Hey guys,

This is not Maxima related but I had nowhere else to turn to. Anyways, I just put on 235/45/17s on my C70 this past weekend (stocks were 225/45/17s). The ride is much more responsive. However, while driving at high speeds (aka 75-80MPH - my usual driving speed ), the car seems to drift left and right. Like, if I hold on to the steering wheel and not move it, the car shifts from side to side. It's come to the point where it's actually starting to freak me out, like I have no control of the car. Note that the tires are on 17X7.5 rims so they fit fine. Did the whole alignment thing - within spec. Tire pressure - fine. Can anyone tell me what's wrong? TIA.

Regards,
Mike H.

 

I think the wider the contact patch on your tire is, the more it follows the contours of the road. On one of my older cars, I noticed that quite a bit since I switched from high profile 185s to low profile 235s. I found it to be worse a low speeds though.

 

Exactly! You will notice it much more if you've gone to a more agressive Z rated tire too.

You'll get used to it.

 

Cool. Thanks. Looks like it's something I need to get used to then. I thought there was something majorly wrong with my car. I didn't know going from 225 to 235 made that much of a difference. It's scares me sometimes. I hope I can get used to it real quick. At least I'm concentrating more on the road . Talk about a lot of contours on the 405 fwy! Shessh!

 

I noticed that a bit when I had 245/45 17 on the stock 7 inch wide rims with my maxima. It's called "Eraser Effect". Look at the eraser end of a pencil and rub it against the desk. You can see it flex side to side. That's what the tire is doing a rim when there is too much rubber. I have 245/40 18's on an 8-inch wide rim and I don't have that problem anymore. Pump up the tire pressure; it will make it a little better.

 

When I lived in the sh!tty streets of New Orleans the pavement was uneven and my car pulled left and right and that freaked me out, I got out the car one day at a gas station and the pavement was uneven and this only happened on certain streets, so dont worry about it, just dont punch it hard if you know the pavement is uneven the car will pull hard to one side and it may not be safe!

 

Don't worry.. What your experiencing is normal. I had the asme problem when I went from stock 16" 225 to 17X8.0" 235/45/17. It definitely pulls on the contours of the road. Flat roads are no problems.. Its just th bumpy ones or uneven pavement is where you better have at least on hand on the well instead of just resting your arm on the wheel like I do

 

Hey guys,

Thanks for all your answers... I guess I just gotta suck it up and live with it. I'll try pumping up the pressure. Right now it's 34psi (fr) and 32psi (rear). Another thing I noticed though that it only happens on concrete roads. Eventhough asphalt roads are uneven, it doesn't pull as drastically as in concrete roads. I never expected anything like this. Looks like I'll be going back to stock 225s next time around.