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MG MGF Technical - The Tyre Mire, again!

Fitted 2 new 16" D2'S on the rear of my TF. Initially handling was atrocious, IMHO, DANGEROUS! after reading various threads about running-in for 500,800 even 1500 miles,thought, that must be the answer. Now done 2k, handling still crap,VICIOUS tramlining, sawing away at the wheel even on the straight bits,unless the road is snooker-table smooth.Drove 2 TF's yesterday, both on original tyres, both drove straight as an arrow, hands off braking at 60-70mph no prob.Patience is now exhausted, who is responsible? MGR or GOODYEAR.Been driving since 1966,hundreds of cars, never had a tyre change destroy the handling like this.If MGR do read this BB, they should be aware that I am seriously considering doing a Ralph Nader on them, remember the Chevy Corvair?{Younger reader's ask your dad!}Have GOODYEAR altered the spec of the tyres? nothing on the car has changed.Have had tracking Laser checked,suspension checked,all seem O.K. IMHO it is a disgraceful situation, and MGR need dragging over the coals,before somebody KILLS themself.It beggars belief that they are getting away with it! Regards.
H.R. Bridge

Both Paul and I have recently replaced the rear tyres on our TF160's for the recommended Goodyear Eagle F1's GSD2's and neither of us have had any problems.

Are you certain that they fitted GSD2's and not GSD3's as I know these have been reported as not being suitable.
Some tyre places are saying that the GSD2's are being discontinued, and the GSD3's are a direct replacement. However when I ordered mine the supplier checked with Goodyear and said the GSD2's were still being made and GSD3's are not to be used for the TF.

I know you've had laser tracking etc, but have you checked the tyres have been fitted correctly with regards to rotation, and inflated to the correct pressure ie not taken the fitters word - mistakes do happen. :o)

Sue.
Sue

Tyres are definately D2'S, Sue, and I've checked the pressures umpteen times, with various guages. Regards.
H.R. Bridge

Assuming both the new tyres are also fitted the correct way round on each wheel and both are the correct size, how about...

If possible - swapping the wheels/tyres from one of the other TF's you drove and then driving each car and seeing if the problem is...
a. With the new tyres
b. Something else yet undetected with your car.

Just a thought - has to be a starting point with regards to identifying the cause? Even if just to prove the point about it being the new tyres? HTH. :)
Paul Lathwell

Thanks,Paul.So wound-up, didn't think of the obvious!Would narrow it down to the tyres. Regards.
H.R. Bridge

Sorry to hear about your woes Roy :o(

Unfortunately, your front tyres are narrower than the rears, otherwise I'd suggest that you swap the tyres from front to rear - a trick that was very sucessful on curing similar handling problems on Dave's car shod with Bridgestone S-02s...

Are the tyre pressures correct Roy? Sorry, stupid question... but sometimes it can be something simple.

Another area worth checking is the tracking: it is not unheard of for the tracking to be disturbed by changing tyres - but quite how this occurs is not entirely clear to me.

Not sure if this is useful at all to you, but before going to Donington last weekend, I had all four tyres swapped from one side of the car to the other (in a bid to equalise tread wear from cornering on track). Goodyear F1 'D2s - 215s all round. Handling felt somewhat 'weird' afterwards, and tramlining was a whole load worse. 200 miles later it felt a little better - but it wasn't until a good thrash around the track that 'normal service' was returned.
I wonder if it may be worth your while swapping the tyres from rim to rim to see if this helps settle your car?

Regarding the tyres - no change in compound is known about (although there may be a specific formulation for MG). Check the load ratings on the tyre: this is the only other factor that can change from tyre to tyre (see that other tyre mire thread in the MGF General archives) - but I suspect that this is not the problem.

Rob Bell

This thread was discussed between 31/08/2003 and 01/09/2003

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