Steering shake from new Pilot Sports?

[tristanjones]

I have just had a new set of Pilot Sports N rated fitted to my 2008 Boxster. I could not fit Pirellis, as Pirelli did not supply N rated tyres for the rears.

At 75mph and above I have got slight steering wheel vibration and also what feels like a light front end (the steering wheel actually rotates slightly by a few degrees side to side).

I have been back 3 times to the place that fitted the tyres, and they have rebalanced the fronts twice with no change to the feedback above. The car had also the tracking adjusted and
then re-checked during visits 1 and 2 on fitting the new tyres.

Can anyone suggest what maybe causing these steering issues? May it be an 'undiscovered' buckled front wheel?

 

[Kevin Welch]

Hi there I had a similar issue on one of my other cars. It turned out to be a slightly worn shock absorber. Fitted a new pair of shocks and problem solved.

 

[MrDemon]

have rebalanced the fronts twice

why have they done this, was it showing out when they redid it ? take it some where better , with a hunter system.

 

[CLIFFWILKINS]

If it never did it before new tyres its something that has been done or changed. Sounds like a balance issue take it to a good tyre place and get them balanced again. Lots of places never bother to have there balance machine recalibrated. Good luck hope things work out. Cliff

 

[tristanjones]

Many thanks. Can't understand how this maybe, as car recently serviced at Porsche specialist, and no comment made about shock absorber condition.

 

[tristanjones]

Thanks. The tyres were fitted at a Pirelli Specialist centre, so I had rather hoped they would be good. I have had many tyres on other cars fitted before. I will look for another tyre fitter to get them checked though.

 

[CLIFFWILKINS]

Have you had the backs rebalanced again as well you would be surprised they can give same effect. I had this once had the backs balanced all good. Good luck

 

[tristanjones]

Many thanks for your advice. I did get them fitted at a Pirelli tyre specialist centre, but I will go somewhere else to get them checked.

 

[Glyn]

You don't say how many miles you have done since the new tyres fitted, just remember, New tyres cannot be balanced properly, yes I know everyone balances them when fitting, but tyres should always be re-balanced after 500 miles. The reason for this is that tyre vulcanisation is not an exact science and tyres are not perfectly round when manufactured therefore they need to scrub in. If the imbalance is not too pronounced just do a few miles then get them balanced again

 

[jdpef356]

ORIGINAL: tristanjones Many thanks for your advice. I did get them fitted at a Pirelli tyre specialist centre, but I will go somewhere else to get them checked.

Perhaps an apprentice fitted them - take it back and ask for a senior Technician to take a look if necessary ask to have them re fitted and balanced - take them else where and its going to cost you![]

 

[lindsay39]

Hi I have a 986 boxster S. Recently had wheels refurbished and new Michelin N rated tyres. have the same issue. Steering wheel vibrates at approx. 75 mph. The tyres were fitted at an independent Porsche garage and the problem noted. I could not immediately get back to the Porsche garage so I took the car to National tyres and autocare centre in Blackpool. They rebalanced the front wheels but when next on the motorway the problem still existed. I am taking the car back to the Porsche garage next week. a possible reason why the tyre centre in Blackpool could not balance correctly was that they had the builders in and half the centre was not operating properly so the balancing machine may have been moved and possible not calibrated. Hopefully the problem can be resolved next week.

 

[dvenman]

I've got a similar issue. But the Hunter Force Balance is very comprehensive. The place I went to cleaned all four wheels, then balanced them and it checks the bounce of the wheel too. If it's madly out then they move the tyre round the rim to even it out. There's a video on Youtube if you google Hunter Force Balance

 

[heathview]

Funny enough had 4 new Michelin pilot sports 2 fitted N rated in Kwik Fit in Bexleyheath and after a couple of weeks felt a vibration at just over 70mph. Went back to them and found one of the stick on weights had come off the cleaned the inside rim and fitted a new weight. Job done all OK now.

Regards,

Martin

 

[BrianJ]

Did they fit them with the yellow spot (denoting lightest part of the tyre) adjacent to the valve, or somewhere else? Might be a load of cobblers, but on one of my factory visits they stressed to visitors the importance of doing this to minimise potential rolling out of balance issues. There must be a reason why tyre manufacturers all mark new tyres in this way, after all.

 

[Motorhead]

Brian,

I've a feeling that only tyres supplied to the manufacturers are marked with the yellow spot. I can't recall having any aftermarket tyres marked in that way, even N-rated tyres.

Jeff

 

[heathview]

When they fitted my tyres at Kwik Fit in Bexleyheath the guy fitting the Michelins was telling something about fitting the tyre relating to the valve.

Regards,

Martin