Twitchy on the highway...

[wonsukro]

Don't really know how to elaborate that well but this has happened twice now going >70 mph, the front tires seem to catch in a highway groove and then just let go abruptly. It's the first time it's happened to me in any vehicle I've owned and it's putting me at some unease. Pretty scary really, and I don't feel comfortable driving > 70 on all but straight lines. Is it an alignment issue? Or are the oem bridgestones really terrible.

Has anyone else had this issue?

[socalz71]

I have the Hankook and they are the same. Its the tires. Maybe the bridgestones have similar characteristics consider the low to mid quality OEMs installed.

[wonsukro]

So your car around curves at times abruptly turns you in the opposite direction of the curve?

[socalz71]

it catches the grooves of the highway and tends to pull that way. It can be because the my tires were at 45 psi making them a lot harder lending to riding them. I deflated them to 35 and do not ride as much. Check your tire pressure.

So yes, it goes where the groove or lines go.

[Imola Yellow GTi]

It's called tramlining. Hankooks are sensitive to this more so if the tires are not broken in properly.

Breakin in tires
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tirete...e.jsp?techid=5

Tramlining
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tirete....jsp?techid=47

[wonsukro]

Thank you for the terminology. I know this can happen, but the force with which it's happening is unsettling. I guess I'll check the pressures @ home and hope that is the reason.

[markitzero]

Having driven heavy all-wheel drive cars for 10 years and then going back to a lighter front wheel drive car with low profile tires I share your concern. I only experience it on deeply rutted highway but it can cause a back and forth motion that wakes you right up. I find that if you move to the left or right hand side of the lane that you are in and out of the ruts that it helps.

[wonsukro]

Having driven heavy all-wheel drive cars for 10 years and then going back to a lighter front wheel drive car with low profile tires I share your concern. I only experience it on deeply rutted highway but it can cause a back and forth motion that wakes you right up. I find that if you move to the left or right hand side of the lane that you are in and out of the ruts that it helps.

This car is a direct replacement for my 2008 VW jetta wolfsburg. That car didn't have this issue and it was just as light or lighter.

[Dysprosius]

Having driven heavy all-wheel drive cars for 10 years and then going back to a lighter front wheel drive car with low profile tires I share your concern. I only experience it on deeply rutted highway but it can cause a back and forth motion that wakes you right up. I find that if you move to the left or right hand side of the lane that you are in and out of the ruts that it helps.

This, besides my G35. I have often wondered if stiffening the steering wheel would help to compensate for this. I really miss how tight my A4's steering wheel was.

[tonymey]

As much as I hate the noise these tires produce I must say that they are very stable at speed up to 110 mph. I live in Germany and I have not had any problems with them at all at high speeds. I am alway driving this car around 90 to 100 mph.

[tdiatlast]

As much as I hate the noise these tires produce I must say that they are very stable at speed up to 110 mph. I live in Germany and I have not had any problems with them at all at high speeds. I am alway driving this car around 90 to 100 mph.

Which tires? Bridgestone or Hankooks?

I have found the hankooks very sensitive to PSI. The difference between 36 and 40 is quite noticeable at highway speeds...the higher the pressure, the twitchier the tires.

[wonsukro]

For the most part, are the highways smooth in Germany? I ave zero issues on smooth highwys. I just got back fom lunch with another passat driver, and he complained of the same thing.

[brsexton]

I had this issue as well. I found out my tires had between 45-50 PSI all the way around. So much for dealer PDI. Anyway, I put them to the specs on the door sticker and it drives and rides so much better. Besides the noise with the Hankooks, I haven't had that touchy pulling issue since.

[tonymey]

I have the H-Kooks, and I keep the PSI at 33 as recommended by the door decal. The Autobahns are not always smooth, just like in the States, some bad some good.

[wonsukro]

So after letting out about 3 psi's on all corners from 38 to 35, the tramlining has become way less noticeable. The car is however very uninspiring in the handling department.

[VernK]

All part of the decision by VW to tailor the car for the "typical" North American driver. Sadly, that has taken some of that crispness of the handling. But I must say that I've had a chance or two to approach the car's limits on back country roads in the last couple of days and those limits are further out than you might think on a first impression of the car at normal speeds.

Yours
Vern

[turboDSG]

we had a casual debate about tire PSI in another thread and I kept saying some people on here were insane having that much PSI for daily driving. This thread further shows that by the fact that just some groves in the road cause such a reaction at higher speeds.

I'll reiterate this one more time.. a 10% increase in PSI over what is recommended by the manufacturer on the door can cause up to a 20% reduction in forward traction and 20 increase in braking distance.

For the people in here mentioning close to 45+ PSI please consider how dangerous that can be given that calculation.

[LokiWolf]

we had a casual debate about tire PSI in another thread and I kept saying some people on here were insane having that much PSI for daily driving. This thread further shows that by the fact that just some groves in the road cause such a reaction at higher speeds.

I'll reiterate this one more time.. a 10% increase in PSI over what is recommended by the manufacturer on the door can cause up to a 20% reduction in forward traction and 20 increase in braking distance.

For the people in here mentioning close to 45+ PSI please consider how dangerous that can be given that calculation.

Well said and well put! I have always found the increased pressure disconcerting! Mine were at 40 from the dealer, didn't realize it until a week later, and took them down to 35, much better! Still loud, but not twitchy! Wet traction leaves a little to be desired.

This thread makes me wonder whether the people complaining about the Hankook's really just need to check their pressure. Most of the time, decreasing pressure will improve handling, and road manners.

-Loki

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[Brad2064]

Just got mine yesterday and it had a very noticeable vibration/shimy in the steering wheel. I read this thread and checked my tires. They were all between 45-50psi. I lowered them to 35psi. Much better now. Thanks

[turboDSG]

Does everyone having such sky high psi have a TDI? Almost makes me think they are doing this to get impressive Mpg figures.. That would be very stupid.

[gtaylor0]

It might have to do with shipping...maybe less chance of flat spots on the tires when tied down?

Regardless though, dealer prep should be taking care of this. 50 PSI is ridiculous for that car on the road.

[markitzero]

Does everyone having such sky high psi have a TDI? Almost makes me think they are doing this to get impressive Mpg figures.. That would be very stupid.

It's the shipping pressure that isn't being lowered during PDI. The Toaureg that I bought 3 weeks ago was the same way... 48 psi all the way around.

[JJS119]

I have the Hancook's and use the recommend tire pressure on the door according to VW. I have a nice ride, is rock solid at 110 MPH, but are somewhat noisy and I have experience tramlining with them. Owning a repair shop, owning and driving SO many different cars, from Rolls Royce's to the biggest pieces of sh*t that should not even be on the road, that I don't even notice when the car is tramlining. I do know when I burn out these Hancook's which I am trying to do, I am buying a set of Michelin's or Continental's.