bstansbu

iTrader: (1)

I have a 2003 Track that just reached 10,000 miles. Tire roar just started last week after I arrived in Houston (1200 mile road trip from NM). Took it to a dealer in Houston and the guy told me he would allign it and give me new tires. I know from the 1000 or so previous post that this will prob not work for long term but at least it will quiet down for a while. I asked the service tech if he could tell me what is causing the feathering and here is his response. " Well sir, this tire problem is prevalent because nissan designed the 350 to have so much down force on the front end that it bows the front tires inwards and cause exesive wear and then tire roar. There is no way to fix this problem." I tried not to laugh until I left the dealership because he has not installed my free tires yet.lol BEN

King Tut

iTrader: (1)

I would partially go along with that. The issue is the soft tires combined with agressive suspension settings and negative camber alignment. That negative camber does cause the front tires to "bow" the tires inwards. It isn't really downforce that does it though.

zh.guitar

iTrader: (1)

Awhile ago someone suggested the downforce theory as well. Something about braking increases the front downforce and causes the feathering. Maybe that is why it is louder when braking. Someone also suggested that if you engine brake more often your tires will not feather. You might just wear out your clutch faster.

Th3Cleaner

I have had my car for 6 months I have 15K miles on it, and the noise from the tire vibration are killing me.. It's been a good 3 months waiting for tires that the dealer says ..are comming.

bstansbu
I just notice your in farmington, I just moved from that hole a year ago, to another hole just like it in Colorado :-), At least Colorado has plenty of Z driving from the Spanish Peaks (S.Co) to
WY

zh.guitar
if you emgine brake more less, and wear your clutch..doesnt that defeat the purpose of a warranty? let the tires feather, they get replaced under warranty anyway, I am sure a clucth is not covered the same way.

bstansbu

iTrader: (1)

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Th3Cleaner
[B]I have had my car for 6 months I have 15K miles on it, and the noise from the tire vibration are killing me.. It's been a good 3 months waiting for tires that the dealer says ..are comming.

bstansbu
I just notice your in farmington, I just moved from that hole a year ago, to another hole just like it in Colorado :-), At least Colorado has plenty of Z driving from the Spanish Peaks (S.Co) to
WY

FArmington is not that bad. How old are? Maybe I know you. where in Co are you now?

NismoKid

How does engine braking wear out the clutch? I think you're thinking of using the clutch to brake (not rev matching for downshifts). Engine braking is leaving the car in gear, staying off the gas, and letting the engine slow the car down (puts more stress on the engine, but automatics do it also).

Pilot_Z

iTrader: (13)

Ben-
Looks like we'll have to design a lifting device for the front end.
Anybody interested in a wing that bolts on to the front of the hood?

damoniusmonk

I think it would be perfect to lift the front tires off the ground, that way we'll be burning gas only moving 2 tires -- 50% improvement in gas and no feathering!

In all seriousness, why don't they just adjust it for some positive camber if we're always braking and causing the suspension to bow

bstansbu

iTrader: (1)

Hi Nate!! Sign me up for the hood wing, preferably a large carbon fiber ricer style wing. lol

Dr Bonz

iTrader: (1)

If it really WAS downforce that caused it, why would there be any difference between slowing down with the brakes vs slowing down using the engine? Either way, downforce is downforce isn't it? When you decellerate, the front of the car goes down due to a shifting of the weight from the back to the front. It shouldn't matter if the cause of this is the brakes or the engine right?

MadMax76

I have a feeling not everyone understands what downforce really is. I don't know how I got that feeling but I can't shake it off . As far as the wing goes I would install it under the front lip. It should help plowing through the snow!

Pilot_Z

iTrader: (13)

Good One MadMax

If we're talking about downforce in the most basic sense, then I guess that we can conclude that the engine weight causes downforce

Ok...Ok... seriously....

Do you think that perhaps the suspension was designed with preliminary engine weight data, and maybe through the design process the engine got heavier and the suspension was overlooked

Come on Nissan!
Fess up to the problem...
& issue a recall that is not a band-aid

zh.guitar

iTrader: (1)

I'm not sure on that Bonz just repeating what I read. It might make sense though since car is rear wheel drive the drag would come from the rear more and there would be less transfer to the front. Also I engine brake all the time and never have replaced a clutch yet in 3 cars 200k miles. I have noticed that people brake much harder than the engine brake. Mostly due to stopping distance. You tend to start braking with the engine much sooner and more gradually.

Of course you have to consider the bouncy shocks in there too.

Those are my observations and honestly I don't think that is the cause at all, even though you can kinda rationlize it.

damoniusmonk

Even though this thread is 75% bologna I'd like to pose a question:

Do people with lips on the front of their Zs experience more feathering than others??

Tekwon-V

iTrader: (13)

um.. it's my understanding that it's the sensitive TOE setting that's causing the irregular wear aka "feathering". not the camber setting.

350G

iTrader: (4)

Looking at my laser alignment results from months ago, it was excessive toe-in (out of spec) . . . Haven't had any probs since.

Dr Bonz

iTrader: (1)

I understand what downforce is (as in the aerodynamic kind) but that isn't what he was referring to I didn't think.

What I meant was that the front of the car dips down when you decelerate (I know that isn't true "downforce") whether you hit the brakes or downshift and let out the clutch.

Ruhtra

ROFL thats hiliarious ( i think i spelled that wrong )