sb65

I had new tires put on my 2003 TL yesterday (Yokohama Avid V4s) and now the car vibrates at speed over 25. It isn't bone jarring, but it feels like I'm holding onto a push mower instead of my steering will. I can feel it in my seat too, so it is pretty much a "whole car" vibration.

Think an out of balance wheel could do it? Tire out of round? Lug nut(s) over torqued? They also did an alignment and showed me the results, which were only camber adjustments.

I am, of course, planning to call the place that installed them (bought from Tire Rack) and have them look at it, but I wanted to tap into the knowledge on this board as well.

us000011

Tire balance- period- perhaps a defective tire. be sure they balance all four, not just the fronts, and spin balance.

This problem is common with new tires. I usually count on 3 times back in the first 1000 miles.

fla-tls

25 is pretty slow to feel a balance problem. Did they mention anything about a bent rim?

sb65

Nope, no mention of bent rim and it drove fine until the new tires were put on. I guess it is possible that a rim was bent in the back and it was moved to the front and now I feel the vibration ....

fsttyms1

If it drove fine before hand then id bring it back and address teh problem with them. Something isnt right.

snavarrette

Try having them road forced balanced if there is no other issues.

sb65

Looks like the problem was 1 tire "slightly" out of balance, and they remounted 2 tires. Here is the part I don't really understand, but I'm far from a tire/care expert, so that is no surprise. There is apparently a mark/dot on tires that indicates where the valve stem should be placed. I think they guy said that it was on the "high side" of the tire which is usually mounted opposite the "high side" of the rim so that they counterbalance each other. They apparently had to mount 2 tires a bit differently to get them balanced correctly or something.

I really didn't understand and didn't care to discuss it in detail since I was already late for work, but the vibration seems to be gone. Of course, it is hard to remember if any slight vibration was there beforehand, or maybe the tires are just more inflated than my previous tires (stock Michelins) and making the car ride slightly rougher/stiffer. Just glad to have some treads again.

TL Type S fan

Thats interesting. I just had a set of Yokohamas installed on my car and I have a vibration between 50 and 60 MPH.
I noticed the red colored triangle that you might be talking about. I'll have to go back and ask them to change the stem to that location.

fsttyms1

If you have a vibration a tire isnt balanced right. Just bring it back and tell them that you have a vibration and would like the tires rebalanced

TL Type S fan

I will do that, are you aware about the red triangle on the side wall of the tire? Is there any truth to that? What do you think?

fsttyms1

Never heard of it

01tl4tl

Yes there is a balance mark on the tire itself, at the heavy point I believe- so that would be offset 180 to the valve stem

Anythign else is bs

01tl4tl

sb65

Check your tire pressures
I never trust a tire shop to lower them after mounting
about 80% of max cold pressure is a good place to run

I even make sure they are pressure set to what I want before balancing

TL Type S fan

I went on the Yokohama web site and it does talk about the red and yellow marks on the tires. The stem should be installed where the yellow mark is on the tire. Mine are way off.
I will get them rebalanced and get the stem moved to where the mark is.

sb65

I would think that as long as they are balanced, it would not matter if the stem was placed under the mark. I thought that the mark was just to assist the person balancing by noting the high side of the tire?

TL Type S fan

Well I went back to where I bought the tires and they removed all 4 and
re-balanced them. They had to dismount 2 of them to balance them better. I noticed he took a longer time this time around and it payed off.
No more vibration at any speed.

MichiganRich

Another example of nobody gives a shit when it's not their car. Service sucks anymore.

01tl4tl

Good advice to all- is go to tire makers website and learn things like the arrow- and print out and take with you.

Minimum wages, English not first or 2nd or any language, lack of pride in work,
drugs, alcohol, inexperience and more.
Welcome to the America Ralph Nader warned you about

Just try explaining proper lug torque procedure and setting tires
with YOUR digital pressure guage.

I go to a place that supplies tires at the race track. They have a regular shop
during the week, do perfect high speed balance on rims worth more $$ than mine,
and can even adjust your coilovers based on the corner weight measurements of your car.
Literally placing 4 electronic scales under the tires, determine weight distribution and by raising or lowering the springs- change the weight on that corner.

Is duct taping the wheel weights a bit much?
Hey- I only do it for track days- fling a weight at 120 and you can mess your car up!

Might as well go all out if you drive all out!!

Have fun All
An Educated Consumer Is The Best Customer

Ronmarr1

Yesterday I had a set of 215-55-60 Yoko Avid V4s installed on my car
at Americas Tires.

I noticed that only two of my tires have the yellow and red marks on them
so how do I handle that?

According to Yoko's Techinical Services Bulletin:

http://www.yokohamatire.com/pdf/tsb-...ting-12803.pdf

They did not mount the tires w/ the red & yellow marks properly.

I now also get a sterring wheel shimmy that I didn't have before when applying brakes at 70+ mph which leads me to believe that the tires were not torqued properly.

I know 80lbs is called for - what is the sequence?

Thanks

Ronmarr1

PS: I did find the other marks - they were on the inside on the two passenger tires. They were wrong too so I guess I'll head back out and have them
rectify it - Hope that fixes the braking shimmy but I still think it may be torquing issues.