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      11-10-2014, 01:28 PM   #1
Chill Hill
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HELP! New Tires Feel Unstable

I just installed 4 new Continental ControlContact Sport AS tires on my 135i. I'm coming from the factory run-flats and I went a size up to 225 in the front and 255 in the rear.

I was expecting it to drive different but my steering feels extremely loose and nowhere near as precise as before. It's very noticeable going 60+ mph. I can wiggle the steering wheel and the car doesn't respond and just feels very unstable and unsafe. My Lancer from 6 years ago felt more stable than my 135i does now.

Do wider tires need an alignment? That's the only thing I can think of because it was driving just fine before I had the tires installed...
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      11-10-2014, 02:15 PM   #2
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First off, check your pressures. Most shops just set all the tires to 32#. Wayyyyyyy too low for our cars which should be 36/39.
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      11-10-2014, 02:15 PM   #3
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Check your tire pressure. Wouldn't be the first time a tire guy forgot to top up the air.

On my 1M with 265R/245F, the sticker says 35 Front and Rear.
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      11-10-2014, 05:30 PM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MightyMouseTech View Post
First off, check your pressures. Most shops just set all the tires to 32#. Wayyyyyyy too low for our cars which should be 36/39.
Just checked the air, front tires were at 28/32 and the rear were at 37/33...wow that's the Discount Tire crew for you. I'm going to get air in these and hopefully that will change things, especially with that one at 28. You say 36/39 is a good setup?

How long do tires typically take to "wear in" I only have about 450 miles on them.
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      11-10-2014, 05:50 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Chill Hill View Post
I just installed 4 new Continental ControlContact Sport AS tires on my 135i. I'm coming from the factory run-flats and I went a size up to 225 in the front and 255 in the rear.

I was expecting it to drive different but my steering feels extremely loose and nowhere near as precise as before. It's very noticeable going 60+ mph. I can wiggle the steering wheel and the car doesn't respond and just feels very unstable and unsafe. My Lancer from 6 years ago felt more stable than my 135i does now.

Do wider tires need an alignment? That's the only thing I can think of because it was driving just fine before I had the tires installed...
Non-RFT's? Time to start putting in the M3 suspension bits to tighten things up.
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      11-10-2014, 06:40 PM   #6
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Originally Posted by 135ivert View Post
Non-RFT's? Time to start putting in the M3 suspension bits to tighten things up.
Lol you say as if that's the only way I'm going to get my steering back
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      11-10-2014, 06:48 PM   #7
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Quote:
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Lol you say as if that's the only way I'm going to get my steering back
After being on here a year, it sure seems like that's the recipe.

I put PSS on the rear only, and the back end felt really squirelly. Very unsafe. I changed the control and guide arms to the M3 versions and I got 80-90% of the feel back, without the RFT harshness. I'm sure I'll be doing the front as well once I replace those tires.
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      11-10-2014, 10:12 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MightyMouseTech View Post
First off, check your pressures. Most shops just set all the tires to 32#. Wayyyyyyy too low for our cars which should be 36/39.
oh man.... I put mine at 40/40 since it's a daily driver...
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      11-10-2014, 10:29 PM   #9
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RFTs have extraordinarily thick sidewalls, which leads to very little flex, which leads to very tight steering feel.

To a certain extent you will not get back to the RFT feel. Only a few tires have sidewalls close to that stiffness. RE070 comes to mind as extra stiff, but those are specialty tires for certain OEMs only, not available in useful sizes for us for the most part. (OEM for older STIs an the GT-R)

As others mentioned, you can swap out bushings to add stiffness back into the suspension system.
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      11-11-2014, 06:46 AM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Freon View Post
RFTs have extraordinarily thick sidewalls, which leads to very little flex, which leads to very tight steering feel.

To a certain extent you will not get back to the RFT feel. Only a few tires have sidewalls close to that stiffness. RE070 comes to mind as extra stiff, but those are specialty tires for certain OEMs only, not available in useful sizes for us for the most part. (OEM for older STIs an the GT-R)

As others mentioned, you can swap out bushings to add stiffness back into the suspension system.
I just switched from RFT's to Michelin A/S 3's and I lost very little steering feel and response. I do run them at 36 psi though.
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      11-11-2014, 09:24 AM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Chill Hill View Post
You say 36/39 is a good setup?
.
That is what my door jamb sticker says to put them at for regular driving, and 36/42 for loaded high speed driving.
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      11-12-2014, 07:07 AM   #12
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Road tested a TSX that had Conti Purecontact tired installed. They have pretty soft sidewalls.

Time to start putting in all the M3 suspension bits.
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      11-12-2014, 01:43 PM   #13
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From what I've read doesn't adding all the M3 suspension bits get pretty pricey?

On Friday I'm going to clean the car and definitely fix my air pressure. Probably mess around with a few different PSI's...36/38, 38/40, maybe even 40/40 as suggested above since it is my daily driver.
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      11-12-2014, 02:09 PM   #14
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You are STILL driving around with underinflated tires?
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      11-12-2014, 02:16 PM   #15
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+1
Going from RFT to NON-RFT is a different feel. Takes some time getting used to.

+1
I usually keep them just south of 40psi, 35-37ish.
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      11-12-2014, 02:55 PM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MightyMouseTech View Post
You are STILL driving around with underinflated tires?

lol yes, but I'm only driving about 3-4 miles a day right now on them. Anywhere else I go I take my girlfriends car
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      11-12-2014, 07:06 PM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Chill Hill View Post
lol yes, but I'm only driving about 3-4 miles a day right now on them. Anywhere else I go I take my girlfriends car
That is the wrong way to own a BMW, son.

But seriously, my doorjamb states 39/41. I'm not sure why the difference between the cars listed here. Maybe because it's a convertible?

I think all-in the control arms & nuts & bolts F&R were about $950 shipped from ECS Tuning. You're probably looking at another $250 for rear subframe bushings. This assumes you're doing all the labor yourself.
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      11-12-2014, 07:40 PM   #18
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Smile

The bargain basement approach is four M front arms without the logo from TRW and aftermarket rear subframe inserts. About $500 for parts and an easier or cheaper install. Gets you a lot of the way (maybe most), people disagree about exactly how much better the full boat approach is. If you track the car, that's different.

Just another amateur opinion.
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      11-14-2014, 04:37 PM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 135ivert View Post
That is the wrong way to own a BMW, son.
Lol let me clarify, I'm only driving a few miles a day BECAUSE they're so underinflated. There is only one car wash I trust near me that also has free air (I never have quarters), that is why I waited a few days to get them aired up.

I did get them aired up just earlier though. I put them at 38/42 for the "over 100mph" setting to help make them a little more stiff and it definitely helped, plus the speed limit is 80mph on the highway, so 100mph is not uncommon.
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      11-14-2014, 04:38 PM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 128Convertibleguy View Post
The bargain basement approach is four M front arms without the logo from TRW and aftermarket rear subframe inserts. About $500 for parts and an easier or cheaper install. Just another amateur opinion.
You said this is for install as well? That would be much more affordable for me lol.
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      11-14-2014, 06:46 PM   #21
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Front Control Arms: $382.95
Front Bolt Kit: $38.95
Rear Control Arms: $440.00
Rear Bolt Kit: $43.84

$905.74 without installation. And this doesn't include the rear subframe bushings. If you're going to keep the car & are committed to ditching the runflats . . . .
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      11-14-2014, 09:38 PM   #22
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Quote:
The bargain basement approach is four M front arms without the logo from TRW and aftermarket rear subframe inserts.
These two components (front arms and rear subframe bushings) are generally accepted to make the biggest difference, and having done them I concur. Definitely rear subframe bushings before rear control arms. The stock subframe mounts are just way too sloppy and anything you bolt on beneath the subframe is always going to be compromised by those bushings if you don't swap them out - including a shock/spring upgrade.
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