitely cause an increase in noise as well as degraded performance and increased wear. I bet that's what happened.

Tom · Mar 16, 2006

jrt67ss350 said:

Yup good point Justin. I was just thinking the same thing. Those idiots probably have it on backwards. [:p]

Lisha, you should look on the side walls of your tires and make sure the arrows are pointing in the right direction.

Kirby · Mar 16, 2006

I agree that it they could be swapped left/right.

When radials first hit the market (showing my age again) they said to NEVER rotate left/right sides, only front/rear, even though the tires were not directional when new. The first 5 years or so after radials came out, they claimed that radials developed rotation "memory". Swapping sides would cause the steel belts to loosen, ride rough and heat up and possibly blow the tire.

Later on they said that this was no longer a problem. But if a tire is marked for rotation, besides directional traction issues, this internal destruction could be a real concern again?

Big Daddy · Mar 16, 2006

Lisha check the tires for a "rotation" arrow on the side wall and make sure that is the direction the tire is turning when driving forward. If they did swap them side to side they will be off and you will hear and maybe even feel it.

epj3 · Mar 16, 2006

Sounds like you bought some noisy tires, it happens especially if you bought aggressive summer tires or winters.

MyHarley · Mar 17, 2006

epj3 said:

I didnt purchase new tires, they have been on there for a year...........Michelin Pilot Sports.......I'll look at the arrows in the morning......thanks everyone....

epj3 · Mar 17, 2006

MyHarley said:

Oh gotcha, my bad. Sounds like they screwed up!

MyHarley · Mar 17, 2006

well hells bells is what I think.........went there this morning when I had an hour to kill and talked with the new guy again (first mistake), he just irritated me and I said I would be back later.........the tires are correct in their position and the arrows are going in the right direction.......I asked him to drive the car and he declined and said I needed new tires........I said wow, one week ago it was here for balancing and I asked the technician how were the tires and he said they were good, but now I need new tires and its not even been up on the rack for inspection.......I said I think we need to start with the basics and check out rebalancing in case it was incorrect last week before I invest in new tires.........he said well they're only good for 15,000 miles.......

well at this rate I'll have to replace twice a year........hmmmmmmm.........

I'll go by there tomorrow and speak with the manager........as I said he just irritates me....... [wiggle]

Militant-Grunt · Mar 17, 2006

MyHarley said:

well hells bells is what I think.........went there this morning when I had an hour to kill and talked with the new guy again (first mistake), he just irritated me and I said I would be back later.........the tires are correct in their position and the arrows are going in the right direction.......I asked him to drive the car and he declined and said I needed new tires........I said wow, one week ago it was here for balancing and I asked the technician how were the tires and he said they were good, but now I need new tires and its not even been up on the rack for inspection.......I said I think we need to start with the basics and check out rebalancing in case it was incorrect last week before I invest in new tires.........he said well they're only good for 15,000 miles.......

well at this rate I'll have to replace twice a year........hmmmmmmm.........

I'll go by there tomorrow and speak with the manager........as I said he just irritates me....... [wiggle]

15k miles?! What kind of tires are they (summer, all season?) Tires should last a min of 20k-25k.

epj3 · Mar 17, 2006

Militant-Grunt said:

Must be that new silly putty formula [:p]

MyHarley · Mar 18, 2006

They're Michelin Pilot Sport tires...........

Kirby · Mar 18, 2006

These guys better get their act together - WE know what happens when somebody messes with Lisha!! [boxface]

MyHarley · Mar 18, 2006

Kirby said:

Oh yeah I got them good for the tune of costing me $1200.00.......so laughing.....long story short, the back two had one section left (don't remember what they called it) anyways I don't like being paranoid about tires since I travel so much by myself....the front two were okay he thought for another 5 to 10,000 miles...........BUT.......I have never liked the regular Michelin Pilot Sport tires on my car, they didnt feel any different than the crappy Dunlops so I didnt want to buy two more of the same ones I don't like, so I bought (4) new Michelin Pilot Sport PS2 tires......are you rolling your eyes now........I tell you what, I absolutely love these tires......for the first time in almost three years of owning this car, the ride is like butter.......smooth creamy butter.......its like Jimmy Choo's versus Manola Blaniks, they're both very good, but the right fit and its heaven......... [fake] so now my darling little boy is strapping in Jimmy Choo's .......he's a smooth operator I tell ya, fall for his puurrrrrfection every time I turn him on....... [headbang]

Something Not Right

MyHarley

2

jrt67ss350

2

Tom

1

jrt67ss350

2

Tom

1

Kirby

2

Big Daddy

Senior Member

epj3

Senior Member

MyHarley

2

epj3

Senior Member

MyHarley

2

Militant-Grunt

2

epj3

Senior Member

MyHarley

2

Kirby

2

MyHarley

2