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New Alloys - Car now ‘tramlining’


Buckley

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Hey all,

 

Ive recently bought and fitted some GTR 20” alloys to my 370z, they fit perfect with no spacers and really give the car a more aggressive look - really happy with them...

 

however

 

Wheh I am now driving it feels like the car is tramlining a lot causing erratic steering, luckily I haven’t had to go far in the car with lockdown but really want to get this sorted, I daren’t drive the car at any speed really and am great full I only do the school run nowadays!

 

Ive checked the tyre pressure and set them all to 34 PSI but it has made no difference, I got my dad to fit them whilst I was in Hospital so it has crossed my mind they aren’t tight enough but he assures me they are and I don’t have the tools to tighten then further.

 

Do any of you have any ideas?  

Could it be tracking/balancing?

 

Curious to hear your thoughts

 

Thanks

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1 hour ago, Buckley said:

That’s the plan after Christmas coldel, but as I don’t do much miles at the minute I thought I’d use them

 

Surely just having runflats wouldn’t cause tramlining!?  I never had it in previous BMWs etc.

 

strange one....

Well it's a complicated science and I would never run non-run-flats on a car designed to run on run-flats and vice versa. In other words, just trust the manufacturer of the vehicle to know whether non-run-flat or run-flat tyres are best for that vehicle.

Edited by ATTAK Z
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As I understand it, and I'm not an engineer, the run flats have significantly stiffer sidewalls to cope with having no air. On cars where the suspension was not designed to run such a stiff sidewall, this will have an impact on feel/tramlining etc.

 

I wouldn't go as far as Attak and say the car manufacturer knows best - in terms of brand - when nearly 20 years have passed since the tyres were originally specced for the Z (were they Bridgestone RE040s from the factory?) but when it comes to the manufacturer choosing non-run flat v run flat, I would personally stick with that decision (whichever brand you go for).

 

As above, I changed from the Bridgestone RE040s that my car came with from the PO, to Michelin MPSS and immediately noticed an elimination of tramlining and also significant improvements in both wet and dry handling. Obviously that's not really an option these days, but I'd be looking at the next nearest alternative if I was still in a Zed.

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Thanks for all your input, appreciated

 

I might take it to the garage to double check balancing/tracking cos it won’t cost much in the first place but it sounds like I’ll be pricing some different tyres sooner than I had planned, unless anyone else has experienced similar?

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37 minutes ago, SuperStu said:

I wouldn't go as far as Attak and say the car manufacturer knows best - in terms of brand - when nearly 20 years have passed since the tyres were originally specced for the Z (were they Bridgestone RE040s from the factory?) but when it comes to the manufacturer choosing non-run flat v run flat, I would personally stick with that decision (whichever brand you go for).

Thanks @SuperStu, my post was a bit confusing. I've edited it now to be less so. Hopefully.

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Check the tracking/ alignment as a first point of call - changing the wheels can easily knock things out, especially when changing wheel sizes as well. 

 

It could well be the run-flat tyres anyway, but also bear in mind that a lower profile tyre would affect the feeling too (assuming you've gone from 19" to 20" wheels with lower profile tyres).

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In all honestly I didn't know the GTR came with run flats.

 

Balancing will have no effect on tramlining and you'd feel if the wheels/tyres where out of balance via motorway speed vibration. Tracking I wouldn't get checked unless the vehicle is pulling and or you've noticed uneven tyre wear. Ideally its best to wheel alignment carried out once you get the new tyres.

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Don't waste your time, energy and money as balance and geometry adjustments will not fix your tramlining I am afraid.

 

It will definitely be the Potenza Run Flats.

 

You should try driving a GTR with new Run Flats: :scare:

 

Takes circa 2000 miles for the new run flat  tyres to bed in under normal driving conditions on the GTR.

 

 

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I’ve come from the 18” (mine came with non-GT alloys) so a decent jump

 

Im gonna see if I can book it in for alignment tomorrow to see what that does, hopefully an easy fix.

 

Just come on school run and it’s weird at 60mph, pulling and tramlining, daren’t go any quicker 

 

Failing the alignment I’ll look at tyres...

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If your car didn't pull with the 18's then alignment isn't your problem.

 

Quick check that costs nothing, swap the fronts over left to right. If the car then drives different, the tyres are slightly out of shape and/or have worn unevenly.

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@ZMANALEX I think we posted at roughly the same time mate, but thanks for your input, I’ll put the alignment on hold for now

 

@davey_83 I think I’ll give that a go in the meantime before I price up tyres, cheers

 

again, thanks for all your input and advice, it’s appreciated

 

it feels like a different car to be fair, I knew the ride would be more harsh on bigger wheels and lower profile tyres but I could live with that as the looks outweighed it, but it just doesn’t feel right and I can’t give it the burst every now and again it deserves

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Try the Michelin Pilot Sport 4 or 4S, (MPS4, or MPS4S) they are way better than the Bridgestones.

 

The 4S is better than the old MPSS in my opinion, (I have had MPSSs on previously), and from all the reviews I've seen the 4 is not far behind the MPSS.

 

I've never tried them but lots of people swear by the Falken 510 (? not sure on this number) and say it's very similar to the Michelin but wears faster, so if you're on a budget, maybe try them? I'm sure someone can confirm if that's the right code for them?

 

Which ever way you go, hope it gets sorted.

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