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Post by johncub on Jun 29, 2006 18:32:38 GMT -5
I have a problem with my drivers side front tire. Well, it used to be that but now it is mounted on my spare rack until I figure out what is wrong with this thing. First of all it is really difficult to get a decent picture so I took about 10 and just took a screenshot of the best parts that show the problem(s). Couple things: I just got back from a 2,000 mile trip where a very high percentage of those miles were at 75-90 miles per hour. Also, I have almost 20,000 miles on my jeep right now and everything suspension and tire/wheel wise is stock. I noticed after the trip that at 52 miles per hour I get a noticable shake in the wheel that quits at 55 mph. It does not matter if I'm accellerating or decelerating, in gear or coasting, the shake happens every time. I was driving home today and stuck in traffic (pretty monumental wreck ahead - Ford excursion drove right on top of a chrysler sedan, up the back. didn't look like anyone was hurt) anyway... I notice that at slow speeds it almost sounds like I have a bad wheel bearing. Only it isn't just one bad spot per rotation, there are a couple or more, I can't decide. I decided to come home, get a piece of chalk, drive until I feel the bad spot, mark the bottom of the tires with the chalk, drive in a circle, then start over and try to find the bad spot on the bad tire. After a few minutes of driving around I realize my tire is "scalloped" for lack of a better term. Tire gurus: Is my wheel out of balance? Is it an alignment issue?
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Post by moneypit on Jun 29, 2006 19:10:34 GMT -5
I drive a 1 Ton Ford Van as a DD. They do that to tires all the time. I rotate them every other oil change to slow it down. But since the LJ does not have independant suspension I would go with wheel balance and alaignment. Crawl under with a tape measure and check the distance between the tires. Do the front of the tire and the rear of the tires and see if there is a toe-in problem. The back should be about an 1/8th" wider then the front. Also what tire pressure you running?
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Post by johncub on Jun 29, 2006 19:23:24 GMT -5
For the trip I ran 35 psi cold. I'll check the measurement tomorrow at work.
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tag
Trail Guide
Posts: 191
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Post by tag on Jun 29, 2006 19:41:25 GMT -5
Bad shocks are the biggest reason for cupped tires. If the tires are out of balance it will compound the cupping problem.
Once the tire is cupped there is nothing you can do to the jeep to "fix" the tire. You can get the tire ground at the tire shop to true it.
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Post by n3cr0shark on Jun 29, 2006 22:56:44 GMT -5
I got the exact same issue here....Tire was in the same spot...Front Driver side...scallopped the same as yours...noticable shimmy between 45-60 accelleration/decelleration. Noticed after my trip from Ohio down to Pigeon Forge, TN and back also with around 70 mph average speed.
I took it over and had all the tires check. ALL were outta balance. The opposite rear was severely out of balance (passanger rear). After balance I got a LOT of weight on that out of balance tire. and the others weren't as bad...
Had allignment checked as well....was a bit out of toe but not significant.
Rotated the tires. Now that cupped tire is on driver rear and that weighted tire is where the cupped tire was.
With all this, the shimmy is a LOT less and I'm not noticing any increase in the scallop nor scalloping of the tire with the weights. My assumptioin with all this is the tires are not round and/or the wheel is not round on at least one of them. (Note: I am all factory down there myself).
Soo...my plan is to watch em, and replace with new wheels/tires and go through my suspension with a fine tooth comb (and then lift it...LOL)....
I have heard of roadforce balancing them, but haven't taken the time to do it (nor want to spend the extra cash)...and the tire shop confirmed what Tag stated (you can't fix em). I did watch them do the balance check and process and they were in fact all out...
Oh and I run between 32-35 in them...
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Post by johncub on Jun 30, 2006 5:08:16 GMT -5
I appreciate all of the comments and suggestions. I have a little bit of an update. As I mentioned I put the spare (new and never used) in the place of the drivers side front last night. This morning on the way to work there was no shimmy or shake at all at any speed. I think I might just get the one bad one replaced with a new tire to match the new spare, have all of them properly balanced, check into an alignment, and watch them more closely in the future. I'm also considering getting a full set (with rims) of road tires and a full set of off road only tires to help minimize this sort of thing. I think the problem with the stock tires is they aren't very good on the road and they aren't very good off road. Sort of trying to do too much for one tire compound. So maybe it will become a mall crawler by weekday and a mud bogger on the weekends.
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Post by johncub on Jun 30, 2006 18:09:23 GMT -5
I checked the toe in and found there to be no problem at all, both at 65.5" so I guess I need to just get them all balanced for the time being.
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Post by moneypit on Jun 30, 2006 20:47:35 GMT -5
You actually want a slight toe-in. About 1/8".
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Post by n3cr0shark on Jun 30, 2006 23:36:30 GMT -5
Very Cool Johncub.....that goes along with my thinking that I'm right about mine as well....that the tires SUCK...LOL....I'm still not convinced the wheels aren't a bit fishy as well...
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Post by johncub on Jul 1, 2006 3:55:43 GMT -5
Hmm, well maybe an alignment is in order too. I don't need to be chewing up tires.
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Post by alpinhi on Jul 1, 2006 18:29:55 GMT -5
You actually want a slight toe-in. About 1/8". X2 on the toe in. I keep mine between a 1/8 and a 1/16 toe in. I would have the alignment checked and rotate your tires atleast every other oil change. I rotate mine every oil change and have never had any cupping issues or abnormal wear. Travis
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Post by nfunlimited on Jul 18, 2006 10:07:49 GMT -5
See my post on "Wobble with Lift"
My tires were scalloped.
Jamie
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