I have a 2003 350Z with the tire feathering problem. Its the touring edition with the 18" rims.

The tires groan at low speeds and you can visually see that the inside tread is more worn out than the outside tread on the front tires. Its barely noticeable on the rears. What I want to do is dismount the front 2 tires from their rims and remount them on the opposite sides so the outside becomes the inside and vice versa and being that they're directional they will still spin in the correct direction.

I went to a local mechanic and he said he'd do it but advised against it cause he said if I do it the belts in the tire will seperate because the pressure will be on different parts of the tires. Can anyone confirm or deny if thats true?

Also, if I'm going to do this should I do the rears too? If I do it should I drive around on it without an alignment until the wear evens out and then get an alignment?

How about just leaving the tires where they are and getting the car aligned to the new specs at the dealer (I know about the TSB)? Would that even them out?

Theres still a good amount of tread overall on the tires so I'm willing to spend a couple of bucks now to extend their life and get rid of that annoying groaning. Thanks!

 

Are you considering doing this to eliminate the roar? It will not work. I tried it.

 

my advise if for you to find another alignment shop that will do it for you. i know some shops will refuse to rotate directional tires because they might damage the tire in the process, but if you find the right shop they'll skillfully do it for you problem free.

as for the rears, i don't rotate them because they wear out pretty evenly.

here's what i wrote in another thread but i think it may help you somewhat:

from all the reading that i have done on the tire feathering issue I believe that the consensus is three steps:
1. Get a Lifetime Alignment deal with some tire shop (Firestone is where I got mine)
2. Replace the stock Bridgestone RE040 with something better or less prone to feathering (i got the Pilot Sports)
3. Do tire rotations (this will require taking off the tires and swapping them so make sure your alignment shop will do it for you)

 

I'd like to eliminate the roar but my main concern is to get as much life as possible out of the tires.


Being that its going to take several thousand miles before the fronts even out if I rotate them, should I intentionally not get an alignment now, to speed up the evening out process, and once they're even, then get the alignment?

Or should I rotate and do the alignment at the same time? I'm just not sure if getting it aligned with tires still worn unevenly, even if I do rotate them to opposite sides, will help or hurt.

Also, do most shops have the new alignment specs? Does anybody have a copy of them?

That same mechanic said that he thinks only the dealer would have the new specs and he doesn't think that they were released to the public? Is that true? It seems like he doesn't know what he's talking about.

I looked at the TSB at: http://www.nissantireproblems.com/046TSBNTB04-043.pdf

I'm assuming the toe-in recommendations in there are modified from the original specs?

Thanks again

 

If the front tires are feathered, they will never even out.