New tires: pulls to left when braking

[LandCruiserSteve]

I just bought a brand-new FJC Friday night and yesterday I had a set of BFG 285 ATs installed. The tires fit great, look great on the black steel rims, and plenty of clearance on a stock suspension.

However, after the tire swap, three different times when I slowed for a stop-light, the steering wheel abruptly spun about one entire revolution to the left when final braking was applied. (Of course, when I tried to make this happen intentionally, there was no problem.)

Any ideas what was going on??

 

[sos10]

they forgot to balance the wheels...just go back to the dealer and they will adjust it. bad service though!

 

[LandCruiserSteve]

The wheels appear to be balanced (new balancing weights on the rims, grease pencil balance markings on the new tires), but I will pay them a visit this morning to verify.

 

[Lovey]

they forgot to balance the wheels...just go back to the dealer and they will adjust it. bad service though!

Huh?

Think you might notice a balancing issue at other times than braking.

Whats the road like? Ruts?

Nice to see a purist 'round these parts.
Good Luck with the truck.

 

[wct49]

Wouldn't think it was a balance problem, you would be getting a vibration.
How is it going down the road at speed, do you notice a pull?
More than likely you have more tire on the ground than before and it will track differently. You should notice the difference between the OE tire and the BFG.
Like a earlier post, your probably noticing a bad road, ruts etc, with the wider tires.
I doubt you have a tire problem.
GOOD LUCK AND ENJOY!!

Chris

 

[LandCruiserSteve]

Think you might notice a balancing issue at other times than braking.
Whats the road like? Ruts?

To be sure, I took it back to the tire store to verify the balancing. They were decent enough to pull each tire off to do a re-balance check and the tires are still right on. (The tires were rotated when they were replaced just to make sure I didn't happen to have a quirky tire and/or wheel up front.)

Several other FJC owners also suggested it might be road surface, ruts, etc. But, this is still happening (intermitently) on the cleanest level roads.

Gradual straight-line braking from about 35-40mph approaching a stop; light threshhold braking right before the stop; and full application of the brakes at the stop will kick the front wheels usually left (and sometimes right) with about one complete rotation of the steering wheel (if I let it free flow through my hands).

 

[LandCruiserSteve]

Wouldn't think it was a balance problem, you would be getting a vibration. How is it going down the road at speed, do you notice a pull?

Nope. No vibrations whatsoever, other than the typcial increased road noise going from a street tire to an All-Terrain.

And, no pulling while going down the road at speed. Just the very occasional and ever-so-slight "wandering" that you'd expect from an agressive tread like the BFG AT/KO on a light truck while driving over grooves and ruts.

Since I had the BFG's swapped on within hours of initially purchasing the FJC, I really didn't get a chance to notice if this was also occuring with the stock tires (Bridgestone HT's) as well. It very well could've been.

Anyway, I'm taking it back down to the dealership in Jacksonville where I bought it tomorrow morning. I'll let you know the diagnosis.

 

[1phrogguy]

It is the road, I have had a few cars and trucks do this to me. I wouldn't worry about it but know it is going to happen.

 

[sos10]

if it didn't happen before you changed the tires and it also happens on a perfectly flat road, then I stick to balance or alignment issues.
Or something wrong with one of the tires (like different pressure or a tire misshape.. rare but is possible)

And a small balance / alignment differences show up especially when stopping or accelerating. Vibrations can ocur on stron in balanced wheels, but not necessarily on small imperfections.

 

[back9]

Technical Service Bulletins

Try reading this:

http://brockandbecca.com/files/fj/Technical Service Bulletins/ST005-01_VehiclePullingToOneSide.pdfhttp://brockandbecca.com/files/fj/Technical Service Bulletins/ST005-01_VehiclePullingToOneSide.pdf

 

[sos10]

saw this on another forum:
Vehicles equipped with radar or laser cruise control systems (ACC, ADR, Distronic, etc.) advanced stability control systems (ESP, PSM, DTSC, VDC, VSC etc.) or electric/variable ratio power sterring systems (EPS, AFS, VGRS, etc.) may require special procedures and.or tools to properly re-calibrate the system after a wheel alignment.

Wheel alignment should not be performed on such vehicles without access to the required OEM tools and procedures. Refer to OEM documentation for further information.

 

[LandCruiserSteve]

I took it to the dealership yesterday and apparently both the factory caster and camber specs were substantially off-whack.

Dealership did a complete alignment and so far, so good.