Update on Corolla Wandering

[smc733]

Hi Everyone,

Thank you to everyone for their advice on the many threads I've created in the last few months. I went ahead and put on the genuine Toyota 16" alloys along with Michelin Primacy MXV4s, and I could not be happier. The wandering is GONE, entirely. The car tracks straight as an arrow on the highway.

The whole process wasn't entirely painless, as the original tire shop I took it to balanced the tires horribly, and I had vibrations between 60-70. My regular dealer re-balanced them for me using a road-force balancing, and it seems to be all set now.

One thing I noticed, and maybe someone can help shed light. Both when the tires were installed, and even after the dealer re-balanced them, the tires were over-inflated to 36-38PSI cold, when they are supposed to be 32PSI on the 205/55/16. WHY do dealers always do this? The ride is so much more comfortable and softer after I lowered them to 32PSI (not to mention the tracking is even better when the tires aren't hard as a rock).

 

[cmorr]

Originally Posted By: smc733
One thing I noticed, and maybe someone can help shed light. Both when the tires were installed, and even after the dealer re-balanced them, the tires were over-inflated to 36-38PSI cold


Cold Weather & TPMS ?

May want to investigate at what PSI your TPMS system would alert you. I found out a few years ago with my first vehicle with TPMS (2012 Challenger). First cold morning the alert displayed on the dash after getting gas. From that point on I air upped 2-3 lbs over plate pressure

 

[smc733]

Originally Posted By: cmorr
Originally Posted By: smc733
One thing I noticed, and maybe someone can help shed light. Both when the tires were installed, and even after the dealer re-balanced them, the tires were over-inflated to 36-38PSI cold


Cold Weather & TPMS ?

May want to investigate at what PSI your TPMS system would alert you. I found out a few years ago with my first vehicle with TPMS (2012 Challenger). First cold morning the alert displayed on the dash after getting gas. From that point on I air upped 2-3 lbs over plate pressure


My car originally had 195/65/15s, which had a recommended PSI of 30, so I believe it trips at either 28 or 26.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

I've always noticed in my vehicles they have always felt better 5 or 6 psi above recommended.

 

[friendly_jacek]

So, what was the problem again?

 

[rjundi]

Originally Posted By: friendly_jacek
So, what was the problem again?


Perceived wandering or some catching of road grooves on prior tires due to tread design based on OP fix here.

 

[smc733]

Originally Posted By: friendly_jacek
So, what was the problem again?


Car was all over the place at highway speeds (it was fine 50mph and under). Grooves in the road made it worse, but even on new pavement the car wanted to dart left or right.

 

[eljefino]

Co worker had this happen with his vibe (same thing) and sticky cooper zeon tires. The alignment was pretty close but needed a shim in the rear that noone could do. He got rid of the tires, and his problem.

We figured the sticky tires were "loading up".

Were you on other aftermarket alloys with the balance problems? Many of them don't have outer lips on the flange to crimp weights onto, so they either get static balancing or a bunch of sticky weights further from the optimum place.

 

[supton]

One year I noticed my car was wandering really badly. I wound up taking several psi out of the snows, and that fixed the issue. I think it was the snow tires... Regardless, I generally run higher psi, for more mpg, until I can find out what pressure wears the best. At the time, all the previous sets of tires had worn well at 40psi, but these tires (snows?) absolutely did not care for that pressure.

 

[smc733]

Hi all,

So after I installed my wheels/tires, I thought everything was fine, but I've noticed that

1. The wandering still happens, it is slightly LESS bad on the highway, but the steering is really loose around 0-30mpg now.

2. I get a horrible vibration between 55-65mph, and again at 75mph+

For number 2, I've had the tires re-balanced twice, and the guy at the dealer went over the spec sheet and said it is as good as it is going to get.

I really don't want to give up on a 2 year old car with only 32k miles, but these issues are really driving me up a wall. Is there anything else I can do for number 2? It generally only lasts for 20-30 seconds at a time, but I can feel the vibration all the way into my face/cheeks on the highway.

I've realized for problem 1 I am going to just have to live with it in this [censored] until I finally decide to spend the money on myself.

 

[smc733]

To whoever merged my threads, thank you! Forgot that I had originally started this thread.