Handling issues !
Discussion
Hey all, am after a little advice if poss please!
My MK 1 MX5, has begun to feel "different" usually these little beasts are like driving a legalised go cart, but over the last week or so mine handles like a 30 yr old ford escort estate!
Have had the tracking/balancing all done, and its been to the garage, they can find no probs with the shocks, or suspension, in fact nothing at all!
It does have a fairly eclectic mix of tyres, have not changed them as yet, have never heard of the brands !
The garage said it could be the cause, any one any ideas, is it because the tyres are wearing etc (still loads of life, but are def cheap ones !!)
Was putting off changing them till the summer, as taking off road!
My MK 1 MX5, has begun to feel "different" usually these little beasts are like driving a legalised go cart, but over the last week or so mine handles like a 30 yr old ford escort estate!
Have had the tracking/balancing all done, and its been to the garage, they can find no probs with the shocks, or suspension, in fact nothing at all!
It does have a fairly eclectic mix of tyres, have not changed them as yet, have never heard of the brands !
The garage said it could be the cause, any one any ideas, is it because the tyres are wearing etc (still loads of life, but are def cheap ones !!)
Was putting off changing them till the summer, as taking off road!
Tracking? Did you just have tracking done or a full alignment? If it wasn't approaching £100 then it was just tracking which is almost pointless on an MX5.
As Richy said, a mix of cheapo tyres is never going to be good and it'll only get worse as the weather gets worse. Feels funny to say that when it's a beautiful sunny 27C day outside but it is October tomorrow!
As Richy said, a mix of cheapo tyres is never going to be good and it'll only get worse as the weather gets worse. Feels funny to say that when it's a beautiful sunny 27C day outside but it is October tomorrow!
Richyvrlimited said:
a mismash of different branded and poor tyres will never help.
I'd certainly change those as a first port of call. You can pick-up a complete set for the MX5 for well under £200 fitted.
I completely agree.I'd certainly change those as a first port of call. You can pick-up a complete set for the MX5 for well under £200 fitted.
I had a mismash of tyres on mine until this afternoon.
The difference in ride is very noticeable. I'll wait to find out about the handling until the tyres are properly scrubbed in.
I got 4 Kumho's (185/60-14) for under £150 and paid £20 for fitting, balancing and old tyre disposal.
MX-5 Lazza said:
Tracking? Did you just have tracking done or a full alignment? If it wasn't approaching £100 then it was just tracking which is almost pointless on an MX5.
As Richy said, a mix of cheapo tyres is never going to be good and it'll only get worse as the weather gets worse. Feels funny to say that when it's a beautiful sunny 27C day outside but it is October tomorrow!
Yeah, was full alignment, circa £100 !As Richy said, a mix of cheapo tyres is never going to be good and it'll only get worse as the weather gets worse. Feels funny to say that when it's a beautiful sunny 27C day outside but it is October tomorrow!
Thanks guys, looks like I will pop a new set on, and see what happens, I was fully expecting the garage to come back and tell me something was amiss, it seemed fine one day, and awful the next !
Does the OP have a print out of the geo alignment? He should have.
If not then I doubt the place that did the tracking was reputable.
Wheels and tyres do have a marked effect on an MX5 though. Get four of the same on, buy a reasonable make though I'd say it's not imperative to have the very best that money can buy.
If not then I doubt the place that did the tracking was reputable.
Wheels and tyres do have a marked effect on an MX5 though. Get four of the same on, buy a reasonable make though I'd say it's not imperative to have the very best that money can buy.
MX-5 Lazza said:
Actually, nobody has mentioned tyre pressures yet! Make sure they are all set to around 27psi.
I'd go more like 29-30, especially as budget tyres often have pretty weak sidewalls which won't be helping.Even with 4 good tyres if one has a slow leak and is out by 5-10psi the whole car will feel pretty horrible.
Hi all, thanks for the input !
Am going to change tyres this week, pressure wise they are all at 27 psi, yes it was a problem that came on suddenly over a few weeks (I know that sounds stupid !) let me clarify, my wife uses the car when i am not, so I guess it was a week between me driving it and it being fine, and a week later hoping in and thinking this aint right!
But the car would of been used everyday which lends credence to the problem being with the tyres going off.
Am going to change tyres this week, pressure wise they are all at 27 psi, yes it was a problem that came on suddenly over a few weeks (I know that sounds stupid !) let me clarify, my wife uses the car when i am not, so I guess it was a week between me driving it and it being fine, and a week later hoping in and thinking this aint right!
But the car would of been used everyday which lends credence to the problem being with the tyres going off.
Geoffers said:
Hi all, thanks for the input !
Am going to change tyres this week, pressure wise they are all at 27 psi, yes it was a problem that came on suddenly over a few weeks (I know that sounds stupid !) let me clarify, my wife uses the car when i am not, so I guess it was a week between me driving it and it being fine, and a week later hoping in and thinking this aint right!
But the car would of been used everyday which lends credence to the problem being with the tyres going off.
Did you get a print-out of the geo?Am going to change tyres this week, pressure wise they are all at 27 psi, yes it was a problem that came on suddenly over a few weeks (I know that sounds stupid !) let me clarify, my wife uses the car when i am not, so I guess it was a week between me driving it and it being fine, and a week later hoping in and thinking this aint right!
But the car would of been used everyday which lends credence to the problem being with the tyres going off.
Evangelion said:
heebeegeetee said:
Did you get a print-out of the geo?
Good point, you have to watch these garages as sometimes they set it to the standard Mazda settings whether you want them to or not.Watched them do the tracking, all the numbers were all over the place apparently, they said they adjusted it as it should be.
I dont know enough about it, just that it felt wrong when i took it in, and no better when I drove it away!
Hi, I am on my first MX5, 1999 mk2. When I got the car it had good tyres on, but they were budgets. The handling was terrible, tail happy and very unpredictable. I fitted a set of Uniroyal Rainmaster tyres and the handling was transformed. The handling is now good, but have been recommended to have a 4 wheel alignment done (@ £100 at a specialist). Running around 28psi seems to work for me. Toyo Proxes tyres also recommended by users of the MX5 owners club website, a good site for info aswell. Good luck.
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