A question about tyres

[Guest]

Please note - I can bore for my country on this subject.I was going to meet a mate of mine for a drink and some shite pub food to see if I could keep it down (gastroenteroitis - sic - NFTW). As he cancelled on me I ended up taking the Shitroen for a bit of a drive to see if I could diagnose some of its less endearing faults in a bit more detail other than 'nnnnnnnnnnnghhhhhhhhhhhhhh, this is SHIT!!'It's always been sensitive to road surfaces, like no other car I've owned. The steering goes all flobbery and agitated particularly when you pull on to Junction 7 of the M56, the bit they've resurfaced. Now, the only major thing I've changed on the car is the tyres. OEM fit was a gash set of Michelin E3A Energys. When these wore down the cheapest I could get these in 205 \ 55 R16 V flavour (why the fuck the car is coded with 149 mph tyres when it can barely crack 115 is beyond me) were £89 each, and that's if I could find them in my neck of the woods.I realised that Goodyear Eagle GSD 3 F1s could be had for £60 each from mytyres.com, and as these were a boss yo high peformance tyre, it seemed like a no brainer at the time.Now, I presume these have stiffer sidewalls than the E3As, and that that might effect how they run over certain surfaces with the car. Also, the geometry might not be set up to run tyres like these, hence the jitteriness over certain surfaces. They kick up more noise than the Energys, but I was expecting that.Over certain sections of the M60 the juddering disappeared - completely. Then on the opposite leg of the M56, nearly home, winding the car up to completely illegal speeds on the differently surfaced return section could not replicate this fault. Solid as a rock. When the car does judder it still tracks straight and remains controllable, and below a certain speed nothing is amiss. I check the tyre pressures a LOT.So it looks like certain surfaces at certain speeds create a resonance or a vibration which is exacerbated by the higher spec tyres I have. Is this a possibility? Have I blamed the car's most irritating fault on something I've done? Or am I talking complete bollocks?The next time I send it for an alignment check I might ask the place to set it up as if it were a VTS rather than a pot SX, because the former would be set up for better tyres.I know that certain cars do not take well to Eagle F1s - have I just discovered another?

[Rocket88]

Try dropping the tyre pressure by a couple of psi all round, see if that makes a difference.

[ashmicro]

For what it's worth, I have Eagle F1's (195 55 15) on the Rover 25 I own, and they're miles (sic) better than the Pirelli P6000 boots I had before. They also roar less. I find the handling improves if they are 0.5-1.0 PSI over recommended pressure. That said, the Rover is pretty "stiff" (coilovers are standard) as is a rear antiroll bar, so the Citroen will most likely respond differently.

[Gompo]

How was the ride on none-motorways?Could you have been driving on the ruts left by HGV's in the 'slow' lane? Different surfaces may have been laid longer/left long to settle and not have the tramlines?You've probably thought of this I know, but seeing as you've not mentioned it..

[Guest]

How was the ride on none-motorways?Could you have been driving on the ruts left by HGV's in the 'slow' lane? Different surfaces may have been laid longer/left long to settle and not have the tramlines?You've probably thought of this I know, but seeing as you've not mentioned it..

Crashy, but then it never did ride well. It doesn't like HGV ruts.Below motorway speeds it's fine, bar the odd spazz when it hunts camber. Steering is fine also, regardless of road. Get the odd bit of BNNN NNNA NNAA BNNNA bollocks wheel bearing noise, other than that and the crap squealing brakes it's mildly sexual.

[Milford Cubicle]

What you want is some Stomils

[Split_Pin]

I know this is probably the first thing you have checked, but perhaps they are simply out of balance?On cars I have driven with this issue, its only been a 10mph band of speed that things get wobbly. Over and under that speed, things are fine.

[CortinaDave]

Yup I agree. It has to be Stomils.

[Albert Ross]

Stomils are cutting edge tyres....You need Danubianas or Victorias......Belters them, known to strip the tread off the casing above 50 mph...................nice and smooth ride afterwards like...............

[Mr_Bo11ox]

I love Stomils, they are invariably egg-shaped and give an amusing clown-car style gait to any vehicle.

[Mr Average]

Stomils?ROADCHAMPS, surely?