Basically, after receiving a flat tire and replacing all 4 tires with ES100's, the car swerves when I let off the throttle at 70+mph. It doesn't seem like it swerves all the time, however most of the time it does. Sometimes it's more noticeable than others. Tires have all been balanced and have 500 miles on them now. I can't figure the problem out. Any other peeps experienced this problem? is it the motor mounts? btw the car is all stock, never lowered or anything.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by BigMoneyP &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Basically, after receiving a flat tire and replacing all 4 tires with ES100's, the car swerves when I let off the throttle at 70+mph. It doesn't seem like it swerves all the time, however most of the time it does. Sometimes it's more noticeable than others. Tires have all been balanced and have 500 miles on them now. I can't figure the problem out. Any other peeps experienced this problem? is it the motor mounts? btw the car is all stock, never lowered or anything.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Check the tire pressure first. If it's not the tire pressures, then check if the weights if it came off while driving. It could also be more likely alignment issues, or something broke. Such as the shock or hub bearing.

Post back if you have further problems.

 

Check in this order:

Tire Pressure
Wheels balance (weights)
Alignment

 

Thanks guys, I'll check the pressure first then re-balance. If it's an alignment problem, wouldnt this happen before on stock tires as well?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by BigMoneyP &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Thanks guys, I'll check the pressure first then re-balance. If it's an alignment problem, wouldnt this happen before on stock tires as well?</TD></TR></TABLE>

Hmm....it really depends on what you did to the alignment. Because you might have ran into a dip or bump too fast and threw off something....ussually Toe alignment on S2k's. It could also probably be that the AVS ES100 you got might have more or less grip rate and your probably feeling more steering response out of it.

My guess is still the same as before.....the tire pressure first, weights, then alignment.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by JunY &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote"> It could also probably be that the AVS ES100 you got might have more or less grip rate and your probably feeling more steering response out of it.
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I, personally, think the AVE ES100's are caca, but I don't follow your theory on "grip rate" here.

I can't visualize a car "swerving" when you let off the gas, at any speed, unless you are already in a turn. Then it's just lift-throttle oversteer. A certain tyre compound will not cause a vehicle to move and become unstable in the least simply but letting up on the accelerator.

 

i didn't think my avs 100's were all that either.

 

Just start with the pressure. Losing a wheel weight would NOT make your car swerve. If not that then get your alignment done.....

 

Don't bother checking the weights. If they fell off, how can you tell?

Make sure air pressure is equal from left side to right side. That's typically the culprit and an easy fix.

If not, then the balance is most likely off. You'd be surprised how bad some tire shops doing balancing jobs. If it pulls have a more experienced guy at the tire shop check the balance first, then rebalance the tires. An inexperienced tire mounter could use too much lube and cause the tire to slip or there could be excess lube inside the tire creating a bloched up balance. I've seen some pretty crazy stuff so check the air, then balance.

I highly doubt you'd throw the alignment off by hitting a bump or dip or pothole. You'd really have to slam into something hard to tweak the alignment settings; they aren't bulletproof but it gets annoying to hear the alignment could be thrown off by a dip/bump/pothole. Most of the time, an alignment guy doesn't tighten the adjustment points tight enough, and they'll slip. The factory adjustment bolts are on there VERY tight. In most cases, the alignment isn't perfect from the factory.

If the tire shop says the balance checks out okay and you had a more experienced guy do it, you could have other problems but no need to worry about that just yet.

 

i think its your tire pressure. It happened to me when i was getting a flat from a nail. Perhaps the guy who installed your tires didnt inflate one as much as the other. Check it. I didnt read the other post but im guessing they said almost the same.

 

ok, here's the update. 3 out of the 4 tire pressures were the same. The pressure came in at 40psi and the rear driver side tire came in at 30psi. I'm about to go pump the tire up to 40psi. Is 40 psi too high for these ES100's? Max psi is 44psi on the side of the tire.

I'll take it for a test drive after the pressures are equal and come back for another update.

 

40psi cold is too high, i hope that was hot

 

Yes, I guess it was still hot. I just drove home and let the car sit for like 20 mins before I tested the pressure. On my way to the gas station now, i'll be back.

 

I checked the pressure when cold and it reads 36psi on 3 and 34psi on the last one. The car still has a slight swerve when lifting the throttle and high speed or punching the throttle at that same speed. I guess I should get the tires re-balanced next...

 

your tire pressure when completely cold should be 32 front and 32 rear, check it after that car sits overnight and before you leave

 

I don't think a couple psi's will cause a car to swerve that bad.

I don't know what it is about the ES100's, but when I had them on my ITR, I had the same thing happen. I got an alignment, but the guy checked it out and said it was fine. After I got on the freeway, my car would still steer to the left. I got rid of them and got BS RE010's. Problem solved. Strange.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by BigMoneyP &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote"> I guess I should get the tires re-balanced next...</TD></TR></TABLE>

Again as I said earlier....balancing will not cause your car to pull, only vibrate. Get your alignment checked.....

 

A poorly balanced wheel/tire combo can cause your car to pull in one direction or another.

The es100's are a decent tire. They aren't terrible and shouldn't be the cause for your troubles.

Set your tire pressures at 32psi cold. Don't use the tire guages at gas stations, they suck and are not reliable.

If your tire pressures were set that high, I wouldn't be surprised if the tire shop performed a static balancing job instead of a dynamic. (static-weights are only set in the middle of the wheel, dynamic-weights are on both the inner and outter edges of the wheel, dynamic is better if done right).

 

I'll do them tomorrow morning. Set them at 32psi on all 4. Again, here's a description of what the car does ...at about 70mph when I have constant gas and let off the car will go slightly to the right, in a direction of a normal lane change... then upon getting the car back straight and stepping on the throttle, the car will go left. It's really weird! Anyhow, I'll put them all at 32psi then drive it again tomorrow then re-balance although some of you say that shouldn't do anything.

P.S. I looked at the rear wheels and see no weights on the wheel at all... Hm, maybe discount tires just suck.

 

Discount Tires DO suck.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by vapor &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">A poorly balanced wheel/tire combo can cause your car to pull in one direction or another.

</TD></TR></TABLE>

I would like to know your reasoning for this decision.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Slideways2000 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Discount Tires DO suck. </TD></TR></TABLE>

Actually, I think they have excellent service. Free flat repairs and rotation, even if you didn't buy the tires from there. Never had a bad experience with one of the employees. My only complaints are:

-They need to get better deals on Bridgestone products.

-Have they ever heard of tape weights?? I hate getting my wheels balanced there, because they always use those ghey brick weights that are supposed to go on the outside of the rim. I make them put it on the inside, but the downside is a crappy balance job.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by SLO S2k &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

I would like to know your reasoning for this decision.</TD></TR></TABLE>

I've experienced it on 3 different occasions, with 3 different tire shops. Twice on the track-I noticed the car pull towards one direction coming down the straightaways and once on the street when tire shop used too much lube and the tire slipped/rotated it's position on the wheel throwing the balance off.

I've also experienced a out of balance rear tire on a 100% bone stock '05 s2000 cause the car to pull at speeds above 50mph. Driver hopped up a gradual curb in the rain, enough lateral force to knock some weights off the wheel. After rebalance, the car drove straight afterwards.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by BigMoneyP &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
P.S. I looked at the rear wheels and see no weights on the wheel at all... Hm, maybe discount tires just suck.</TD></TR></TABLE>

or they fell off. It's pretty common on tracked cars that get brake temps up pretty high. It's easy for a tire shop to forget to clean the surface of the wheel if they are using sticky backed weights that will fall off if the surface is dirty with brake dust.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by P Nut &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
-Have they ever heard of tape weights?? I hate getting my wheels balanced there, because they always use those ghey brick weights that are supposed to go on the outside of the rim. I make them put it on the inside, but the downside is a crappy balance job.</TD></TR></TABLE>

sometimes those clamp weights are better than the sticky backed weights, they'll scratch and leave marks on the outter edge of your rims but they'll provide the best dynamic balance since the weights are mounted on the furthest points of the wheel.

 

So you say it should be 32 all around cold, what about hot? Is 40 psi kosher?

 

Hmmm.. I don't know of anyone measuring tire pressure when hot. It ends up a bit inconsistent, because front and rear tires warm up at a different rate.