"Radial Pull"

[MantecaBMW]

Just got the Sachs Kit in last week and replaced all the steering components as well. Mounted the new tires and wheels and off to the alignment shop we go. Gave the tech the specs from the kit and it came into alignment beautifully.

Shortly after....about 100 miles or so, I developed a pull to the right...bad enought that it makes a lane change fairly quick if you let go of the wheel. So, back to the alignment shop I go. The tech checked it out and it was still in spec.

He referenced it may be a "Radial Pull"...that the tire is actually causing the problem. He suggested swapping the front tires around to see if anything changed. Sure enough, it now pulled to the left. So I put my old tires and wheels back on and she drives dead straight.

I contacted the "Wheel Exchange" and they were confused as well. But they are making good and sending me 2 new tires. They are also going to compensate me for the cost of having them mounted and balanced as well. They stated that they should have found this when they balanced them....they use the Hunter GSP9700.

Has anyone heard of this problem before? How common is it?

Tires in question are Nitto NT555 235/40/18.

[Kalevera]

The Wheel Exhange is a great NC company. Gotta love 'em.

In terms of radial pull...that's really weird. Has to be a manufacturing defect, though.

good luck, though!

[Bill R.]

tires you're seeing it on... the worst ones that i see it on all the time are Arizonian brand from discount tire...

Just got the Sachs Kit in last week and replaced all the steering components as well. Mounted the new tires and wheels and off to the alignment shop we go. Gave the tech the specs from the kit and it came into alignment beautifully.

Shortly after....about 100 miles or so, I developed a pull to the right...bad enought that it makes a lane change fairly quick if you let go of the wheel. So, back to the alignment shop I go. The tech checked it out and it was still in spec.

He referenced it may be a "Radial Pull"...that the tire is actually causing the problem. He suggested swapping the front tires around to see if anything changed. Sure enough, it now pulled to the left. So I put my old tires and wheels back on and she drives dead straight.

I contacted the "Wheel Exchange" and they were confused as well. But they are making good and sending me 2 new tires. They are also going to compensate me for the cost of having them mounted and balanced as well. They stated that they should have found this when they balanced them....they use the Hunter GSP9700.

Has anyone heard of this problem before? How common is it?

Tires in question are Nitto NT555 235/40/18.

[Jr ///M5]

Depending on the highway and the ruts that are dug into the pavement, tramlining is a problem with some tires that have soft sidewalls. I'm not familiar with the Nitto brand, so I can't comment, but the Sachs kit with new suspension bits will amplify any tire problems. When I put the Sachs in on my old 535 with new Bridgestone 17" 730's they drove nice and straight then started getting noisy after about 8000 miles. It was a characteristic of the tire and not the suspension. Do you think a stiffer sidewall would compensate?

Jr

[632 Regal]

I believe that radial pull is caused when one or more tires are constantly out of alignment leading to the tire to "set" at a certain relationship to neutral. Dont have to be much but enough for the tire to get accustomed to its strange wear pattern.

I also experienced a pull when one tire was changed for a new one making driving unberable even with a perfect alignment.

[Hector]

thread but my car has developed a similar problem but under slightly different circumstances. Just recently I replaced the struts with new stock Boges, replaced both control arms and both thrust arms, everything done at the same time. The nuts on both the control/thrust arms were tighten under load (with front end of car on ramps on a 1 to 2% downgrade pavement in an attempt to level car horizontally.) Now the car has been pulling to the left. The curious thing is that the car drove almost in a perfect straight line when it had the old leaky front struts and the old thrust arms with a lot of play in the bushings.

Was wondering if not having the wheels perfectly straight on the ramps when the control/thrust arm nuts were tighten might have something to do with this. I know it's not the tires but I'll swap the front tires to the opposite side to see if anything gives. My last course of action will be wheel alignment. Any other ideas?

[632 Regal]

Torquing them should have NO affect, sounds like replacing all those parts lead to the steering changing slightly and an alignment is necessary now.

[MantecaBMW]

I've never heard of it before but apparently it's more common than you would think.

Tires are Nitto NT555....at least the Wheel Excange is taking care of this. So we'el see what happens next week after the replacements get mounted.

[Hector]

argument from this end on its effects on making the car pull in one direction or another. My question is about whether or not it is important to have the wheels straight when torquing under load.

[632 Regal]

argument from this end on its effects on making the car pull in one direction or another. My question is about whether or not it is important to have the wheels straight when torquing under load.

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