magnetix35o

iTrader: (8)

I have an '06 and after replacing the stock 18"s with some 8.5/9.5 19" SF-challenges, I seem to be having feathering issues. I can hear the front tire growling hard at speed of 30+. I'm still at stock ride height and alignment wasn't off before I put the wheels on. Any ideas to why I'm feathering? and do you think a proper alignment and maybe wheel balacing will fix my issue?

Thanks guys.

AlvinHuyN

iTrader: (73)

Are the wheels and tires new or use? Could just be the new tires being louder than stock.

Ztalker

did your stock 18"front tires feathered before you got those 19"s?
if not...your alignment should be fine.
i'm running on a set of 06 stock 18" front oem tires with less than 50% tread remaining, there are absolutely no feathering/cupping whatsoever.

magnetix35o

iTrader: (8)

They are a used set.

Ztalker

you've just answered your own question.

magnetix35o

iTrader: (8)

They didn't have feathering problems with the OEMs on, except for one certain street where I did hear the same sound on one patch on the road.

Ztalker

replace your 19" front tires now... that's where the noise is coming from.

yoichi

iTrader: (4)

probably just loud tires

davidv

iTrader: (2)

The new wheels and tires did not cause feathering.
How many miles are on the tires?
Photos are helpful.

Ziggyrama

iTrader: (15)

The only true way to know is to have the car on an alignment machine and see what comes up. Until you do that, you're just guessing. Changing tire size/width will effect your alignment. With the wide tires on our cars, they will be less tolerant to un-optimal (is that a word?) alignment, especially toe and to some degree, camber. I am willing to bet your alignment changed because you changed the wheels and especially tires. Different tires have different sidewall stiffness which will change the effective static camber which will most likely change your toe as well, depending where toe was before. As a general rule, you should always do an alignment after you change wheels and tires, especially to different size.

My recommendation is to have the car checked on an alignment machine. It doesn't cost that much to get it done and our cars are easy to adjust. It's certainly cheaper than buying a new set of tires in 10K miles which will not fix the potential source of the problem anyways.

Lawy'dU

iTrader: (1)

did you get your car re-aligned once you swapped wheels and tires? That's a basic fix for you.

gtwnu

iTrader: (13)

Hubcentric rings? Bent wheel?