Since I switched to aftermarket wheels/tires I've noticed that the car wanders on the freeway. Is it due to the grooved freeways we have here in the pacific northwest or a combination of me having slightly wider tires, different tread patterns and funky offsets from OEM. I don't think I need a alignment but I'll get one if someone thinks that will make a difference.

You folks with non-OEM wheels/tires, do you do the funky wander too? Sometimes when I don't pay attention, the front end wanders back and forth as though I was driving drunk. Reminds me of driving autopia at disneyland.

 

In my old Integra GSR I went from the stock Michelins to Dunlops and the car starded wandering all over the place. So I think it's a tire issue. What tires do you have on the S now?

Incidentally, the tire wander on grooved interstates was the only negative behaviour. In all other aspects the Dunlops were much better.

 

its called 'tracking' and yes, mine does that too. its probably a combination of tires and pavement grooves. i tracked slightly on stock tires, much more so now that ive upgraded to 18's.

 

If your car is wandering on perfectly flat and smooth roads, then the problem is most likely alignment related (more specifically toe-in/out). If it is wandering on surfaces with ruts which is much more common and very prevalent on I-5 around here, then it is due to one or two things. One issue is stiffer side wall tires. Tires that are wider or stiffer or lower profile exhibit this problem because as you are driving in these groves, only the inside or outside edge is actually making contact with the road. The steering axis intersects the contact patch near the center. The tire is now loaded on one side. This offset load tries to turn the wheels and causes the car to swerve back and forth in these grooves.
The other related issue could be using wheels with non-stock offsets. This causes the same issue as the steering axis is offset from the actual contact patch.
Combinations of these issues will compound the problem.
It's hard to explain with words, a picture/diagram would be much more clear but I don't have any readily available.
Hope this helps.

 

Do a search on Tram Lining, and I think The Tire Rack has an article on it as well.

 

I feel tram lining quite a bit in the S2000. The tires, and especially tire pressures, make a big difference. Adding a pound or two can make a big improvement.

 

My 17" setup tramlines pretty aggressively. My bling-bling 18's don't at all. Fronts are both 8" with offsets of 49 or so.

Play with tire pressures first. I suspect certain types of tires are more prone to tramlining than others....

 

i notice very little tramlining

running S0-3s that are a bit wider than stock front and rear

i think it's more tire than anything....

 

I usually have to drive with both hands and eyes pealed even on S02's, but I run a lot of toe-in on the rear. Still I never seem to get used to darting all over the place on a 'straight-away' stretch of Interstate. Just a fact of life with the groovy roads up here.

 

Thanks for the input, guess I learned a new term, tram lining huh? Looks like most of you also experience the same thing so I guess I'll just get use to it and try playing around with the tire pressure.

Gearhead, thanks, I can totally visualize your explanation. But if I increase the tire pressure, won't the sidewalls be even stiffer and therefore more wander?

I'm running 225/45-17 fronts w/48 offset and 255/40-17 rears w/54 offset. I'm guessing the rears tram line as much as the fronts or is this just a front wheel/steering effect?