Is the dealership jipping me? Are my tires too wide?

[wade0731]

I'm running 245/40/19 tires and 19" wheels with 40 stock offset. When they were first put on I had them aligned and balanced etc. This was a week and a half ago. It is definitely not aligned and the past few days I noticed a horrible rubbing sound from the back right tire. So I took it to the dealership told them it's been a week and a half, something is going on with my back tire at speeds around 75+ and it's not aligned correctly. They take it in then tell me that everything checked out okay, and that my wheels and tires are causing this since they are so wide and the car wasn't made for this. I asked why just the right side was doing it and not the left because that makes no since. He said it's probably rubbing the fender, but there is a good bit of clearance between it and the fender. Is the dealership jipping me? When they were first put on this noise wasn't happening with the back right wheel. I gave them hub centric rings to put on also, I almost wonder if they didn't even put them on because of the vibration at high speeds on the steering wheel.

They said since it is such a low profile tire, the tire will grip every bump and curve in the road causing it to seem unaligned. Even though when I am going straight my steering wheel is slightly to the right..
Any suggestions?

 

[Andrizzle]

How wide is the new wheel?

Also if your steering wheel is not centered when going straight, whoever did your alignment, did it with the wheel turned and not straight.

I don't think anyone is trying to "jip" you. Who did the original alignment?

 

[SVC-66]

They said since it is such a low profile tire, the tire will grip every bump and curve in the road causing it to seem unaligned. Even though when I am going straight my steering wheel is slightly to the right..
Any suggestions?

I think it's possible for the alignment to be right even tho the steering wheel is off center.

As for low profiles, the only advantage they have is at the moment of turn-in on a curve...after that they provide no advantage. Gripping "every bump" is more a function of a good suspension - doesn't matter what kind of rubber you have if the suspension doesn't keep it in contact w/ the road. As for gripping curves, profile is irrelevant...once you're in the curve it's a matter of rubber compound and, again, suspension.

 

[T-Money]

Your tires are not too wide. Especially not to wide for the rear.

 

[wade0731]

This is what I thought too. They are stock offset too.. so it should work. What could be the problem with the vibration from the back right tire? At first I thought the door was loose so I stopped and shut it good and it still happened.

 

[SVC-66]

I thought stock offset was 60-something...

 

[1LoudLS]

I think it's possible for the alignment to be right even tho the steering wheel is off center.

no, its not... part of doing an alignment is centering the wheel. that just shows lack of care when doing the job.
also there are sensors for everything, the wheel needs to be centered when the car is driving straight for everything to work properly, you wouldn't want you advance track getting wrong information when it is processing things at a 1000 times a second when its trying to keep you out of the ditch...





I would take the wheel off yourself and have a look, are the hub centric rings in there, and you should be able to see very easily where any rubbing is and why its rubbing. then i would take it back and have them do the alignment right.

 

[T-Money]

This is what I thought too. They are stock offset too.. so it should work. What could be the problem with the vibration from the back right tire? At first I thought the door was loose so I stopped and shut it good and it still happened.

Well the stock offset is actually 60+. But still my dads LS has larger tires than mine and he has a 40 offset. His are fine.

Are you lowered or anything??

 

[Telco]

While you are looking for the hub centric rings, look for signs of rubbing. By now, whatever is rubbing should have left signs.

You might also get a tape measure and measure the distance from the ground to the edge of the fenderwell. These cars are old enough to have suspension wear, assuming you haven't replaced them yet, and your springs may be getting weak. Springs don't wear evenly and it's possible for one side to sag a bit more than the other side. If this is the case, a simple spring replacement might solve your problem.

Good luck with this.

 

[LS4me]

Well the stock offset is actually 60+. But still my dads LS has larger tires than mine and he has a 40 offset. His are fine.

Are you lowered or anything??

Nope.... Stock offset is 60mm.

I'm running Jaguar Tucana wheels (18X8) with a, IIRC, 50mm offset and 255/40 tires. No rubbing at all and the alignment is spot on. Whomever did the alignment doesn't know what they're doing!!!!!

 

[T-Money]

Nope.... Stock offset is 60mm.

I'm running Jaguar Tucana wheels (18X8) with a, IIRC, 50mm offset and 255/40 tires. No rubbing at all and the alignment is spot on. Whomever did the alignment doesn't know what they're doing!!!!!

Haha you must have be writing this when I was fixing my error. I know it's 60.

 

[LS4me]

Haha you must have be writing this when I was fixing my error. I know it's 60.

Yea..... I was surprised you "didn't" know that.

I know I've never typed the wrong thing.....:shifty: :shifty: :shifty:

 

[SVC-66]

no, its not... part of doing an alignment is centering the wheel. that just shows lack of care when doing the job.
also there are sensors for everything, the wheel needs to be centered when the car is driving straight for everything to work properly, you wouldn't want you advance track getting wrong information when it is processing things at a 1000 times a second when its trying to keep you out of the ditch...

Fair point...I keep thinking in a general automotive sense when so much of this is decidedly not general.

 

[joegr]

no, its not... part of doing an alignment is centering the wheel. that just shows lack of care when doing the job...

Yeah its very annoying that about half the time after an alignment I have to turn around and take it back to them and tell them, no I really would like the steering to be correctly centered. This has happened even though it was centered before they started the alignment, and even though they did a test drive before handing it over.

 

[wade0731]

Yeah, it is very annoying paying them to do all of this and it isn't even aligned.. Second time I've been there and it's been the same. Going to go there and tell them to center the dang wheel.. I won't be doing business with the dealership anymore unless I absolutely have to. I usually do everything myself but this I can't.

 

[RigsLS]

^ "True center steering wheel" on alignment.

 

[msgtusmc]

^ "True center steering wheel" on alignment.

The chassis was engineered for 16in & 17in rims/tires. Plus 1 allows 18 in max! Over that size upsets the chassis, to NO advantage in driving the car! I would make sure all the chassis components were in perfect working order/replaced before putting this high stress on the components!! Waste of money from my perspective and dangerous! Good luck!

 

[RigsLS]

^ You must be confused or on glue ... I simply referred to the fact that when someone is looking for a straight steering pad on an alignment the words are "True center steering". That's all ... and my 19" are holding up just fine, nothing dangerous about it, thanks for the heads up though, much appreciated.

 

[wade0731]

I hate to admit it but the dealership was right.. The fender was rubbing against the tire. The front inner fender well had came loose some how, and it was just a little piece that was rubbing against it. Fixed that and now it doesn't do it anymore.

Also I don't believe this is dangerous due to the fact there are tons of people who run 19s on this forum and have yet to have an accident, that I know of, due to larger wheels and tires.

 

[RigsLS]

Original stock wheel w/ tire outside radius is closely matched when upsizing the wheels then reducing the side wall.
Agreed ... nothing dangerous about it. Has been done a hundred million times over, all around the world, on many of different types of cars.

 

[1LoudLS]

there is nothing dangerous about 19" wheels. plain and simple

a worn out suspension part is dangerous no matter what sized wheels are on it...




now getting crazy with unsprung weight can wear these parts out faster, but its not the size of the wheel.

hell I've lifted some of the bigger OEM chrome wheels, there is no shortage of weight there, I'm sure you could find more than a couple of 19" for the same weight.

 

[L_King]

I'm running VW 19x9 with 245/40s and a 38 offset and eibachs. Fronts rubbed when I had bad lower control arm bushings. That is fixed but I still rub with weight in the back or on big dips. Nothing rolling the quarters won't solve.

 

[eots44]

I think the real question is when isn't the dealership jipping me?

 

[Telco]

The fender was rubbing against the tire. The front inner fender well had came loose some how, and it was just a little piece that was rubbing against it. Fixed that and now it doesn't do it anymore.

I'd have to wonder how good that dealer would be, if they blame tires for a rubbing sound but miss a loose inner fender. That implies that their check was to walk up to the car, see the aftermarket tires, then say "it's your oversize tires, that's 100 dollars for the diagnosis please." If they'd actually inspected the car they should have found it for you.

The chassis was engineered for 16in & 17in rims/tires. Plus 1 allows 18 in max! Over that size upsets the chassis, to NO advantage in driving the car! I would make sure all the chassis components were in perfect working order/replaced before putting this high stress on the components!! Waste of money from my perspective and dangerous! Good luck!

The only thing diameter affects is what RPM the engine runs at for any speed, and without body modifications the LS can't get a large enough wheel on there to affect anything negatively other than the speedometer. Weight is the real problem, so wheel selection to keep the weight of the wheel/tire combo (hereafter in this post referred to as wheel/wheels) to no more than 5lbs over the factory wheels should be the goal. Me, I don't put anything on that weighs more than the factory wheel weight. The last aftermarket setup I bought replaced my 16in/29in diameter factory truck wheels with 17in/32in diameter wheels, the new wheel combo actually weighed in at 5lbs less per unit than the factory combo. This is actually easier on the suspension than the factory set, because not only is there less weight to manage but there's more sidewall to absorb road shock than the factory setup.

 

[LS_Monk]

Im running 245/40/19 with 38mm offset and 1/4 spacers (to clear my brake calipers) and no issues not even a vibration. I am also riding on Bilstein jag shocks and H & R lowering springs.