I just replaced my stock bridgestones after months of complaining about uneven steering resistance where the right is easier to turn than the left.

Now however, with my new BF goodrich G-Force tires, I notice that steering is lighter on both sides and that if anything turning left is easier now than turning right.

Does this have to do with the tread or that fact that i went 10mm wider on all fours ?

I did have my alignment checked after the new tires were put on since I noticed a slight drift to the left and since it was off in the Right toe and left camber the dealer made an adjustment.

But shouldnt the tires have been still providing more resistane in the same direction as the originals instead of being completely different ?

Thanks,

 

There are too many variables to determine what you are feeling. It can just be the new tires, the size or that these tires just don't handle like the S02. Unfortunately it would be too hard for me to figure out what you are feeling.
Sorry,

 

Steering is easier when turing left than turning right.

When I had the stock Re050's I was noticing the complete opposite. Where it was easier to turn right than left.

I had it at many dealers and they could not find anything. And now I can safely say different tires caused a different steering resistance feel.

I swear this is like a nightmare, I cannot imagine that steering resistance would not be uneven by default.

I'm going to have discount check the tires again but someone mentioned that its probably the tires are not perfectly round does that make any sense ?

 

Let me clarify.

With my stock oem's steering was more resistant when turning Left.

With these new BFGoodRich's the steering is more resistant when turniing right.

Alignment has been checked, and rechecked and rechecked etc....

Tire pressure has been checked multiple times.

This is like a bad dream.... I can't assume its anything but the tires at this point just makes no sense unless this is a common characteristic of the car.

 

Even with trashed tires the feel is identical.

If it is not, either the tires have been damaged from camber wear (not your issue) or the steering rack is not set properly (which several people have had problems with). Ocasionally, something is damaged in the steering arms if you have been offroading.

Wider tires/rims can lead to considerable tramlining or wandering on uneven surfaces. I sometimes feel like a mis-alignment on mildly camber roads, but of course it goes away on flat roads.

 

I thought steering rack but the resistance problem should not have changed directions if it did. Plus the rack has been looked at a few times as well.

Since there is no pull or drift but there is resistance differences would the tires be possibly uneven with the amount of contact to the road ? The car only has 14,000 miles and never been in an accident.

 

Did they adjust the rack? If so the compensation for a tire with a slipped belt/weird wear would show in the reverse side when decent tires were put on.

The toe would definitely make it feel strange. Compare the alignment numbers again. I would guess that they are within spec, but not balanced. Sometimes the guys will give a bit of caster if you complain (but they forget to tell you), so symmetry is important here.

Lighter on boths sides makes no sense. What are you really talking about? Initial scrubbing, camber induces feel changes, impossible to tell from here.

Let me be clearer about the tire issues. Sometimes you can't tell by looking at it if there is internal damage. By typically a tire that you can feel a difference has some horkin' huge visible problem. What did the front tires look like on the last set?

When somebody tells me that the feel is "lighter" usually a tread "row" is worn down, but the adjacent one is good. What they are feeling is the transition between the blocks.

 

Anything heavy in your trunk?
Try your turns with and without a passenger.
Maybe try some springs with adjustable rates in front.
If you can , drive someone elses S and make note of any difference.

 

Ok here is what i tried. I flipped the two fronts no difference. Yes I know they are directional and after driving one hour, right turns still provide more resistance than left turns. So I switched them back.

I tried increasing air pressure that did nothing as well.

As stated before, on the stock oem tires, it was more resistant turning left and now with these new tires, its more resistant turning right.

What I meant by easier turns is that it seemed the steering wheel was slightly less resistant overall but now after driving on the tires for a week, i have gotten use to the feeling and they seem normal, no vibrations or pulls.

When you say withing spec but not balanced, you mean rear toe and total toe ?

The front tires only had about 3500 miles when i changed them out. They were wearing completely evenly no unusual signs.

Since I have been to Discount numerous times, the dealership and external performance shops all saying the alignment is fine, tires are balanced etc. I am beginning to wonder if something electronically is wrong or not compensating evenly ? It still doesn't explain why the uneven resistance switched sides completely.

At this point it really feels like shooting for a needle in a haystack.

Nothing heavy in the trunk only my car cover but thats evenly rolled up.