New Tires Vibrating Steering Wheel

[ClareQuilty]

I finally splurged on a new set of 13 inch tires for the ancient Toyota Ke-70 last week - just 4,800 baht for all four. The technicians had kindly told me that there was nothing wrong with my old tires, which still had a bit of tread and had worn very evenly, but were ten years old.

Alas, the new tires have a vibration which transmits to the steering wheel at about 60+ kph. I doubt its the car itself, as there was no vibration with the old tires, and they were amazingly even in their 'wear pattern' - no uneven wear at all, and amazingly little wear at all for ten years on the car.

Has anyone had bad experiences with new tires in Thailand? I have some doubt that the techs fully understood the tire balancing machine, and what about the various settings of camber, 'toe', and so forth? Are they the same for all cars or individual to each model?

Any advice?

[Bpraim1]

Try to get them balanced again.

[WarpSpeed]

When you say "new" do you mean really "new" or just new to your car for 4800b a set but actually used? at that price I'm guessing you don't have first rate tires installed so a re-balance maybe futile but worth the effort in any case.

[glassdude007]

Check your lugs nuts too, maybe loose or not installed correctly.

did they throw away the old tires ?

I'd keep them as spares for when these ones wear out..

be careful

[ClareQuilty]

Of course they're new tires. Brand new Goodyears. 4,800 baht is a lot of money, and after all these are small tires.

[JAS21]

Of course they're new tires. Brand new Goodyears. 4,800 baht is a lot of money, and after all these are small tires.

Hey Mr CQ, I just, out of interest, read your recent postings ... just love them ... keep them coming please. By the way good luck with whatever you do with your new Goodyears.

[stevenl]

Yes, balancing should do the trick. I had exactly the same with a motorbike, at 140 k/h they started vibrating, at 160 it was over. Balancing and all ok again.

[thaicbr]

also check the build date on the tyres. maybe they are old new tyres (as in been stored for a few years)

[BKKdreaming]

Here would be my checklist

check that wheels did not get bent when tires installed , jack up car and use dial indicator ,

check date on tires

Check that all lug nuts are on , loosen them all a little a tighten to proper torque with a torque wrench not an air gun , and you need to loosen them and bring back to proper torque as the air gun will normally over tighten the wheel nuts

Some new tires are just bad ,

Spin balance tires ,

change tires front to back, right to left and try and isolate bad rim / tire

something could have been bad before and changing the tires made you notice it now, like bad shocks or bushings

I have many old cars and this is often a problem that can take minutes to fix or days

BK

[transam]

Being as they were cheap tyres l would spend another few baht having the wheels re-balanced at a another well known shop, as the machine that balanced your wheels might be well out. Also if a weight hadn't been attached properly it might have gone into orbit. When re-balanced put the fronts on the back.

[WarpSpeed]

Of course they're new tires. Brand new Goodyears. 4,800 baht is a lot of money, and after all these are small tires.

It might be for a single tire but no it isn't for an entire set of new tires be it 13 inch or not..

[WarpSpeed]

Here would be my checklist

check that wheels did not get bent when tires installed , jack up car and use dial indicator ,

check date on tires

Check that all lug nuts are on , loosen them all a little a tighten to proper torque with a torque wrench not an air gun , and you need to loosen them and bring back to proper torque as the air gun will normally over tighten the wheel nuts

Some new tires are just bad ,

Spin balance tires ,

change tires front to back, right to left and try and isolate bad rim / tire

something could have been bad before and changing the tires made you notice it now, like bad shocks or bushings

I have many old cars and this is often a problem that can take minutes to fix or days

BK

OP I don't know what you mean by "of course they were new" in response to my question, I've read some of your other threads and my asking was very realistic and not to be taken for granted based on some of the info you've overlooked and left out in those threads.

^You're mostly good but if steel rims (and likely they are in this case) no need to use a torque wrench just jack them down as hard as possible..

Your suggestion of a problem prior to the new tires bears merit though as the new tires do not have a wear pattern and do not "track" like the old ones did so if there was a worn bushing, tie rod or ball joint for example it will magnify any movement as it would not have been able to move as much with the tire wear pattern as it can now with new tires.. Additionally was this car aligned when the new tires were installed? It should have been, if not..

Some new tires are "just bad" especially if they've been stored improperly for a long period of time..

Edited March 19, 2012 by WarpSpeed

[ClareQuilty]

Of course they're new tires. Brand new Goodyears. 4,800 baht is a lot of money, and after all these are small tires.

It might be for a single tire but no it isn't for an entire set of new tires be it 13 inch or not..

Wow, that's amazing. Translated into dollars, that's still something like $40/tire, which I think is pretty normal for these kind of super-econobox tires back home as well.

No offense to those who thought the tires might be used, I just thought the price made clear they weren't. I used to drive on used tires a lot back in the US, on good old $500 American V-8 sedans - those were big tires, 15 inch, and I usually paid about $10-15 for them.

[Lancashirelad]

If you can drive through it. i.e. It occurs at about 60, but not at 50 and stops again when you get to 70 then its definitely wheel balance. The cheaper the tyre the more susceptible they are to being well out of balance and so needing lots and lots of lead to balance.

Are they real Goodyears or copies?

Your suspicions of the tyre fitters lacking knowledge of how to use the balancer are well founded.

As others have suggested, just get them rebalanced elsewhere - preferably at a "branded" place.

Also have a look at where the weights are on the wheels (might be on the inside only on some) if they are in more than one place then its definitely wrong.

[WarpSpeed]

If you can drive through it. i.e. It occurs at about 60, but not at 50 and stops again when you get to 70 then its definitely wheel balance. The cheaper the tyre the more susceptible they are to being well out of balance and so needing lots and lots of lead to balance.

Are they real Goodyears or copies?

Your suspicions of the tyre fitters lacking knowledge of how to use the balancer are well founded.

As others have suggested, just get them rebalanced elsewhere - preferably at a "branded" place.

Also have a look at where the weights are on the wheels (might be on the inside only on some) if they are in more than one place then its definitely wrong.

Or even more likely, Chinese Goodyears at that price.. Actually, if steel rims though, they should have a balance weight on both inner and outer lips of the rim and if aluminum should be inner and outer 'inner' surfaces as tire balance isn't just perpendicular but also lateral with most lower cost tires..

[transam]

If you can drive through it. i.e. It occurs at about 60, but not at 50 and stops again when you get to 70 then its definitely wheel balance. The cheaper the tyre the more susceptible they are to being well out of balance and so needing lots and lots of lead to balance.

Are they real Goodyears or copies?

Your suspicions of the tyre fitters lacking knowledge of how to use the balancer are well founded.

As others have suggested, just get them rebalanced elsewhere - preferably at a "branded" place.

Also have a look at where the weights are on the wheels (might be on the inside only on some) if they are in more than one place then its definitely wrong.

Or even more likely, Chinese Goodyears at that price.. Actually, if steel rims though, they should have a balance weight on both inner and outer lips of the rim and if aluminum should be inner and outer 'inner' surfaces as tire balance isn't just perpendicular but also lateral with most lower cost tires..

I think ''modern, up to date'' balancing apparatus tells the fitter where to plant the weights. Whether in side or outside. On my race rims l told the fitter not to put on the outside. Use stick on weights on the inner rim till the apparatus found zero.

[mogandave]

If you buy cheap wheels, try to get them to check the balance prior to mounting the tires.

[WarpSpeed]

If you can drive through it. i.e. It occurs at about 60, but not at 50 and stops again when you get to 70 then its definitely wheel balance. The cheaper the tyre the more susceptible they are to being well out of balance and so needing lots and lots of lead to balance.

Are they real Goodyears or copies?

Your suspicions of the tyre fitters lacking knowledge of how to use the balancer are well founded.

As others have suggested, just get them rebalanced elsewhere - preferably at a "branded" place.

Also have a look at where the weights are on the wheels (might be on the inside only on some) if they are in more than one place then its definitely wrong.

Or even more likely, Chinese Goodyears at that price.. Actually, if steel rims though, they should have a balance weight on both inner and outer lips of the rim and if aluminum should be inner and outer 'inner' surfaces as tire balance isn't just perpendicular but also lateral with most lower cost tires..

I think ''modern, up to date'' balancing apparatus tells the fitter where to plant the weights. Whether in side or outside. On my race rims l told the fitter not to put on the outside. Use stick on weights on the inner rim till the apparatus found zero.

Yes absolutely, if they have a clue and most are pretty much as simple stupid as can be but TiT and only on a high speed wheel balancer and still often requires weights on both inner and outer points of the rim if done correctly..

[Wash]

I installed new quality tires on my NV a few years ago in Thailand. There was a vibration and rebalancing did not resolve the problem and for sure it was only one of the tires causing the vibration. Repeated balancing, relocating tires did not resolve the problem. Since the vibration was slight I drove with it until I needed new tires again and the new tires completely eliminated the vibration.

The conclusion that I came to was that one of the tires was out of rount a little and no amount of balancing was going to fix that problem.

[ClareQuilty]

The tires say 'Goodyear' on them, but I have no way of knowing where they come from. I always assumed all tires came from China or some such place.

Anyway, I had them re-balanced today, and they seem a little better.

But its just another lesson - live and learn - newer is rarely an improvement. I should have kept the old tires and my hard-earned 4,800 baht.

Edited March 22, 2012 by ClareQuilty

[transam]

It is quite possible you have bought remoulds or re-treads, side wall has fancy name but the tread has been replaced. Think in UK they are band now. These tyres are re-noun for not being round.

[mogandave]

I installed new quality tires on my NV a few years ago in Thailand. There was a vibration and rebalancing did not resolve the problem and for sure it was only one of the tires causing the vibration. Repeated balancing, relocating tires did not resolve the problem. Since the vibration was slight I drove with it until I needed new tires again and the new tires completely eliminated the vibration.

The conclusion that I came to was that one of the tires was out of rount a little and no amount of balancing was going to fix that problem.

If your tires are out of round, a well equiped shap can true them for you.

[OZEMADE]

It's a good job you got rid of the old tyres at at 10 yrs of age the firewalls are usually cracked and ready to blow.

If the old tyres did not vibrate the steering, it probably wants a new balance or you may have lost a balance weight as I did 30 Kiliomters down the road after having new tyres fitted.

Good luck.

[Cuban]

1,200 Baht per tire is too cheap for the real thing. Might be a "Goodeyear" from a Chinese fake factory etc.

If the original fitter did not balance the tires I would ask if they fitted them correctly anyway, doing tires is a low-job so probably the trainee of the shop you visited did the work. I would wonder if they cleaned the wheels and sanded round the bead sealing point as well. Where the rubber and alloy/steel wheel meet. If the tires had not be changed for 10 years there will be corrosion to consider from weather and dog piss etc.

Considering Thai roads and the speed at which people drive, the tires are the only things transferring breaking power to help you stop, not worth skimping on the cost of safety in my opinion.

Use this web site (Thai based and written in English) to compare prices. http://www.blackdonut.com/product/125

The cheapest Goodyear tires start at 2,300 Baht EACH !

You have probably bought counterfeit or old stock. (maybe both)

Edited March 25, 2012 by Cuban

[WarpSpeed]

1,200 Baht per tire is too cheap for the real thing. Might be a "Goodeyear" from a Chinese fake factory etc.

If the original fitter did not balance the tires I would ask if they fitted them correctly anyway, doing tires is a low-job so probably the trainee of the shop you visited did the work. I would wonder if they cleaned the wheels and sanded round the bead sealing point as well. Where the rubber and alloy/steel wheel meet. If the tires had not be changed for 10 years there will be corrosion to consider from weather and dog piss etc.

Considering Thai roads and the speed at which people drive, the tires are the only things transferring breaking power to help you stop, not worth skimping on the cost of safety in my opinion.

Use this web site (Thai based and written in English) to compare prices. http://www.blackdonut.com/product/125

The cheapest Goodyear tires start at 2,300 Baht EACH !

You have probably bought counterfeit or old stock. (maybe both)

He doesn't want to hear that, he paid top dollar for top tires.. Can't really understand your link but the size listed is 14 and not 13, still here is another link with tire prices and the offered most inexpensive tire is a shop brand though I have that brand and they are fine but still a fair bit more costly then the OP has mentioned..

http://www.b-quik.co...tyre_search.php

Edited March 25, 2012 by WarpSpeed

[Lickey]

There should be a line on the tyre just above the rim of the wheel, if this line is not the same all the way round, the tyre isnt fitted correctley, it could be because of rim rust or other maladies, balancing will correct this but will result in un-even tyre wear,

Another thing to check is the pressures, thai way of thinking is enough is ok, but more is better, tyre wall should have Max pressure/load on it,

How many condoms can you make from a tyre? 365 from a Goodyear,,

[ravip]

4,800 baht for all four? And Goodyears? - That is kind of real cheap! Too good a bargain, I feel.

Yes check them out as post #9 - if the manufactured date is too far back, it could be real dangerous too.

[ClareQuilty]

Did check, guys, and they say 'made in Indonesia' on them, and they do say 'Goodyear'.

The original price was 2,300 on these tires, marked down (literally in black magic-marker) to 1,500, and I bargained down further to 4,800 for the set.

[stevenl]

Did check, guys, and they say 'made in Indonesia' on them, and they do say 'Goodyear'.

The original price was 2,300 on these tires, marked down (literally in black magic-marker) to 1,500, and I bargained down further to 4,800 for the set.

And the date on the tires?

[WarpSpeed]

Did check, guys, and they say 'made in Indonesia' on them, and they do say 'Goodyear'.

The original price was 2,300 on these tires, marked down (literally in black magic-marker) to 1,500, and I bargained down further to 4,800 for the set.

And the date on the tires?

Yes, I wonder why they would be marked down 800b per tire and then still be discounted even more if they weren't manufactured in the previous decade (sarcasm for those who may be a bit pedantic) or some other anomaly like having been seconds anyway due to maybe an unbalanced cord during production?? If they were seconds they should have some sort of mark to indicate so though I doubt we'll be informed if it does exist?

So expensive is relative isn't it? If they weren't either flawed or outdated then yes they may have been classed as respectable tires in a previous life..