Hey All,

I just had my snow tires and wheels mounted on my 1 week old MCS by some friends who are recommended tire rack installers. Its seems now that my car is not sitting on dead center as well - it feels almost like it is wandering a little, and steering wheel is turned very slightly to the left. The weird thing is that is only really happens when the car is in sport mode - in regular it feels fine. I checked the tire pressures - 38 all around. I guess my question is whether the new snow tires (Pilot Alpins) will settle down a bit after I get some miles on them. I must say, the car tracked perfectly straight with my summer wheels and tires.

Thoughts?

Thanks,

Jeff

 

Do you have a spare set of wheels with the snows mounted, or were the summers dismounted and winters installed?

It could be
a) the torque steer is more noticable on the softer winter tire, and that becomes more pronounced with sport engaged

(FYI, my old Ford Contour was downright scary on Blizzak WSs during panic stops... the tread compressed and the car squirmed or actually fishtailed a few times...)

This is easy enough to check by swapping on your summer tires and going for a brief run.

Also check to see if that the tire is dirrectional or asymetric, and if it is, that its mounted right... (inside to the inside, arrow showing the correct rotation...)

b) their is some crud under the wheel / the lug nuts are not fully tightened... which is easy enough to check with a torque wrench.

My guess its A) though... good luck!

 

If you are driving on a flat level road (or parking lot) and not accelerating, does the car want to pull to one side? If that is the case, it sounds like it needs an alignment. I always have that checked when getting new tires.

Many tire places don't have the specs for the R56 yet. So, take these with you if you have it checked:

Wheel Alignment R56 Series
Front Axle:
Total toe: 0 deg. 12' +/- 5'
Camber: -30' +/- 25'
Camber (difference between left/right) max. 30'
Toe angle difference (difference between left/right) max. 30'
Front wheel displacement 15'
Maximum wheel lock:
- Inside wheel approx 36 deg. 48'
- Outside wheel approx 30 deg. 35'

Rear axle:
Total toe 24' +/- 08'
Camber -1 deg. 45' +/- 20'
Camber (difference between left/right) max. 30'
Geometrical axis deviation 10'

 

Thanks for the help guys - its definitely not torque steer, but just that the car feels like it wanders when going in a straight line now. I will go out and re-torque them again later, and maybe increase the inflation all around to 40 to see if that does anything? My guess is that once the tread firms up and becomes a little less squishy, this will cure itself. Is this wishful thinking?

-Jeff

 

Jeff,
Which direction does the car feel like it's 'wandering' in? Does it feel like it's floating down the crown of the road?

I had a set of Blizzak's on a PT Cruiser; going from performance tires, they felt mushy. The car still ran straight, but it felt like it was riding on sponges. Good snow tire compounds are usually softer to 'grab' snow and icy surfaces better, which with their more aggressive tread makes them more susceptible to road irregularities than regular tires. If that's the case, you just have to live with it until the spring! Considering the grip you get in nasty conditions, I found it a necessary evil and an acceptable compromise for a few months out of the year. I'm hoping the Mini fares better in the snow with all-seasons than the PT did. Otherwise it'll be a trip to Tire Rack. Come to think of it, I hope handles like crap in the snow.

 

Jeff, I think you are just experiencing the very different feel of a true snow tire. At 38 psi you are running more than I'd recommend, but I have zero experience with the Michelin Ices X. At 40 psi your snows won't work as well as they should on snow & ice.

 

Crashton,

I think you may be right - I used to run all seasons on my last car (Saab 9-5 Aero) and this is the first car I have had where I am running dedicated snows in the winter. It is less the squishiness that bothers me, and really that I lost the feeling of the car always being on center.

I wonder if the dealer will give me a free alignment eventhough I am currently running non-oem wheels.

Where's Alex!?

-Jeff

 

Jeff I'd bet the dealer would do that. I'd ask, sure couldn't hurt.

Those tires just don't have the on center feel of your OEM ones. No snow tires that I've used ever have. I bet once you change back over to your original tires the on center feeling will be back.

 

Same here, I have Blizzaks on my MCS and its definatly squishy. I knew that getting into snows that it would be a softer ride. But for the help they provided in the snow its worth it for a few months....

 

Your pressure might be too firm. I switched from all season 16s at 33psi to snow 15s at 33psi, and after some trouble on grooved surfaces, a discussion with the tire manufacturer led me to 30 front 35 rear.

 

Thanks JG,

I will give those pressures a try to see if they firm up the on center feel. I guess reasoning would stand that it would have that effect on steering, right?

 

Those pressures are for: Blizzak REVO 1 in the nearest OEM fitment to the size I have (mine is not an OEM fitment). They do not necessarily apply to your tire size or tire. Contact your manufacturer for guidance.

 

I have pilot alipins, but they are not an OEM fitment also. I'll give Michelin a call tomorrow.

JB

 

Finally got to put some miles on the tires - 250 today - and they started to feel much better. I wonder why? The centering is good, no wandering... huh? Could it be that as they warm up the tire pressures drop? Does that mean I should drop them all a few more (beyond 33)?

Thanks,

JB

 

New tires have mold release compound on them. That stuff makes the tires pretty slick until it wears off. My guess is that you've worn it off & gotten used to the feel of the snows. I personally wouldn't drop the tire pressure under 30 psi.