New Tires "wandering" around...

R Q

R Q

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 4, 2005
Location
Charlotte
I put 4 new 215/85-16 Ironman tires on the rear of my Chevy 3500 with a 12' dump bed on it last week. As soon as I got on the road I felt them wandering around the road. Made the truck feel like it was swaying like it had a huge load on it. I called the tire guy to let him know and he had nothing else in stock so I had to wait a few days but he traded them out for some Nexen of the same size. They do the same thing.
I had worn out Ironmans on it that he took off. I jacked up the truck and there's no issues with suspension or steering. I tried 80 psi on both stes of tires and it may be worse with the Nexens. I just ran them down to 65 psi to see if that makes a difference. He mounted them at 70 psi.
He will work with me to get it resolved. He even said that he had issues with two other sets of Ironman tires after he put mine on.
It feels like the truck is way overloaded and is trying to balance on the center but not doing a good job of it. I have to drive it to keep it between the lines and don't even think of getting it swaying on the highway at speed!:eek:
What could it be? They are E rated tires. I'm thinking just cheap chinese production?
 
Had "sort of" the same issue after adding cheap mud tires to the dumptruck

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Could be that going from worn out hard tires to now having 2" of tread makes that much of a difference

I'm no expert though. I just don't go fast (like I COULD in that dang thing anyway :lol: )
 
the thread might be 10 ply but how thick are the sidewalls. most tires need to be scuffed in some i would give it a 100 miles ( so the thread can loose the oily shine from manufacturing) and see if the traction is any better. Could be running to much air pressure in them. make a thick mark across the thread surface on the rear tires with chalk and then drive straight for about 50-100 feet and see of the chalk has worn off evenly. wear on center too much pressure wear on edges not enough. this is assuming everything else mechanical is in good shape.
 
Like ^ said, drive em and break em in. I've had a few sets of tires do that. Once they kinda settle out, they are a lot more stable.
 
I had really aggressive continental mud tires put on the f-550 at work, rides around at bout 14500 and it sway for the 30k plus we put on those tires.
 
I had Toyo a/t II on my 3500 dually and they “floated” all over for the first couple hundred miles until I got the titties worn off. I was worried at first but was reassured by some guys here that they needed to get a few heat cycles in them and they’d be good to go. As usual they were right and the tires tightened right up and rode awesome loaded or empty.
 
Only time I ever experienced that, was with a new Sterling dump truck. Tandam axle & short wheelbase. That sucker changed lanes on me first time I hit I-77. Eased back into the shop & declared Something was broke or loose. Two mechanics drove it & even took it back to the Dealer. What apparently it was, the New Factory tires had 120 psi in them! Riding on the center tire rib. Dropped to 95 psi, & after putting some miles on them, it got better! New Stiff tires with TOO much air! Now, about that Rip in the seat bottom:mad:
 
Deeper tread tends to squirm and they're new, so they haven't hardened up yet. Nothing to worry about.
 
Until the rubber in the tire heat cycles a few times it is still very pliable. You can check this by walking up and pushing on a tread block of a new tire compared to an older one.
Until the tires get burned in they will float a bit. Thats is really any tire. Now specific factrs determine how much you feel it but it happens on all of them
 
Had same issues with my coopers in the rear after rotation and some miles put on em they grip like low pro racing tires...
 
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