For the first time in nearly 15 years I let my RT sit for ~6.5 weeks without being driven. When finally driven, the car clearly vibrated and I chalked it up to the tires being out of round. I read that this is not a problem for modern tires, drive the car around for a bit and the tires will rebound. This did seem to be the case, i.e., vibration stopped but I wanted get the Forum's thoughts, e.g., is this a problem, remedies, etc. The car typically drives smooth as glass and I can't say for certain that it did but I could be imagining it. I also read that dealerships combat this by putting in extra tire pressure.

Note: the tires are ~ 2 years old, tread depth nearly like new, maintain 32psi

 

They will round out but have a shortened life span. When I had a badge, I was also the motor officer. I went down to the county garage and there were several retired police units with brand new tires. I took the unit car down there and swapped the front tires off two of them onto our car. It thumped down the road but eventually smoothed out. I only had a budget of $100 per year, which didn't go far even in the 1980's. I got real inventive with repairs and the particular car I normally drove was older than the other and was more blocky and stodgy, but after I tuned it, it would smoke the tires in 1st, 2nd and 3rd gears and chirp them going into overdrive.

In the future, you might want to raise the car and store it on jack stands with the suspension unloaded. This will stop flat spotting and prevent suspension sagging from age.

 

Great anecdote! While the RT is not a daily driver, I typically never go longer than 2 weeks between rides and usually get out once a week. I won't let this happen again!

 

I check the psi regularly and the tires will lose ~2.5 - 3psi over a short period of time. Not sure why. I'm at 4750ft above sea level and I would think, if anything, the pressure would increase.

 

How old is the rubber? Ozone is more reactive at higher elevations as well as more UV light getting to the ground through thinner atmosphere

 

Jack stands is the best solution to the problem, though I wouldn't get overly concerned with tire if you can handle the first few miles of vibration, just a bettter excuse to excerise that RT...

 

Agreed! Tires are two years old for context, garaged 24X7.

 

I saw somewhere, what were basically 'blocks', that were rounded such that it supported more of the tire when you parked on 'em. Designed specifically to prevent flat spots, for cars that spend most of their time parked.

 

I remember bias ply tires ... I had a set that every morning it bounced up and down on the way to work ... I had a 20 mile drive and about 2 miles they smoothed out.

Just saying it was common back in the day, my tires were 14" 6 ply truck tires that I customized and put a Bandag retread on them ... it just was a heavy stiff tire and it did what it did. Was not uncommon.

Modern tires have different and softer rubber compounds ... really should not have flat spots on modern tires ... IMHO

If you have a car that sat for a couple years ... makes sense .... a car that sat for 2 weeks ... I dunno

Not sure how I would feel about modern tires that sat for 2 weeks and have flat spots ... I understand flat spots ... just not on modern tires.

 

I agree - I drove the RT yesterday and it was smooth as glass. I think it was just an anomaly where the car sat longer than usual.