my car likes to pull the steering wheel out of my hand (help)
10-26-2009, 12:09 AM
#1
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Staten Island, NY
Posts: 350
my car likes to pull the steering wheel out of my hand (wandering issues) (help)
ok this is the second 4 gen i have owned and having kinda an issue with my current car (95 TA)
Here are my suspension mods
SLP-Lowering Springs & BilStein Shocks, SLP-Panhard bar, 1LE Front & Rear Sway Bars, DMS-Sub Frame Connectors, DS Loop, LS1 Front brakes, SS ZR1 Rims w/ 275/40/17 Sumitomo Tires.
I have noticed that I have to be very careful about every rut and uneven road because it likes to pull n every direction once I am over a bad section of road…
Front suspension has been done completely (all new) and the rag joint has been replaced (wheels aliment done by the local tire shop to factory specs) tires have about 2000 miles on them (with no abnormal rear)
Am I overlooking something because my 97 z/28 with the stock suspension (even with the bigger ss wheels did not pull like this)..
Any suggestions why this car would be all over the place could it me the aliment or something else thx
update sorry after going through some posted i just want to give an update to what i am looking for... because I could not find clear cut answers of what people did to resolve this problem after they complained about wandering problems my just stated that its just the big tire combo and that you have to live with it ..... (my stock suspension z/28 ith the same tire and rim combo never did that) and i am at the point where i will rip out the slp springs and shocks and return it to stock ... if i can not get this car from wandering around
so i am rally looking for definite answers of what people did to help with this problem not guessing or to refer me to anther link with suggested specs looking for real world aliment specs and what works and what does not thx again for any input
Here are my suspension mods
SLP-Lowering Springs & BilStein Shocks, SLP-Panhard bar, 1LE Front & Rear Sway Bars, DMS-Sub Frame Connectors, DS Loop, LS1 Front brakes, SS ZR1 Rims w/ 275/40/17 Sumitomo Tires.
I have noticed that I have to be very careful about every rut and uneven road because it likes to pull n every direction once I am over a bad section of road…
Front suspension has been done completely (all new) and the rag joint has been replaced (wheels aliment done by the local tire shop to factory specs) tires have about 2000 miles on them (with no abnormal rear)
Am I overlooking something because my 97 z/28 with the stock suspension (even with the bigger ss wheels did not pull like this)..
Any suggestions why this car would be all over the place could it me the aliment or something else thx
update sorry after going through some posted i just want to give an update to what i am looking for... because I could not find clear cut answers of what people did to resolve this problem after they complained about wandering problems my just stated that its just the big tire combo and that you have to live with it ..... (my stock suspension z/28 ith the same tire and rim combo never did that) and i am at the point where i will rip out the slp springs and shocks and return it to stock ... if i can not get this car from wandering around
so i am rally looking for definite answers of what people did to help with this problem not guessing or to refer me to anther link with suggested specs looking for real world aliment specs and what works and what does not thx again for any input
Last edited by siguy; 10-26-2009 at 12:55 AM.
10-26-2009, 08:42 AM
#2
Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: SLC, UT
Posts: 2,667
My stock WS6 with the 275s always has had that issue.. it's just part of having a stiffer suspension with the wide low-profile wheels. They like to pull and ride in the road where they want... just a side effect of a 10" wide front tire...
And yes, it can be really fun when the car is trying to drive you.
And yes, it can be really fun when the car is trying to drive you.
10-26-2009, 02:00 PM
#3
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Staten Island, NY
Posts: 350
My stock WS6 with the 275s always has had that issue.. it's just part of having a stiffer suspension with the wide low-profile wheels. They like to pull and ride in the road where they want... just a side effect of a 10" wide front tire...
And yes, it can be really fun when the car is trying to drive you.
And yes, it can be really fun when the car is trying to drive you.
my 97 z/28 with the same tire combo was no where near what this car does
10-26-2009, 02:14 PM
#4
Super Moderator
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Okemos, MI
Posts: 9,495
Wide tires combined with certain tire characteristics cause tramlining, which is the problem you're describing. I can't explain why it didn't happen for you before, unless maybe Sumitomo changed their tread pattern or something between then and now. Sumitomos are pretty much the cheapest tire you can get -- try spending a bit more; the problem should be reduced.
My 275/40 BFG SuperSports aren't great. The Goodyear GS-D3s I had before were better. My next tire will (hopefully) be the Michelin Pilot Sport PS2, which is widely regarded as the best street performance tire there is, and is fitted to the ZR1 and most other supercars. I have never seen a single complaint about tramlining in a review of any car equipped with those tires.
My 275/40 BFG SuperSports aren't great. The Goodyear GS-D3s I had before were better. My next tire will (hopefully) be the Michelin Pilot Sport PS2, which is widely regarded as the best street performance tire there is, and is fitted to the ZR1 and most other supercars. I have never seen a single complaint about tramlining in a review of any car equipped with those tires.
10-26-2009, 03:06 PM
#5
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Staten Island, NY
Posts: 350
Wide tires combined with certain tire characteristics cause tramlining, which is the problem you're describing. I can't explain why it didn't happen for you before, unless maybe Sumitomo changed their tread pattern or something between then and now. Sumitomos are pretty much the cheapest tire you can get -- try spending a bit more; the problem should be reduced.
My 275/40 BFG SuperSports aren't great. The Goodyear GS-D3s I had before were better. My next tire will (hopefully) be the Michelin Pilot Sport PS2, which is widely regarded as the best street performance tire there is, and is fitted to the ZR1 and most other supercars. I have never seen a single complaint about tramlining in a review of any car equipped with those tires.
My 275/40 BFG SuperSports aren't great. The Goodyear GS-D3s I had before were better. My next tire will (hopefully) be the Michelin Pilot Sport PS2, which is widely regarded as the best street performance tire there is, and is fitted to the ZR1 and most other supercars. I have never seen a single complaint about tramlining in a review of any car equipped with those tires.
thx yeah was on a budget when i had to replace the tires ....
10-26-2009, 09:11 PM
#6
Super Moderator
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Okemos, MI
Posts: 9,495
11-05-2009, 05:55 PM
#8
Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Gloucester, VA
Posts: 382
More expensive tire don't solve a dam thing!! I just switched my rear tires from bridgestone 265/40/18s to Nitto (supposedly super great) nt 555s in a 275/40/18 and i can barely keep it on these ****ty TX roads. Needless to say i'm extremely disappointed in these tires. If a strut tower brace or a bigger sway bar doesn't fix the problem i'll take them off and frigging burn them. It feels like my car is riding on dam balloons!!
11-05-2009, 05:58 PM
#9
Registered User
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: NY...what a bad place for a nice car
Posts: 2,315
my tire/wheel combo does this too but i can live with it if its major problem u should look into ur alighnment, possible bad suspension parts etc....
i read ur post and u had a bunch of stuff done but u should keep ur options open
i read ur post and u had a bunch of stuff done but u should keep ur options open
Last edited by CamaroSS30thAnn; 11-05-2009 at 06:00 PM.
11-06-2009, 07:11 AM
#10
Super Moderator
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Okemos, MI
Posts: 9,495
More expensive tire don't solve a dam thing!! I just switched my rear tires from bridgestone 265/40/18s to Nitto (supposedly super great) nt 555s in a 275/40/18 and i can barely keep it on these ****ty TX roads. Needless to say i'm extremely disappointed in these tires. If a strut tower brace or a bigger sway bar doesn't fix the problem i'll take them off and frigging burn them. It feels like my car is riding on dam balloons!!
11-06-2009, 10:24 AM
#12
Super Moderator
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Okemos, MI
Posts: 9,495
In general, more expensive tires (like the Michelins I mentioned) are designed to better resist tramlining than cheaper tires in the same size. The difference is in the tread pattern, sidewall stiffness, and stuff like that.
I'm surprised to hear that you've having major tramlining issues from 235-series tires. My old 245s were fine, and my new 275s aren't unmanageable. What brand/model are your 235s?
Someone earlier mentioned bushings -- true. Worn out bushings make a vehicle more prone to tramlining as well. Alignment issues and inappropriate wheel offsets can make it worse too.
11-06-2009, 04:26 PM
#14
Registered User
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Gloucester, VA
Posts: 382
The fronts are dunlop sp sport 9000s. They still have 4-5/32s on them so replacing them is gonna make me angry but if it makes it better like it was then i'm dong it. Should i match the front tires with the rear brand and tread wise? So i should go narrower on the front? As soon the sway bar end bushing are new as of june. The support bushings though have never been changed. Think i'm gonna start with tires then sway bar then STB. With the old rears i had no problems keeping it on the road but now i'm seriously scared to push it past 80.
11-06-2009, 06:25 PM
#15
Registered User
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Staten Island, NY
Posts: 350
UPdate
OK yeasterday after i put the superchager belt and hoses on
I replaced the slp stage 1 springs and shocks with stock 2002ss front springs and shocks and stock LT1 T/A rear springs and shocks guess what most of my issues went away Yes the car handled great with the set up and I give up some handling but to tell you the truth it was not much (i do have bigger sway bars (front and rear) and frame connectors etc ) but also car rides much better and have some more headers clearance.... oh yea most of the tramling went away........ still have some but no where near as bad as it was before .... so i am a little puzzled ... (maybe since the car was lowered maybe the sway bar was binding or maybe i was was getting bump streer from the tierod ends. 
beats me but the car is a pleasure to drive again ......
OK yeasterday after i put the superchager belt and hoses on
I replaced the slp stage 1 springs and shocks with stock 2002ss front springs and shocks and stock LT1 T/A rear springs and shocks guess what most of my issues went away Yes the car handled great with the set up and I give up some handling but to tell you the truth it was not much (i do have bigger sway bars (front and rear) and frame connectors etc ) but also car rides much better and have some more headers clearance.... oh yea most of the tramling went away........ still have some but no where near as bad as it was before .... so i am a little puzzled ... (maybe since the car was lowered maybe the sway bar was binding or maybe i was was getting bump streer from the tierod ends. beats me but the car is a pleasure to drive again ......