nismomike

iTrader: (9)

Hey guys,
Hoping you could maybe help/explain as to why when I take turns at a relatively high speed or an on ramp at a higher speeds, the steering wheel feels like the front wheels are "hopping" or "skipping" across the road. I upgraded my tire sizes all around on my Nismo to 265/40/18 front and 285/35/19 rear, up from 245/40, 265/35, respectively. Could the upgraded tire sizes be the cause? It didn't do it before, with the stock fronts, from what I remember? I was just wondering because it has happened a couple times, and it scares me nearly half to death, because I feel like I am gonna lose traction and that will be end of it, if it came out to be that way. Is there a cause for this? Any input or help would be greatly appreciated!

davidv

iTrader: (2)

Uneven road surface may result in a short hop or skip. Or it is just a characteristic of the tires. Which you did not name.

Zian

It's largely speculation without feeling it or knowing specifics, but sometimes larger, grippier tires will hold grip longer, but once you are over the edge they give and mean it. With the stockers you are used to a more progressive loss of traction, while the new tires may hold traction a bit longer but then let go because once overwhelmed; more weight is being pushed in that direction. If this is indeed what you are experiencing, the good news is that once you learn how the car handles at the limit with the new tires, you should be ok. Sometimes this is related to tread material and compound too. For example, an inexperienced driver can go much faster on R-comp tires than on the stockers because the grippier compound will mask mistakes and shed traction less easily, but once you are past the limit...good night. Just a guess tho, without details. Hell. Coulda been gravel ;-).

Zian

If it is still disconcerting, play with tire pressures and you may be able to minimize some of the effect.

nismomike

iTrader: (9)

The tires are Bridgestone Potenza RE-11, sorry for not naming them.

SniperHunter

iTrader: (9)

I can see a number of issues.

1) Are you running 265 and 285 width on stock wheels? By the looks of your signature, it seems that way. Because if you are and you're cornering aggressively, you run the risk of rolling your sidewall over the rim and crashing in the process.

2) A jittery, hopping, skidding feeling you're describing is most likely understeer. From what I understand, wider tires at the front will induce understeer a bit more. And if you are rolling on stockers, that wider tire on such a narrow rim certainly is making things that much worse. Put it this way, your front rim is 8 inches wide, and the tire is 10.5 inches wide. You have a slack of 2.5 inches in the front. The rear rim is 8.5 inches, and your tire is 11.2 inches. Same deal. Your sidewall needs some assistance from the rim, you see, and in your case it has none.

Again, assuming you are on stock wheels.

DavesZ#3

iTrader: (26)

What pressure are you running in them?

kacz07

iTrader: (15)

I think it's that weird feeling of rolling over the sidewall that you're feeling. I think Arnold K hit the nail on the head.

bmccann101

iTrader: (16)

get under the car and check your compression rod and Lower control arm bushings. Just had mine replaced, felt just like this. Alot of feedback from the steering wheel too. It happens soooo slowly, until you replace them, you didnt realize how bad it really was.

nismomike

iTrader: (9)

Yes, arnold K, but my rims are 9 inches in the front, and 10 inches in the back, not 8, and 8.5. These are the nismo rims, which are wider than the "stocks" already. The sidewalls are flat, or a lil more narrower than flat, they do not potrude in any way.

nismomike

iTrader: (9)

35 psi all around. Should I lower it some?

DavesZ#3

iTrader: (26)

No, 35psi would be good. I'm not sure if you really have a problem or not, it could just be that you're not used to the tires. I have RE-01s which are the old "RE-11"s. They are good tires with excellent handling. It sounds like the sizes are good for the wheel size so it's probably not an issue of them being squeezed on. You don't have them overpressured making them hard and skittish or under pressured which could allow for sidewall rollover.

BoomerZ33

iTrader: (23)

^ +1 try to break in the tires more so you don't experience the understeer feeling and check your control arms as stated above. And i keep my tire pressure btw 35-40 psi. So other than that, if you want better cornering and traction an upgraded LSD with suspension mods will do the trick as well

nismomike

iTrader: (9)

Then I guess the only solution is to work on handling/suspension mods now!

SniperHunter

iTrader: (9)

Ah, didn't notice the Nismo number there. Well, how long have you had these tires for? If it's only for a week or so, then you just need to soften up the top layer of rubber. When tires aren't used for a while they tend to harden up until driven on consistently, again.

Otherwise, I'm not sure what else it could be.

350Catfish

iTrader: (1)

From what I understand, wider tires up front will induce oversteer not understeer. That is why on JGTC/Super GT cars, they have wide body kits to accomodate increased wheel widths, therefore, have bigger/wider tires that equate to a greater contact patch.

I had this issue in May at the Streets of Willow Springs. I was plowing through turns. Next time I go, I'll have to take out my Cusco sway bar up front and put the stock one it and keep the Cusco sway in the rear. Also, lowering the tire pressure up front help a bit. I was down to 29psi, but at the end of the runs, it would climb up to about 36psi. I was running RE050 245/35/19 and RE11 285/30/19.

J. Dub

iTrader: (18)

Nismo mike are you lowered any? Have you rolled your rear fenders? I wonder if you're hitting the fender liner up front or possibly the rear tire is hitting the unrolled exterior fender causing push on the rear side tires which moves itself to the "steering effect" you described in your front tires?

idrive_MD

iTrader: (8)

Some good insight but some misleading advice aswell.

First, wide front tires will not cause understeer, they will help eliminate it. They might cause some oversteer, but an adjustable sway bar combo will fix that. Additionally, I dont think your rolling on your sidewall and doubt the VDC or ABS is acting up.

It would seem you are suffering from having grippy front tires on a wide short wheelbase vehicle. Its somewhat of a common problem and a new alignment and/or sway bar might help. If that doesnt do it, you may need to look into a coilover setup. If you dont want to change your ride height or anything than an adjustable strut setup from Koni or Tokico D-specs might also help iron out the skipping.

best of luck!

Technically speaking:

When your turned... the front tires (265's) are so wide that the outside edge of the tire (in relation to the center of the circle made by the turn) would have to be spinning faster to cover the same ground as the inside... so it skips... its called scouring.

I have 285/30/19s on the front of my G35 coupe, but I've never experienced this issue...must be the slightly longer wheel base and the mild suspension mods.

ismaelvalencia

Couldn't be the FRONT WHEEL HUB???