Wierd handling issues with new wheels
 

I got new Fuchs about a week ago (8s and 9s replacing 6s and 7s). Since then, I've noticed strange behavior when driving around town - mainly, I've felt the steering wheel pulling to the left and right at random times while I drive. This afternoon on my way back to work today, I was on a stretch of flat, straight empty road. Most of the time the car goes straight, but then it started pulling. Letting go of the wheel, the car pulled left, then right, then left again. All of this was under power w/ no braking.

Also, sometimes when coming to a stop at a light, when I am almost stopped the car will pull significantly (between 90 and 270 degree turn of the steering wheel) to the left OR the right - randomly. It doesn't do it all the time, and it doesn't consistently pull to one direction or the other.

I never had any problems before the new wheels. I went home and put my old 6s back on the front, and the car drives just like it did before - no pulling.

Tech info:
New 8s: 8x16 951 Fuchs, Toyo Proxies F1S 205/55ZR16
Old 6s: 6x16 911 Fuchs, Yokohama AVS AV1-55i 205/55ZR16

I'm hoping its just the tires, which I want to replace with 225s anyway. Any ideas what is going on?

Probably 80% due to the fact that you now have exceptionally well supported sidewalls and a very flat tread which will transmit every road irregularity straight through to the steering. 205/55s are not very well supported on 6" wheels and the sidewall moves back and forth much more.

The other 20% might be the different offset.

I have AMG 8&9s on my MB and they find every imperfection in the road- ie: small ruts caused from studs and heavy trucks. These aren't always visable from the drivers seat. Did not have that problem with the smaller original wheels and tires. Checking tire pressure seems to help a bit but still pulls some.

find yourself a piece of tarmac that is flat as a pooltable
see if the car goes left or right there
just get sine speed, doesn't have to be really fast,
then clutch in and hands off

where they balanced propper?

Hey JazzBass,
Did you already sell the 7's or are they available? I'm looking for a set of Fuchs (or replicas) in 7 for spares. Thanks! BTW, what kind of bass do you play?

did you have an alignment done after you changed wheels?

even just putting a wheel that weighs a diffrent amount on a car can throw the alignment out.

Kyle

oh and put the new tires on before the alignment or you will be doing it twice

k911sc:
According to the PO, they were balanced (just came off his car), but take that with a grain of salt. I would expect unbalanced wheels to make the wheel shimmy (it doesn't) but not to make the car pull - but I could be completely wrong here. I think I'll stop by the local tire store tonight and have them check the balance.

azasadny:
I still have the 7s but want to hang on to them for now. I play a '75 Fender Jazz Bass w/ active pickups.

slakjaw:
I did not have the alignment done after the new wheels - I didn't think new wheels would throw it off (but what do I know?). If the alignment was off, wouldn't it pull consistently? In my case, the pulling is seemingly random and to different sides.

I've been getting some suggestions (including the ones above) that the pulling is from road imperfections that I just never felt with my old wheels. Can anyone speak to any handling differences they felt when going to higher performance tires/wheels with less sidewall flex? This is assuming your alignment is right and tires are balanced...