Replaced Tie Rods: Safe to drive at all before Alignment?
Thread Starter
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All Star
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 961
Likes: 1
From: Akron, OH
Wow, and the hits just keep on coming...ok I swear I'll do my best to keep it to a minimum.
Dealership suggested "Road Force Balancing" due to highway speed vibration, which possibly means defective tires, as evidenced by excessive "Road Force Run Out" and tire cupping.
Truck taken to trusted shop close by for 2 wheel alignment, when completed shop agreed to drop her off down the road at Midas for balancing.
Had to stop back at Midas anyway to drop off "special" socket (it's not special) to remove lug nuts. While there, tire guy said that alignment guy noticed that ALL 4 tires have a good amount of "cupping".
Called Dealership back and relayed information. Dealership asks me for all info I have from when tires were purchased (from tirerack.com).
Was out at the time and had to call tirerack.com to get sales copy, to forward to Dealer. Order pulled up quickly, and at the same time was nearly "interrogated" as to truck history and my driving since purchase.
Praying that they are under warranty, a new/free set of BFG TA KO's would be sweet. But more importantly I want a nice, smooth, and SAFE ride.
OK GUYS, WHATCHA GOT? ANYONE, ANYONE? HOPE I'M NOT ALONE ON THIS ONE.
Dealership suggested "Road Force Balancing" due to highway speed vibration, which possibly means defective tires, as evidenced by excessive "Road Force Run Out" and tire cupping.
Truck taken to trusted shop close by for 2 wheel alignment, when completed shop agreed to drop her off down the road at Midas for balancing.
Had to stop back at Midas anyway to drop off "special" socket (it's not special) to remove lug nuts. While there, tire guy said that alignment guy noticed that ALL 4 tires have a good amount of "cupping".
Called Dealership back and relayed information. Dealership asks me for all info I have from when tires were purchased (from tirerack.com).
Was out at the time and had to call tirerack.com to get sales copy, to forward to Dealer. Order pulled up quickly, and at the same time was nearly "interrogated" as to truck history and my driving since purchase.
Praying that they are under warranty, a new/free set of BFG TA KO's would be sweet. But more importantly I want a nice, smooth, and SAFE ride.
OK GUYS, WHATCHA GOT? ANYONE, ANYONE? HOPE I'M NOT ALONE ON THIS ONE.
Thread Starter
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All Star
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 961
Likes: 1
From: Akron, OH
Everything I've read is telling me that "cupping" or "scalloping" is usually caused by 3 things.
1. Bad Suspension
2. Bad Alignment
3. Cheap Tires
To that I retort:
1. Pretty much the entire front and rear suspension (to now include Tie Rods) was upgraded within the first 8,000 miles of tire life, and at time of replacement it wasn't even that bad.
2. 1st Alignment done as soon as wheels first put on (Tires were shipped mounted and balanced by Tirerack) , 2nd Alignment (and tire balancing) done about 8K miles later (after accident), 3rd Alignment done today (Balancing skipped due to discovery of cupping) after Tie Rod replacement (10K later)
3. These are BFG TA KO's ... far from cheap, and after only 18K miles on them, they still have a TON of tread left.
IDK either man, which is why I'm a little nervous. Only thing I got going for me is that the dealership guys that are cool are looking into it right now, and sometime here in the next week or so, I'm gonna go in for the Road Force Balancing...during which they said they are going to perform some kind of testing to possibly confirm if tires are defective. I got my fingers crossed man.