New set tires pulling to the right - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

ericw12 · 07-12-2011, 05:47 PM

Hi guys,

I just got a new set of Michelin - X® Radial tires installed from Costco when I was traveling in State, and it pulled to right when I got on highway.
I got in another Costco and a guy there tried to rotate / swap the two front tires. That helped, but my car still pulls slightly to the right when got on 60 to 70 mph.

My local Costco guy saying it could be alignment but they do not do any alignment.

Any ideas what could be the problem?

Thanks!

Eric

invader · 07-12-2011, 06:11 PM

Alignment may be off... What's your mileage, and how are your steering and suspension components?

ericw12 · 07-12-2011, 06:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by invader

Alignment may be off... What's your mileage, and how are your steering and suspension components?

55000KM .. so about 34000 miles

I do not know cars, so I am not sure how are my steering and suspension components.

***PhatRoyale*** · 07-12-2011, 08:12 PM

Take it to a local alignment shop and have them check it out.

invader · 07-12-2011, 08:30 PM

Make sure all four tires are inflated to 30 psi cold.

ericw12 · 07-12-2011, 08:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by invader

Make sure all four tires are inflated to 30 psi cold.

Yes, every time the costco guys balanced them and set them to 30PSI

invader · 07-12-2011, 09:01 PM

I can check and adjust my own alignment... Where about in Canada are you?

ericw12 · 07-12-2011, 10:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by invader

I can check and adjust my own alignment... Where about in Canada are you?

Surrey BC

invader · 07-12-2011, 10:45 PM

How was the wear pattern on the tires just taken off? Did one of the front tires wear more inside or outside compared to the other? What size tires did you get?

ericw12 · 07-12-2011, 11:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by invader

How was the wear pattern on the tires just taken off? Did one of the front tires wear more inside or outside compared to the other? What size tires did you get?

I am not sure the two tires kept are the front or rear tires. I was on a camping trip and I did not have much space. I asked Costco to keep two relative good ones because I thought I might find a rim and make a full size spare. Both of them now look like wear relatively evenly. The original tires were due for a rotation so front was wearing slight more than the rear and two on one side had punctures, and one had a temporary plug repair. The properly fixed driver side front and the passenger side rear are most likely what I have now.

My new ones are Michelin - X® Radial 195/65/15 89T M+S, 44PSI MAX. They were made in Canada but were sold $36 bloody cheaper each in States than in Canada.

***silver04rollas*** · 07-12-2011, 11:46 PM

Definitely, either the wheels not balanced properly or more than likely the alignment is off.

Rockosmith · 07-13-2011, 10:56 AM

Did you replace all 4 tires?

It's either radial pull or alignment or a combo of both. Radial pull is where the tire itself will cause a pulling even if the alignment is perfect. It usually happens after the tire has worn a while. A tire can still have nice tread and look fine but have radial pull. Since swapping the front tires helped a bit, try swapping the rears L to R and R to L. See if this helps.

ericw12 · 07-13-2011, 04:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rockosmith

Did you replace all 4 tires?

It's either radial pull or alignment or a combo of both. Radial pull is where the tire itself will cause a pulling even if the alignment is perfect. It usually happens after the tire has worn a while. A tire can still have nice tread and look fine but have radial pull. Since swapping the front tires helped a bit, try swapping the rears L to R and R to L. See if this helps.

Yes, all 4 of them

I walked into the Canadian Tire's shop today to ask for a alignment work, but the guy there talked me out of it. He said if swapping the front tires helped then it probably still means one of the front tire is bad. Otherwise it should not do anything if it is alignment. He suggest me go back to Costco.

I am so confused now. The car feels very smooth on the city road, no pulling at all when driving under 50 mph. There are not many places I can drive 70 mph down here. Maybe I should just swallow it.

Rockosmith · 07-13-2011, 04:15 PM

Can you yourself put the rear tires on the fronts? If not take it back to costco and have them do it. Don't worry about them hassling you, it's your money, and Costco is good about making the customer happy. If putting the rears on the front elimiates the problem, you have radial pull and the tire needs to be replaced. If it is radial pull, it will only get worse over time.

I thought I had a bad alignment issue. The alignment shop showed me the car was dead straight yet it pulled to the right bad. Rotated the tires and whamo, straight. I didn't rotate again and got 3 years out of the tires. Yours are New and should be perfect. Don't accept less.

ericw12 · 07-16-2011, 11:04 AM

I did my alignment, and I think the problem is fixed now. I went to this alignment shop, and the guy told me I should be arrow straight now.

My caster, and camber are good and well within specs; however, my left front is 1/16" toe in and right front is 3/32" toe out. I guess that should do it. They were set back to 0. The alignment guy also adjust my camber a little for 0.5 degree so it would push to left a little to compensate most roads.

I actually don't have anywhere to try this out. Highway in my area is built differently than most highways in States, where right lane slope to the right, and left lane slope to left. Highway 1 in my area slightly slope to the left regardless which lane. I am going to drive to Oregon in couple weeks, I guess I will totally know by then. For now, I pump the air pressure up to 36PSI, and it feels great when I drive the car.