2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Tire/alignment swaying issues.

[JMcCoy]

I just had a had a new set of Toyo mud terrain tires put on (35x12. 5x17). I immediately noticed the truck now wanders on the highway. When I give the steering wheel any input, the rear yaws back and forth like I have a flat rear tire. I checked the air pressure and they put 50 psi all the way around. I pumped it up to 60, same thing, I went to 65 all he way around, same thing. I don't get it. I can't imagine the tires would cause this. Toyos get top notch reviews. You can't hardly find a complaint about them. I would have stayed with the BFGs but they don't make a 35" E reted tire. I checked the lug nuts. I chacked up all four wheels and everything is tight. Track bar, tie rods, steering box, hub bearings, and ball joints are all new and tight. I have had Goodyears, Super Swampers, Ground Hawgs, and BFGs and have never had this problem. The tires are fairly quiet and are very smooth. At $345. 00+++ a tire, and all the outstanding reviews, I expected more. I had it aligned at the same time. I cannot imagine an alignment would cause this, but I am grasping at straws here. I am looking for anyone who has had this problem. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

 

[budnate]

65 is what I run my firestones at unloaded any less and it's not right..... did you double check and make sure they stuck E rated tires on? maybe they stuck low grade sidewall tires on by accident?

 

[JMcCoy]

Thank you for the reply. I did check and they are E rated 3650 lb tires. This has me baffled. I am headed to the tire shop and have them take a look. I may go to a repiable "alignment" shop and have them take a look. Any further suggestions are appeciated.

 

[Regcabguy]

Give them about 700 miles. The symptoms will vanish. Mine did the same thing initially. 65# made my loaded truck jump all over. Unladen,maybe 55 front/45 rear should work pretty good.

 

[NIsaacs]

Give them about 700 miles. The symptoms will vanish.





I agree, some tires with deep tread will squirm until the rubber cures/sets.



Nick

 

[JR]

In your sig it says 35" BFG. If those were 8 plys and your new 10 plys feel squirrely compared to the 8 plys, something doesnt seem right. When I bought my truck it had 8 plys on it and they were horrible. Rolled in the corners, felt real mushy. Even if they are brand new, I would really think a 10 ply Toyo should feel stiffer than your 8 ply BFG.

 

[BigPapa]

This is normal. It's the new, taller tread blocks flexing. As Regacabguy said, give them a few hundred miles. The rubber will "cure" and the flex will go away. There are several threads on this issue.

 

[JMcCoy]

Thanks again for the replys. I returned from the tire shop. They advised my rear leaf spring bushings are worn, but they are not sure if that is the whole problem. Pushing the truck side to side, it does appear to have a little movement. I am skeptical that it is causing the problem. I told them I would fix the bushings and see if that is the problem. I will also drive the truck some to put miles on the tires. If the problem persists, they will take the tires back. I have been having trouble finding replacement bushings since they are vulcumized in. The dealer only sells the whole leaf spring for $1,000. 00. Skyjacker sell springs that eliminate the block for around $660. Carli has them for around $1,300. 00, but they are 4-5 weeks out. Please keep the suggestions coming.

 

[BigPapa]

Don't worry about the bushings, they aren't your problem. You're on a witch hunt and if you look hard enough for a problem you'll find one. The "problem" is the new tires. Here's just a couple of links to similar threads:

https://www.turbodieselregister.com...-buy-for-Heavy-Duty-Trucks!!!&highlight=tread

https://www.turbodieselregister.com...ew-tires-quot-loose-quot-feel&highlight=tread

These threads pop up every time someone buys new tires. It will go away within a few hundred miles. Just relax, drive carefully, and all will be fine without you replacing parts on the truck.

Think about it, was the truck fine before the tires? I would imagine it was or you'd have posted about the "wandering" before you bought the new tires.

 

[cerberusiam]

The "problem" is the new tires. These threads pop up every time someone buys new tires. It will go away within a few hundred miles.

I cannot buy into any of those excuses. This does NOT pop up every time new tires are put on, it doesn't ever go away the feeling just changes for a reason.



"Curing" the tire just does not make sense either. If those tires are not cured when they leave the factory there is something wrong with them. I have put on more sets of tires on more trucks than one can ever find threads about and NEVER had this problem unless there was a issue somewhere. Wrong tires, bad tire(s), suspension problems, or wrong wheel size has always been the source of the problem.



Worn\seized\bad bushings in the rear springs, or, worn bushings in the control arms are a big problem on these trucks. If there is ANY question about bushings then it needs addressed.



The OP does not say what rims he has, but, the one thing I have found is trying to put a stnadard 35x12. 50 tire on an 8" or less rim is a recipe for problems. The section width is too wide to get the tire to sit flat on the ground which causes the tire to run on the center too much. With tall tread blocks it is constantly falling off. Whne it starts driving better is when the center of the tires finally wears down enough to get a better stance on the road. Wrong fix even though it feels better.



Op, your choice how far you want to chase it but IMO something else is contributing.

 

[BigPapa]

Well cerb, of course you're entitled to your opinion. I'm not trying to argue or advise someone to ignore a suspension or safety issue. I go back to my question, was this problem present before installing the new tires?

I have been through many sets of tires in my 34 years of driving and I have worked in a tire shop selling tires for a living. I have experienced this phenomenon myself and have advised many customers on this issue. I have not had one person come back to me after putting 500-1000 miles on the tires saying that they are still experiencing the problem.

This is a common issue, especially with 10 ply tires that have 13-16/32 tread depth. The OP can continue looking for a problem with his truck if he wants.

 

[cerberusiam]

Well cerb, of course you're entitled to your opinion. I'm not trying to argue or advise someone to ignore a suspension or safety issue. I go back to my question, was this problem present before installing the new tires?

I understand this is a common response. I understand that tread squirm can be a problem. Squirm, not the tendency to sway to the point of wanting to drive away from a guided path. THAT is outright dangerous and never goes away, just moderates as the driver gets used to it.



It has been my experience, not opinion, that there is something else contributing when this issue shows with new tires. If one finds a tire tech with enough experience they will also agree it is not a normal situation.



I go back to rim size and width as the biggest problem I have personally experienced. I will not put a 35" tire on a 16" rim on these trucks. They handle like crap. Even a 17" is not what I would call great, adequate but not great. Ball joints, bushings, frame flex, and track bars have also been an issue.



It will come down to what the driver wants and thinks is adequate, no matter what either of us think.

 

[JMcCoy]

OK, I spoke to the tire shop and they called Toyo. Toyo advised they have had similar complaints, but it is a not a defective tire. Toyo is puting me on a "trial period". I will give them a few more days, then we'll see. They recommend 40 psi all the way around. I put 40 in the rear and 50 in the front. It runs pretty much the same. My wheels are 10'and fit the tires nicely. One thing I did notice is that I could push the tread blocks to the side with little effert. I could not do so with BFG or most the other brands. I have found that I do need shocks. I do not believe they are the issue, but I bought 4 so I can rule them out in my head. I really believe the problem is in the tires. Like stated above, the truck ran fine before. I is just frustrating because I invested many many hours reseaching the tires on the internet. Toyo problably gets the best reviews. Now I have to do some more research and find a mud, or almost mud, style tire that will hold the weight of the truck and tow. I really like the BFGs, but they don't make an E rated mud tire im my size. Super Swamper does, but they are horrible on the highway probably not good for towing. I am open to any and all suggestions. Thank you again.

 

[NIsaacs]

Give them about 700 miles. The symptoms will vanish.





I agree, some tires with deep tread will squirm until the rubber cures/sets.



Nick

This can happen with stock size tires on stock wheels, even on a dually with heavy lug mud grips. Highway tires or mild all season, not so much, if at all. Is it the OP's issue? I don't know.



Nick

 

[JR]

Im surprised theyre telling you to run 40 psi that seems rather low, but if thats the recommendation what can you do... asking what the best tire is is going to generate some very opinionated responses. Everybody has different driving habits, drives in different terrain, some rotate/some dont, many inflate improperly and blame the uneven wear on the tire, you get the picture. Everyone will have different results. Ive got over 30k miles on a set of goodyear duratracs, theyve been a great tire. They clean out well in the mud, have good traction in the snow, and are wearing flat as a board. Im sure the next guy will claim theyre junk, thats the nature of the beast. Probably wont pertain to you either way, from what Ive been told they are not available in 10 plys in a 35. I think they only go up to a 315 in a 10 ply and then they drop to 8 ply. Ultimately I think the best experience is your own, you know what brand has and hasnt worked for you, and thats hard to beat.

 

[HHhuntitall]

Being a tire dealer and installing a large quantities of tires over the years, some tire squirm is common. Part of the problem is the rubber compound. Fresh tires excrete a small amount of oil from the manufacturing process. These oils can take a few days to completely be worn off and eliminated. That's the idea of "curing". The rubber compound will actually harden a little after this point, and reduce the "squirm. " Now, if the swaying is excessive, it can be other issues. If you installed 35x12. 50 tires on a truck that had 265s on it, you probably have an alignment issue. The taller tires and wider wheels will change your steering geometry in a way that will make the truck wander on the highway. I've found Toyo tires to be one of the best made, and now made here in the USA, due to importation taxes.....



I've worn out several hundred tires in 315x75x16. I currently have 7 sets of these tires running on the ground for me personally. Two sets are the Toyo MTs, and I've had great service out of them. 4 sets are the Toyo AT. 1 set is the new Mastercraft ATX tread... . So far, the Toyo's get my vote for best performance on and off road.....

 

[Bob4x4]

What is the trad depth on the 35? Somewhere up around 20-21 compare to like 13-14 on many tamer tires

 

[JMcCoy]

I replaced my shocks the other day. Thought the truck is riding a little better, It has not changed the squirm issue. Other than the squirm, the tires run extremly smooth and are pretty quiet. I'm just concerned how safe it will be when I tow a trailer. I have had many sets of 35" mud terrain tires on this truck and never had this issue. The reason I went to an E rated tire was for added safety. Hopefully They will "cure", like suggested they may do. Thank you all.

 

[bromano676]

I have had issues with new tires. Try to change lane and it feels like the back end of the truck want to change 2 lanes.
I had them rebalanced. Truck went straight as an arrow down the road after that.

 

[Bob4x4]

From Tire Rack
res are comprised of many layers of rubber, steel and fabric. Due to these different components, your new tires require a break-in period to ensure that they deliver their normal ride quality and maximum performance. As tires are cured, a release lubricant is applied to prevent them from sticking in their mold. Some of the lubricant stays on the surface of your tires, reducing traction until it is worn away. Five hundred miles of easy acceleration, cornering and braking will allow the mold release lubricant to wear off, allowing the other tire components to begin working together. It is also important to note that your old tires probably had very little tread depth remaining when you felt it was time to replace them. As any autocrosser or racer who has tread rubber shaved off of his tires will tell you, low tread depth tires respond more quickly. Don't be surprised if your new tires are a little slower to respond (even if you use the exact same tire as before). Their new, full depth brings with it a little more tread squirm until they wear down.

NOTE: Be careful whenever you explore the capabilities of your new tires. Remember that every tire requires a break-in period of 500 miles for optimum performance.

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