I trust you've double checked the air pressure in the tires and that's ok? For example, as little as a 5psi difference in driver side front tire could cause a pull left.

Thanks - I guess my Macbook can double as an etch-a-sketch!

 

Yeah the pressure is ok in the tires. I really dont know what's wrong. I will have the dealer check it out next time i am up for service.

 

You, my friend - wake up way too early, LOL!

Maybe something's just gone out of alignment? I guess the incorrect installation could induce some pull - I've driven one car, about 5 or 6 years ago that had a problem similar to yours, except that the shop installed the tires on the wrong side - the side that should have gone to the inner edge of the rim, was on the outer edge, but this was done at all four corners. That car didn't exhibit any sort of pull, but maybe that's because it was being offset by the other side being incorrect???

Either way, I hope you get yours fixed up and in a quick/simple way. Good luck.

 

Asymetric tires are usually labeled *outside* (like PS2)
If one is wrong it just needs to be remounted... you don't need a different tire.

 

Wouldn't the tread channels be going the wrong way on one side of the car when flipped as you suggest?

 

Yes it looks that way, but they are designed to be non-directional.
My PS2s are like that, there isn't a right & left tire.
so.... something like this (viewed from the front)

\\\\\||\\ ...R.............L...//||/////

I know it looks funny, but they are designed to rotate in either direction that way.
You just need to mount them on the rims properly with *outside* out
Otherwise you would have asymetric *rotational* tires.
In which case you would buy separate *left* & *right* tires.

Here are my old PS2s


Snow sports are similar....

 

Nice wheels Ian .

 

Yeah... they were, ...but they've gone to a new home.
- got some new ones comming for the Z

 

Current situation:


Driver side____________Pass side
__________ ______________________
| \ | | / / / |____________| \ | | / / / |
| \ | | / / / |____________| \ | | / / / |


Actually this is what happenes if you flip it

Driver side____________Pass side
__________ ______________________
| \ | | / / / |____________| / / / | | \ |
| \ | | / / / |____________| / / / | | \ |

Is this OK then, since they are non-directional?

 

Haha, I hadnt slept yet, I work nightshifts. That 's whay i was getting off work at 630 am.

Anyhow, I dont know if this matters, the guy who put the winter tires on for me didn't use a torque wrench ( I think that's what they are called? It is along metal bar that lets you control how much force you want to screw on the bolts). He just used the air-pressure gun to screw it on.

I just checked my tires, it does say "outer" on the wall that;s facing out. I guess they are mounted correctly. But like you pointed out earlier, if I flip one side, treads on one side will be pointing down, the other side will point up. (see below) Since they are non-directional, I dont know if that matters.

Driver side____________Pass side
__________ ______________________
| \ | | / / / |____________| / / / | | \ |
| \ | | / / / |____________| / / / | | \ |


Regardless of whether the tread directions, do you think that will cause the pulling of the car? On dry or snow? 'cause right now, with the winter tires on, the car pulls to the left on both dry road and snowy road. But the pull feels worse in snow. Maybe my car is just out of alignment, you probably just dont feel it much on the summer tires?

Thanks guys for the input!

 

As long as he used a 'torque stick' with the impact wrench, you'll be fine. It looks like a long, skinny socket extension that is usually colour coded. The torque applied with a torque stick can be very accurate, and is used routinely in even good tire shops instead of a torque wrench. They are expensive, and need to be replaced on a regular basis as they tend to break.

 

I dont think they used a 'torque stick', they only used the impact wrench. Is that gonna make the car pull to one side?

 

No, but chances are that the lugs are over torqued so it may be interesting getting them off when it comes time to switch back to your summers. I've heard of lug nuts geting so over torqued with an impact gun that they had to be cut off

 

I always have a torque wrench in the trunk of my car and I will double check the lugs when I get in the parking lot before leaving the dealer, as well as once I arrive home (this is a great habit to get into, especially with alloys)

About 6 years ago, I had a Lincoln LS and took the car into Lincoln for whatever service it was due (Lincoln's come with complimentary maintenance). Part of the service was to rotate the tires. Fine. They gave me a Ford Excursion as a loaner and I was off to work. I came back to pick up the car and within about 2 kms, the car started to vibrate. i got to my mom's place which was about 10 min away and the vibration was still there. I called the dealer and they told me to bring it back. When I got about 1km from the dealership, the car felt like it was going to come apart. I called them and they sent a flatbed out to pick up the car. When I got there, they were closed, but one tech and the service counter guy stuck around. They put the car on the hoist and immediately you could see the driver's side rear tire was not right. The tech went to take the lug off and it pretty much fell off as soon as his gun touched it. Apparently, whomever worked on my car in the afternoon, forgot to tighten that wheel as all the lugs were barely on. I was absolutely livid and swore up and down that it was the last time they'd see me unless their manager wanted me to come in to discuss the letter I was going to write to the dealer as well as Lincoln. After that, I don't trust any shop.

A decent quality torque wrench is not that expensive and they generally come with a nice case that will protect it while laying in the trunk.

I guess, the fact that the main sipes aren't blocked in anyway by tread blocks, that makes them non-directional and you should have no problem. If you look at intgr8r's pic, it's quite obvious that those will not really care which way they are spinning. Having the outside on the outside is definitely important though. Sounds like your setup is ok.

I would still think that there is something else wrong with your car if it's still pulling. Maybe an alignment??

Good luck!

 

Akrus, just a heads up, it is not recommended to leave the torque wrench in the trunk since it is a precision instrumennt. It is better to be stored at room temperature in a dry area, until you need it. Whatever you do, do not store it with it set at a torque setting, return it down to the lower end of the torque range just above zero. Failure to do this will cause the torque wrench to lose it's accuracy. I know these things since I used to repair and calibrate all the torque wrenches for use at the OH Nuclear Plants.
I have 3 different torque wrenches and I store them all inside my shop at home.