tramlining

[jayjay]

Hi There,

I'd love some advice on tramlining. I recently changed from an NA to a 10AE. I had michelin pilot preceda's on the NB 15 inch rims on my NA. The NA ran like an absolute dream with those wheels and those tyres. It had great feel and stick and i clearly knew the limits of it.

i recently bought a 10AE with michelin pilot precedas (although they must be a different version since the tread is different to my old pilot precedas). The 10AE is tramlining a lot. if there is any sort of a groove in the road the car just goes for it. Sometimes with other bumps the tyres will just kick out in the opposite direction. i know the 10AE has power steering and more rigid steering, but this definitely isn't just that - it's definitely tramlining on the road and can be difficult to control if the tyres are in a groove or hit a bump and kick in an unanticipated direction. there doesn't appear to be any obvious probs with the wheel alignment (ie it tracks straight with no camber and no bumps).

does anyone have any advice about whether the tramlining? would it just be due to the tyres? does anyone else have pilot precedas giving them the same problem.

cheers,
mel

[jayjay]

also the tyres on the 10AE don't have the same stick as the ones i had on the NA. The back of the car started sliding out when i was driving in the rain a little while ago. i wasn't driving that hard, just accelerated out of the corner and felt the back start to go. would this be related to the same reason that the tyres are tramlining?

[Old Dude]

Hi Jayjay
If you toe in isn't right you will get tram lining. I have Pilot Preceda 2 tyres on my car now (NB8B) and I don't get tram lining but i have + 1.00mm each side toe (2.0mm total).
I had -0.2mm total toe in previously and used to get tramlining, the car did feel more direct though. My tyres only have about 200km since they have been put on so they will probably alter when they scrub up a bit.
Hope this helps

Old Dude

[Okibi]

Are they the original pilots that came on the 10AE? They'd be pretty hard.

What tyre pressures are you running ?

Please update your profile so we know which state you're in, we can recommend which suspension shop to visit.

[PUR157]

Have you had your cars wheels aligned recently?

If you haven't... do it...!
If you have... do you have the specs on hand? some of the more technical guys may be able to help you out

[jayjay]

I think the pilots aren't the originals considering the number of kms on the car. i'm pretty sure the last owner put them on there. They have more wear than the ones i had on the NA although still a bit of tread left.

I might try and throw my other rims and tyres on this weekend and take it for a spin to see whether it is more the tyres or the alignment.

i'll check what the tyre pressure is at and get back to you also.

would the back end sliding out be related to the alignment and toe-in?

[StanTheMan]

I'm with the Old Dude. The old bloke is right.....Its all in your alingment. your wheels & tyres are fine. ok maybe a bit old but thats not whats causing your tramlining.

[manga_blue]

Tramlining usually means that front toe-in is wrong. You need a wheel alignment.

[zombie]

+1 for alignment

I had similar problems with my 10AE - the rear never felt very stable and would break loose at the slightest provocation, even with the sticky Pirelli tyres I had on it.

After an alignment from one of the local professionals the car was transformed - into the great handling sports car an mx5 is meant to be!

[project.r.racing]

Tramlining usually means that front toe-in is wrong. You need a wheel alignment.

X2...