Had my tires rotated yesterday and now the car is pulling noticeably left. On a flat road, if I let go of the wheel I change lanes in about 3 to 4 seconds depending on speed. Also, the faster I am going, the worse the pull feels. Before the rotation, the car would pull very slightly to the right sometimes but only enough for me to wonder if it was pulling or if it was my imagination. One other detail, the tire that is now on the left front is newer than the others due to a pothole eating the last one. It is the same hankook tire in type and size. Just with less miles on it. It was previously on the front right. I've seen the threads on the pulling issue and the 18 step TSB and all of that but nothing about rotation or the pulling following a specific wheel or tire. Could the rolling resistance of a newer tire really cause that much of a pull?
My issue is I am getting ready to leave for a road trip and can't get in for an alignment or for someone to go through the whole TSB. Any advice on what I can do would be appreciated. I think I might switch the 2 front wheels and see if that helps.
This would be exactly my kind of bad luck (doing preventative maintenance only to wind up worse than before).
Depending on what the road-trip involved (distance, speeds, road surfaces, passengers/cargo, destination....), I would most probably want to fully resolve this prior to departure. Did you happen to observe the entire rotation process?
Assuming you have already properly checked all tire pressures, the idea of returning the front tires back to their pre-rotation sides, certainly seems like a good move (keep track of this), both for diagnostics, and hopefully even for getting you on the road, safely, in the time frame needed.
How much tread, mileage, and age difference is there? I think it would take quite a lot of differences to produce the results that you mention in the same model/size tire, without some other underlying cause, though with the tracking being questionable to start with, I do not really know.
I hate losing one tire of a set, for these very reasons (though its even worse when exact replacements have become scarce, or even impossible to find).
Hopefully someone will chime in with more helpful advice.
Depending on what the road-trip involved (distance, speeds, road surfaces, passengers/cargo, destination....), I would most probably want to fully resolve this prior to departure.
1000 to 1200 miles, mostly highway, unsure of conditions, 2 passengers and luggage. I agree, I want it fixed but I have paid, non-refundable reservations at multiple places. So, if I have to hold the wheel a little to the right, that's going to have to do.
I did actually. Oil change and rotation at a place I am very familiar with. As in, it's owned by someone in my family (In law). The rotation was standard. No messing around with suspension or alignment.
Assuming you have already properly checked all tire pressures, the idea of returning the front tires back to their pre-rotation sides, certainly seems like a good move (keep track of this), both for diagnostics, and hopefully even for getting you on the road, safely, in the time frame needed.
Tire pressures were even. I inflated to 40 and relaxed back to 34. No change. Still pulls left. I got stuck late at work tonight so I will probably switch the fronts side to side tomorrow night.
How much tread, mileage, and age difference is there? I think it would take quite a lot of differences to produce the results that you mention in the same model/size tire, without some other underlying cause, though with the tracking being questionable to start with, I do not really know.
Agreed. A few 32'nds shouldn't make the car pull but as you mentioned, tracking is questionable. The newest tire measured on the good side of 9/32. The others were all 6/32 to 7/32. I think it must have something to do with the car being lifted somehow. Like relaxing the tension on the suspension. I have no idea how that makes sense but that's the only change other than wheel/tire position which shouldn't change anything.
I hate losing one tire of a set, for these very reasons (though its even worse when exact replacements have become scarce, or even impossible to find).
Luckily, the Hankooks are pretty easy to find. But replacing 1 of 4 is never ideal. I normally replace in pairs but the other 3 were too good to trash.
I would at least rotate the left front to the rear. Having slightly different sized tires (based on different mileage) on the front will make the differential work constantly, possibly causing premature wear. Doing this may also eliminate the pull.
TSB (recall) for tracking on a few chassis, they should al lbeen done 2+yr ago.. being 2011, you on your own..
Dont bother with the straight track, 1st tire rotation and it over with.. replace the front struts with new parts, and align 4,, set rear camber to -0.5, and minimal toe at +0.06 each side..
Front, you get what you got for camber and caster, so look for fairly even numbers with minimal spread, set toe at total of +0.16 to +0.20 (8-10 per side at front toe)
Update MDPS module with latest program if offered in GDS, reset steering angle calibration, and steering recognition to low per instruction.. set tires to 36 PSI
"Luckily, the Hankooks are pretty easy to find. But replacing 1 of 4 is never ideal. I normally replace in pairs but the other 3 were too good to trash."
There are some folks on here that think even brand new the Hankooks that come on the Sonata are not too good to trash -- I would not go that far, but I'm not too fond of those on my 2013 Limited.
Why was the tire rotated from right front to left front? Usually the rotation pattern is RF to LR, LF to RR, LR to LF, RR to RF. That new tire should have ended up on the left rear.
That aside, if there was a slight right pull when the tire was on the right front and now there is a left pull when it is on the left front, like others have said it could very well be a tire issue. Move it to the back and see if the pull goes away.
If the pull goes away, I would suspect the tire. And if you replace it at one of the location stops, is there time for an alignment along the way? Tire stores are pretty good at bending over backwards to help travelling motorists without bending them over in the process. Most tire shops. See if one in your itinerary offers a discount coupon via a phone search, if this is the step you decide to take.
Most importantly, have some fun and enjoy the time away! As worry-free as possible.
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