Tramlining

[jvr]

I'm running 4 year old Bridgestones close to the wear bar and i'm finding that the car tends to pull on imperfections on the road.If its smooth surface then no problem but anything but and it is unsettled and cats eyes and white lines cause similar problems.Is it tyres or geo settings?
Cheers
Paul

[That Daddy]

Knackered tyres do tend to behave odd sometimes,wait till you get new tyres then have a geometry check anyways (always advisable)

[Blues]

How long have you had the car, and how long has it been tramlining?

Sorry to sound daft, but if the tyres are almost shot, why not replace them and see if that sorts out the tramlining?

FWIW i noticed this shortly after buying mine. Fitting adjustable shocks sorted it for me, but that is an expensive route.

Good luck

[jvr]

I've had the car for about 4 months and the previous chap had it geoed but it only cost about £26,but i think my first route will be change the tyres ready now for winter.
P

[Blues]

jvr said:

I've had the car for about 4 months and the previous chap had it geoed but it only cost about £26,but i think my first route will be change the tyres ready now for winter.
P

Let us know if that sorts it

[tvrbob]

As winter approaches tramlining will increase. Tramlining increases as grip levels reduce so if you are feeling it more on wet or shiny roads then that's not a surprise. The tyre wear will contribute because your friction level is reduced. Geo can be a problem if the front tow-in is to much tow-out.

You should also check tyre pressures. I'm assuming you are running your Bridgestone's on 15" fronts, which Bridgestone's? SO2? SO2pp (pole position)? SO3?

SO2pp and SO3 will tramline if the pressures are too high.

SO2 (the non-pole position version) will tramline no matter what you do.

[TVR keith]

I had SO3 PP all round on my 450. Not anywhere near marker bars. Using factory reccomended pressures. Car is completely standard.Tramlined badly.
Fitted Dunlop SP9000 (the only tyre available with Z rating in the sizes needed).
Problem solved, no tramlining. Smoother ride over cats eyes etc:
also stopped the feeling that the car wanted to become part of the scenery at every bend.
Sorted

[Blues]

TVR keith said:

I had SO3 PP all round on my 450. Not anywhere near marker bars. Using factory reccomended pressures. Car is completely standard.Tramlined badly.
Fitted Dunlop SP9000 (the only tyre available with Z rating in the sizes needed).
Problem solved, no tramlining. Smoother ride over cats eyes etc:
also stopped the feeling that the car wanted to become part of the scenery at every bend.
Sorted

Me too I don't nderstand why they are not more popular amongst our community, and very good in the wet too. I also have them on the Beamers

[JonathanT]

jvr said:

I'm running 4 year old Bridgestones

Apart from the obvious wear, these tyres have also probably lost much of their grip as the compound has hardened over time. I don't think I've gone for longer than two years between changes (due to wear).

[Uncle Fester]

Are you saying that you got a history file with the car containing a bill for a £26 geo setup?

Who did it?

There's a difference between the guy down the local tyre centre doing the tracking and an expert on TVR suspension doing the geo properly.

You wouldn't buy much of the experts time for £26.

If you don't know who is good in your area, post up and ask. Then get the new tyres and take it to him.

[jvr]

I think the front tyres were wearing a bit uneven at one stage but the simple geo sorted it but it could be that the tyres have gone a bit hard,there are fine cracks in the tread which means they have aged and perhaps TVRs are a bit sensitive
P

[tvrbob]

I can't help being concerned by the phrase 'simple geo'. Who did it and are you sure they had access to the right settings

[jvr]

tvrbob said:

I can't help being concerned by the phrase 'simple geo'. Who did it and are you sure they had access to the right settings

Probably not,so i think I'll try the tyres first and if no improvement then i'll get it done properly
P

[Timja]

How are your top ball joints?

My car was terrible at tramlining and as well as getting new front tyres (sp9000) I got new top ball joints as they were really badly worn.

Felt like a completely different car afterwards!

I'm sure the tyres has some effect, but I reckon the new ball joints really helped!

[jvr]

Timja said:

How are your top ball joints?

My car was terrible at tramlining and as well as getting new front tyres (sp9000) I got new top ball joints as they were really badly worn.

Felt like a completely different car afterwards!

I'm sure the tyres has some effect, but I reckon the new ball joints really helped!

AS far as i am aware the ball joints are fine,no play,knocking or anything,passed mot,going to buy Toyos i thinks
P

[jvr]

It was the tyres,knacked,gone a bit hard over time.Four nice shiny toyos sorted the problem.
P

[That Daddy]

jvr said:

It was the tyres,knacked,gone a bit hard over time.Four nice shiny toyos sorted the problem.
P

I was right then

[jvr]

That Daddy said:

jvr said:

It was the tyres,knacked,gone a bit hard over time.Four nice shiny toyos sorted the problem.
P

I was right then

yep

[That Daddy]

jvr said:

That Daddy said:

jvr said:

It was the tyres,knacked,gone a bit hard over time.Four nice shiny toyos sorted the problem.
P

I was right then

yep

I was being big headed again,glad you fixed it though

[M@H]

tvrbob said:

I can't help being concerned by the phrase 'simple geo'. Who did it and are you sure they had access to the right settings

Geo is "simple" though.. assuming the people have a proper laser alignment setup and the numbers then it is just a case of putting the sensors on the car and then shimming/adjusting where necessary. My local garage did the Chimaera (and the S's) for me for about £40 from memory and I took the figures in with me.

Cheers,
Matt.