Amazing what difference tyres can make

[Martyt3x]

Hi, may help someone experiencing the same problems one day, 2006 facelift d4d when I got it wasn't completely satisfied with the handling, around 70mph it started to wander and slight vibration above that just felt dangerous and you had to hang on to the wheel and would wander and vibrate, I had visions of an expensive suspension rebuild but luckily the front tyres were low and budget type so replaced the fronts for Pirelli and had them balanced and what a difference... Smooth and stable at all speeds and no longer get that stressed feeling on dual carriage ways or wandering, if I pushed on the side of the front wing with the old tyres fitted it would wobble side to side which it doesn't do with the new so guessing the side walls had gone or were just rubbish due to being budget brand. So moral of the story sometimes it is the most simple answer to what feels like a complicated expensive problem... 

[mickburkesnr]

I've found that some tyre places will balance the tyre and if it needs 5g on one side to them it's "good enough" and they'll throw it on the car. The place I was in once the lad doing it wasn't that old and I was watching him balance the tyre. It read 5g on the one side and 15g on the other. He took it off then put a weight on it, rebalanced it and it read 5g on either side. He took it off and started rolling the tyre to the car. I went "Woah mate you didn't balance that tyre". He said he did, and I told him the tyre wanted 5g on either side. Again he said it didn't, even though I told him I could see the machine.

Anyway, when he muttered "It doesn't f**king matter anyway if it's 5g off" I blew up. I told him to get the hell away from my car and get someone else to do it. One of the older guys came over asked me what was wrong, I told him what happened and he checked the tyre again and it was out by 5g on either side. He rebalanced it and it was fine afterwards.

I always did it out of curiosity but I do it as a matter of fact now, always watch them balance the tyres and don't settle for anything less than perfect. You're paying them enough money to do a job and tyres aren't exactly cheap!

[TomdeGuerre]

Quite agree Mike, it’s a pity more ppl don’t take them to task for the type of stuff they chuck out tyre depots daily. I had a guy who worked in ATS that I could trust implicitly but he’s moved on and I totally agree you have to watch them. Last time I was in getting a couple of tyres I asked the fitter what the coloured dots on the side of the tyres were for and he hadn’t a clue. Optimum balance and radial runout were obviously not included in their 10 minute orienteering course for new fitters.   

Tyre Coloured Dot Markings.pdf