981 tyres scrubbing when turning

[AndyBrew]

I took the wifes Boxster to work today and although she has been complaining about funny noises when reversing off the drive, I kind of dismissed it having experienced this skipping sensation myself in various cars in the past.

However this sounds like the suspension snapping, the car skips a good few inches each time, is this normal??

Also the bloody heaters/blowers have packed up, had a right game getting home, the stupid thing can stay on the drive from now on!!

[JonN981]

My 981 Cayman seems to do this a lot: front tyres skipping when any significant lock applied e.g. manouvring on drive, parking etc. I'm hoping it's normal. It's certainly more noticable than with any other car I've driven.

[Magic919]

Ackerman. Usual on a lot of cars. Sounds worse in cold conditions.

[AndyBrew]

I need to take it in to get the heaters sorted out so will ask them to have a look I think, it would do my head in putting up with that all the time!

[Carbon Based]

Get the same thing, was worried until I read about it here. But although it seems worse in the cold, it is only on full lock or close to it.

[supersport]

All the recent kettles do it, especially on near full to full lock, and so do a good number of other modern cars. Think it's something to do with the size of the tyres and steering geometry, can't remember the explanation but it comes up on here loads. I had a chat with an OPC salesman about it.

[Radish]

Happens to mine as well, particularly when reversing with full lock. I mentioned it to the OPC to learn that most of their stock does it in cold weather with new or newish tyres. It's the tread blocks catching the road surface and then flicking free. I imagine that winter tyres, with their softer compound, probably do not suffer in the same way.

[Clevers]

supersport said:

All the recent kettles do it, especially on near full to full lock, and so do a good number of other modern cars. Think it's something to do with the size of the tyres and steering geometry, can't remember the explanation but it comes up on here loads. I had a chat with an OPC salesman about it.

i have same issue with my Cayman S and Porsche advised it is for the reasons above and "they all do that".

[Clevers]

supersport said:

All the recent kettles do it, especially on near full to full lock, and so do a good number of other modern cars. Think it's something to do with the size of the tyres and steering geometry, can't remember the explanation but it comes up on here loads. I had a chat with an OPC salesman about it.

i have same issue with my Cayman S and Porsche advised it is for the reasons above and "they all do that".

[nsm3]

Just to add another one to the list of "they all do that Sir" - much more pronounced than any of my previous cars, including the GT3, which, guessing that it is a steering geometry issue, is unexpected?

[JonN981]

Magic919 said:

Ackerman. Usual on a lot of cars. Sounds worse in cold conditions.

I'm aware that the Ackerman angle has been used in steering geometry for over 100 years, so I'm pretty sure it will have been on all the cars I have driven for the last 40. I think my point was, although I have experienced the skipping to some extent before, it is massively more pronounced on my 981 Cayman than any other vehicle I have ever driven.

[Trev450]

JonN981 said:

I'm aware that the Ackerman angle has been used in steering geometry for over 100 years, so I'm pretty sure it will have been on all the cars I have driven for the last 40. I think my point was, although I have experienced the skipping to some extent before, it is massively more pronounced on my 981 Cayman than any other vehicle I have ever driven.

You should try a 1980's Lotus Esprit.

[VladD]

My 987 Boxster does it too.

[ORD]

987.2 does it but only when cold. It feels like something has got stuck and then broken free, so the explanation makes sense.

[truck71]

Well, just done the obligatory umpteen point turn at the end of the street in my freshly collected Cayman.... and it doesn't do it at all. Experienced it in both test drives but not this one. Odd.

[SFO]

truck71 said:

Well, just done the obligatory umpteen point turn at the end of the street in my freshly collected Cayman.... and it doesn't do it at all. Experienced it in both test drives but not this one. Odd.

tyres not run in yet so grip not as strong

[ellroy]

Another owner of a 981 and it does it, and noticibly worse when cold.

[griffter]

Isn't this down to the LSD (where fitted)?

[nsm3]

People are talking about the front wheels.

[FrankCayman]

truck71 said:

Well, just done the obligatory umpteen point turn at the end of the street in my freshly collected Cayman.... and it doesn't do it at all. Experienced it in both test drives but not this one. Odd.

My OPC salesman warned me when I collected my 981 Cayman that it would do it and not to worry.....but said it was only the 20" wheels? What size wheels have you got, mate?

BTW....my tyres now have 20,500 miles on them and still do it...