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11-10-2014, 01:28 PM | #1 |
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HELP! New Tires Feel Unstable
I just installed 4 new Continental ControlContact Sport AS tires on my 135i. I'm coming from the factory run-flats and I went a size up to 225 in the front and 255 in the rear.
I was expecting it to drive different but my steering feels extremely loose and nowhere near as precise as before. It's very noticeable going 60+ mph. I can wiggle the steering wheel and the car doesn't respond and just feels very unstable and unsafe. My Lancer from 6 years ago felt more stable than my 135i does now. Do wider tires need an alignment? That's the only thing I can think of because it was driving just fine before I had the tires installed...
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11-10-2014, 02:15 PM | #2 |
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First off, check your pressures. Most shops just set all the tires to 32#. Wayyyyyyy too low for our cars which should be 36/39.
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11-10-2014, 02:15 PM | #3 |
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Drives: 1M VO - #161 US
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Check your tire pressure. Wouldn't be the first time a tire guy forgot to top up the air.
On my 1M with 265R/245F, the sticker says 35 Front and Rear. |
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11-10-2014, 05:30 PM | #4 | |
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How long do tires typically take to "wear in" I only have about 450 miles on them.
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11-10-2014, 05:50 PM | #5 | |
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11-10-2014, 06:40 PM | #6 |
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Lol you say as if that's the only way I'm going to get my steering back
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11-10-2014, 06:48 PM | #7 | |
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I put PSS on the rear only, and the back end felt really squirelly. Very unsafe. I changed the control and guide arms to the M3 versions and I got 80-90% of the feel back, without the RFT harshness. I'm sure I'll be doing the front as well once I replace those tires. |
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11-10-2014, 10:12 PM | #8 |
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11-10-2014, 10:29 PM | #9 |
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RFTs have extraordinarily thick sidewalls, which leads to very little flex, which leads to very tight steering feel.
To a certain extent you will not get back to the RFT feel. Only a few tires have sidewalls close to that stiffness. RE070 comes to mind as extra stiff, but those are specialty tires for certain OEMs only, not available in useful sizes for us for the most part. (OEM for older STIs an the GT-R) As others mentioned, you can swap out bushings to add stiffness back into the suspension system.
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11-11-2014, 06:46 AM | #10 | |
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11-11-2014, 09:24 AM | #11 |
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11-12-2014, 07:07 AM | #12 |
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Road tested a TSX that had Conti Purecontact tired installed. They have pretty soft sidewalls.
Time to start putting in all the M3 suspension bits. |
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11-12-2014, 01:43 PM | #13 |
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From what I've read doesn't adding all the M3 suspension bits get pretty pricey?
On Friday I'm going to clean the car and definitely fix my air pressure. Probably mess around with a few different PSI's...36/38, 38/40, maybe even 40/40 as suggested above since it is my daily driver.
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11-12-2014, 02:55 PM | #16 |
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lol yes, but I'm only driving about 3-4 miles a day right now on them. Anywhere else I go I take my girlfriends car
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11-12-2014, 07:06 PM | #17 | |
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But seriously, my doorjamb states 39/41. I'm not sure why the difference between the cars listed here. Maybe because it's a convertible? I think all-in the control arms & nuts & bolts F&R were about $950 shipped from ECS Tuning. You're probably looking at another $250 for rear subframe bushings. This assumes you're doing all the labor yourself. |
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11-12-2014, 07:40 PM | #18 |
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The bargain basement approach is four M front arms without the logo from TRW and aftermarket rear subframe inserts. About $500 for parts and an easier or cheaper install. Gets you a lot of the way (maybe most), people disagree about exactly how much better the full boat approach is. If you track the car, that's different.
Just another amateur opinion. |
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11-14-2014, 04:37 PM | #19 |
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Lol let me clarify, I'm only driving a few miles a day BECAUSE they're so underinflated. There is only one car wash I trust near me that also has free air (I never have quarters), that is why I waited a few days to get them aired up.
I did get them aired up just earlier though. I put them at 38/42 for the "over 100mph" setting to help make them a little more stiff and it definitely helped, plus the speed limit is 80mph on the highway, so 100mph is not uncommon.
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11-14-2014, 04:38 PM | #20 |
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You said this is for install as well? That would be much more affordable for me lol.
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11-14-2014, 06:46 PM | #21 |
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Front Control Arms: $382.95
Front Bolt Kit: $38.95 Rear Control Arms: $440.00 Rear Bolt Kit: $43.84 $905.74 without installation. And this doesn't include the rear subframe bushings. If you're going to keep the car & are committed to ditching the runflats . . . . |
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11-14-2014, 09:38 PM | #22 | |
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alignment, continental, tires, unstable, wider |
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