Wheel balancing

[Yttrium]

So you're saying a dry biased type of tyre wears longer? Because of harder compound?

[Pauly75ts]

"a dry biased type of tyre wears longer?"

 

Hi! there Yttrium,

 

It has nothing to do with tyres, it's just the design of my suspension system. Give me any tyres to mount on my car and others need better performance ones to try to come close to mine.

 

Rgds

 

Paul Yong

[Yttrium]

I see.. yeah I guess continental cars generally have better suspension setups..

 

So what's the reason for dry biased tyres at the rear then?

[Super7]

Yttrium, eh, i thought you were racing with stanc???

[Zrun]

Usually, I balance the tires more than necessary..

 

There's this deal at Pep Boys, 45USD unlimited alignment for 6 months.

So I can do my alignment twice within the period, at the same time do rotation and balancing for free. Alignment do not go out that easily... When the car pulls to one side, it is more likely caused by treads, road condition more than the toe of the tires, provided you align at least once a year.. There's nothing to worry about even the alignment is slightly off...

 

The dreaded thing is that my tires and rims are directional.. when rotating, they won't remount the tires on the other rims.. So, I still get uneven wear on the inside, and that voids the "so-called" warranty..

 

I had a nissan maxima that the steering column vibrates at about 110 - 120 kmh range... Didn't figure out the problem though, I sold it after a while..

My car (RWD) got a new drive shaft kit, and it vibrates abit while acceleration too.. But I just get used to it..

[Pauly75ts]

"I guess continental cars generally have better suspension setups."

 

Hi! there, Yttrium,

 

Not just any conti car, it's the 1890s designed axle patented by Albert de Dion, when he made cars under his company's name De Dion Bouton, even though it wasn't designed by him. It's refered to as the de Dion axle. By the way he's French, and with noble class then, the poor designer, Trepardoux, won't get a mention in history.

 

So, the de Dion(Trepardoux) axle, together with the Watt linkage, which is another wrong term, it's correctly known as the Watt parallelogram, keeps the rear suspension flat on the ground no matter how much the body/chassis of the car rolls.

 

The first few weeks that I had the car, I didn't like the way it goes around the bends, as an up-rated suspension kit was on it. So, I swapped the kit with my brother's 1975 Alfetta 1.8GT.

I was in a state of real shock at the amount of body-roll my car was doing, it almost feel like I'm scrapping my ears on the ground. After getting used to it, I kind of liked it, as it won't let me go too fast around the bends.

But now the kit, minus the springs is back on my car when my brother scrapped his Alfetta.

 

The front tyres are for wet grip, while the rear is throttle-controlled on my car, so no need for wet grip. When the approach is too fast at the bend, I'd change to 5th and reduce the wheel spin at the rear.

 

Rgds

 

Paul Yong

[Pauly75ts]

"My car (RWD) got a new drive shaft kit, and it vibrates abit while acceleration too.. But I just get used to it."

 

Hi! there, Zrun,

 

Like mine, your car has a 2-piece propshaft? Unlike mine, which are joined by 3 rubber donuts(guibos) and a centre bearing, you have U-joints, right?

 

There was an enquiry to Joe Beninca in Australia for a propshaft for my car with less donuts. The reply was it's for a track car, not suitable for road use, due to the excessive vibration. My propshaft turns at engine speed, as it's connected to the clutch/trans/diff housing which is at the back of the car.

 

If I do too much accel /de-cel, the rubber donuts will break easily, with possible/did/seen damage to the shaft tunnel/clutch bell-housing.

 

Rgds

 

Paul Yong

[Guyver]

Sounds logical enough.. So now if my two front Kumhos wear out, i would just shift the remaining 2 rears to either side and just get two for the other side

 

Think for those that needs to drive up 4 level before u get a parking lot at the HDB MSCP.... should put the older tyres on the left and new ones on the right.... since they got to make 8 spins before they park!!

 

Btw.. can anyone tell me.... which tyres will wear out faster... my car is front wheel drive.... pls advise....

[Guyver]

Frankly... i didn't know that there's so much issue in this... i mean.. back then when i was going at 160km/h... didn't notice any vibration at the steering.... or whatever... the sound i could hear is the road noise (whose who travel on NS highway will know what i mean)....

[Pauly75ts]

"i didn't know that there's so much issue in this"

 

Hi! there, Guyver,

 

You were then using your 14s, 60series, well-balanced tyres, so you don't feel it. All it needs is a flat spot on one of your tyre, and the balance is out.

 

Rgds

 

Paul Yong

[Zrun]

2 pieces? erm.. I'm only sure that it's not 1 piece, as 1 piece is a popular performance upgrade for 300ZX. I suppose it'll be 2 piece if 3 pieces do not exists.

 

I get the kit installed at $200+ USD.. A single piece graphite shaft costs 400+.. I've also heard that only when you are extremely lucky that you can get the 1 piece balanced..

 

Why do u say propshaft turns at engine speed? Is propshaft the links in a drive shaft?

[Pauly75ts]

"Is propshaft the links in a drive shaft?"

 

Hi! there, Zrun,

 

I've just found out that in the US, driveshaft is to UK, propshaft. Over here, in Singapore, we learnt UK english.

 

Graphite shafts sounds great, but I'm afraid it would be too expensive over here.

 

The Alfa Romeo 75 TwinSpark 2.0L that I drive, is the Milano model in the US, which uses the 2.5L & 3.0L V6 engines.

 

The propshaft connects from the engine flywheel to the clutch flywheel at the rear of the car, that why it's turning at engine speed.

 

Here's a link to an Alfa Milano site.

 

http://www.joesspiderweb.com/milano.html

 

Rgds

 

Paul Yong

[Sky8807]

Agree with u that alignment does not goes off easily and nothing to worry about if alignment is slightly out. Depend on the road condition we drive in, if we do not encounter driving in bad road or unpaved surface, driving for months will not disturbed our alignment and affect our tyre balance and wheel alignment.

 

Tyre will tend to wear on the inside after some mileage, that is one of the reason why rotation is recommended. If rotation is not possible, then wheel alignment and balance become important to prolong the life of the tyre before replacement.

 

If after balancing and wheel alignment, vibration still exist, then it is more complicated then usual, selling off is one of the wise option.

[Madarmour]

It's a combination of 7 different flowers added into bath water, thought to purify any bad luck! Can't really remember what kinda flowers they consists of, though!

 

Another option is to get some 'holy' water of your religion and sprinkle ovey your car and yourself!

 

I don't really believe in this kind of things but when bad luck comes, you's try everything!

[Yttrium]

That was real informative :-)

Thanks for the short history lesson in suspension

[Yttrium]

Come to think of it, I do have to go round like 5 right corners before I get to my favourite lot in the office. But I guess its negated by the 4 left corners in the MSCP at home!

 

Actually this could be a significant cause of tyre wear, I noticed my mom's car had significantly higher wear on the front left tyre than the right. She probably makes more turns on one side than the other... Out of curiosity.. Which would wear more? The inside tyre or the outside?

[Yttrium]

For a moment I seriously thought that was some new automotive product that I should checkout!

 

Would have been good for my mountain bike tyres too... prevent "snakebite" punctures.

[Yttrium]

Oh I forgot to tell you I have a clone running around somewhere...

 

Btw did you happen to see him around the Bugis area yesterday around 6pm driving my car?