Does anyones 95 track straight?

[ShadyRascal]

I have a 95 Cobra and just put new wheels & tires on 245-45/275-40 on 17" Bullit 8" front 9" back. I have subframe connectors but otherwise stock. On uneven pavement especially the rutty stuff where all the heavy trucks run this thing you can hardly keep it on the road. A friend of mine with a 95GT same tires he put BBK springs, MM camber/caster plates, shocks, alignment, has 4 degrees positive caster he says his still sucks too. Smooth pavement yeah it's fine but irregularities it's tiring as hell. 88000 miles I don't think the front's all loose either. Is there a cure other than going to skinny front tires or do I junk this thing for a 2005?

 

[tderrick]

The price you pay for wide tires, my friend

But,They feel good in the corners don't they ...

I always drive in the fast lane for just that problem... No truck grooves in the fast lane usually. Also the pavement is always better in the fast lane..

 

[ProKiller]

no 05!

4 degrees of camber is alot.
any car is going to have that problem even the 05. my explorer does, my moms 01 stang does, my girls' 03 civic does.

roads suck, get used to it?

 

[95riosnake]

mine wanders a bit on rough/rutted roads, but yea, my 275's are definitely the culprit there, cuz my alignment is perfect.

 

[ShadyRascal]

Thanks for the replies. I guess I am just used to our Acura and my Duramax crewcab 4X, they go right where you tell them. I can live with it more if I know I'm not leaving something on the table I could fix.

Fast lane? This is Montana, they're ALL fast lanes!

 

[tderrick]

Fast lane? This is Montana, they're ALL fast lanes!

You're right there! I hear of Germans bringing their Porches and BMW's to the Wild American West to get some of those roads !

 

[rio95]

Your're complaining about 245's. haha. You have no idea.

 

[Nik_95Cobra]

With 255's up front and 315's on the rear and 100k miles mine tracks as good as any car on a decent road. If you get on a crappy road with huge ruts in it it will track with the ruts. Not like they're 185-195tires.

 

[94_Teal_GT]

I believe what you are experiencing is called Tramlining...vehicle follows the 'ruts/grooves' in the road instead of tracking straight.

From Tirerack.com:
Any vehicle can exhibit tramlining on certain areas of the highway because of uneven pavement or severe rutting. And all vehicles tramline to some degree rather than obediently following the driver's steering input. For example, there's usually at least a small change in steering resistance felt through the wheel when crossing an uneven expansion joint or asphalt junction during lane changes.

Noticeable increases in tramlining are frequently uncovered when drivers living in the snowbelt make the seasonal changeover from winter tires to summer tires, or when any driver upgrades the performance of their tires using either the same size or going to a "Plus Size" tire and wheel package. The reason that it becomes more pronounced then is because neither the typically narrower and softer handling winter tires nor the Original Equipment tires generate as much grip or responsiveness as the higher performance summer tires. Since the vehicle's suspension works as a complete package, a higher performance tire will also uncover any previously unnoticed looseness in the rest of the suspension.
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/general/tramlining.jsp

So, junking the 95 for an 05 won't help....

 

[droptopford 5 0]

just with stock 225's i have this problem... got it alligned and eveything is perfect, just follows the crown of the road...not too bad though

 

[94GTNJ]

I have 315's in the rear.

When I had 275's in the front, it wasnt too driver friendly. I've recently switched to 245's and the problem is all but gone. Im gonna step up to 255's when I require new sets of tires.