97 jeep wrangler mismatched tires causing steering problem??
 

Wondering if anyone could help me out here. I just got 2 new tires (BFG
AT 30 x 9.5) put on the back of my jeep. I kept the 2 old ones
(previously from the back) and put them on the front. also 30 x 9.5's.
even though there is some tread wear the tire guy said they should be
good for another 5-10,000 miles.

In addition, when they went to do an alignment, they said I need new
ball joints.

The problem now is that when I'm steering the jeep I feel like it is
wandering a little bit, and not taking corners well at all. feels like
the back end wants to slide out.

So, my question is, is this a ball joint problem, alignment, or the
tires not being matched up or all of the above. What should I get done
first? I am on a budget, which is why I opted for only 2 tires, instead
of all 4.

Re: 97 jeep wrangler mismatched tires causing steering problem??
 

"bspear78" <bspear78@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1163604960.249333.190820@k70g2000cwa.googlegr oups.com...
> Wondering if anyone could help me out here. I just got 2 new tires (BFG
> AT 30 x 9.5) put on the back of my jeep. I kept the 2 old ones
> (previously from the back) and put them on the front. also 30 x 9.5's.
> even though there is some tread wear the tire guy said they should be
> good for another 5-10,000 miles.
>
> In addition, when they went to do an alignment, they said I need new
> ball joints.
>
> The problem now is that when I'm steering the jeep I feel like it is
> wandering a little bit, and not taking corners well at all. feels like
> the back end wants to slide out.
>
> So, my question is, is this a ball joint problem, alignment, or the
> tires not being matched up or all of the above. What should I get done
> first? I am on a budget, which is why I opted for only 2 tires, instead
> of all 4.
>

Ball Joints first. It's a safety item. Also, you cannot properly align the
front end with bad ball joints.

Alignment second.

Tires third. No point in putting on new tires with bad ball joints or out of
alignment.

Re: 97 jeep wrangler mismatched tires causing steering problem??
 

"bspear78" <bspear78@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1163604960.249333.190820@k70g2000cwa.googlegr oups.com...
> Wondering if anyone could help me out here. I just got 2 new tires (BFG
> AT 30 x 9.5) put on the back of my jeep. I kept the 2 old ones
> (previously from the back) and put them on the front. also 30 x 9.5's.
> even though there is some tread wear the tire guy said they should be
> good for another 5-10,000 miles.
>
> In addition, when they went to do an alignment, they said I need new
> ball joints.
>
> The problem now is that when I'm steering the jeep I feel like it is
> wandering a little bit, and not taking corners well at all. feels like
> the back end wants to slide out.
>
> So, my question is, is this a ball joint problem, alignment, or the
> tires not being matched up or all of the above. What should I get done
> first? I am on a budget, which is why I opted for only 2 tires, instead
> of all 4.
>

Ball Joints first. It's a safety item. Also, you cannot properly align the
front end with bad ball joints.

Alignment second.

Tires third. No point in putting on new tires with bad ball joints or out of
alignment.

Re: 97 jeep wrangler mismatched tires causing steering problem??
 

"bspear78" <bspear78@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1163604960.249333.190820@k70g2000cwa.googlegr oups.com...
> Wondering if anyone could help me out here. I just got 2 new tires (BFG
> AT 30 x 9.5) put on the back of my jeep. I kept the 2 old ones
> (previously from the back) and put them on the front. also 30 x 9.5's.
> even though there is some tread wear the tire guy said they should be
> good for another 5-10,000 miles.
>
> In addition, when they went to do an alignment, they said I need new
> ball joints.
>
> The problem now is that when I'm steering the jeep I feel like it is
> wandering a little bit, and not taking corners well at all. feels like
> the back end wants to slide out.
>
> So, my question is, is this a ball joint problem, alignment, or the
> tires not being matched up or all of the above. What should I get done
> first? I am on a budget, which is why I opted for only 2 tires, instead
> of all 4.
>

Ball Joints first. It's a safety item. Also, you cannot properly align the
front end with bad ball joints.

Alignment second.

Tires third. No point in putting on new tires with bad ball joints or out of
alignment.

Re: 97 jeep wrangler mismatched tires causing steering problem??
 

Thanks Steve, makes sense. I'm also running at 25 PSI all around. Is
that a good pressure? I was trying to get more traction by lowering the
PSI.

Steve Foley wrote:
> "bspear78" <bspear78@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:1163604960.249333.190820@k70g2000cwa.googlegr oups.com...
> > Wondering if anyone could help me out here. I just got 2 new tires (BFG
> > AT 30 x 9.5) put on the back of my jeep. I kept the 2 old ones
> > (previously from the back) and put them on the front. also 30 x 9.5's.
> > even though there is some tread wear the tire guy said they should be
> > good for another 5-10,000 miles.
> >
> > In addition, when they went to do an alignment, they said I need new
> > ball joints.
> >
> > The problem now is that when I'm steering the jeep I feel like it is
> > wandering a little bit, and not taking corners well at all. feels like
> > the back end wants to slide out.
> >
> > So, my question is, is this a ball joint problem, alignment, or the
> > tires not being matched up or all of the above. What should I get done
> > first? I am on a budget, which is why I opted for only 2 tires, instead
> > of all 4.
> >
>
> Ball Joints first. It's a safety item. Also, you cannot properly align the
> front end with bad ball joints.
>
> Alignment second.
>
> Tires third. No point in putting on new tires with bad ball joints or out of
> alignment.

Re: 97 jeep wrangler mismatched tires causing steering problem??
 

Thanks Steve, makes sense. I'm also running at 25 PSI all around. Is
that a good pressure? I was trying to get more traction by lowering the
PSI.

Steve Foley wrote:
> "bspear78" <bspear78@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:1163604960.249333.190820@k70g2000cwa.googlegr oups.com...
> > Wondering if anyone could help me out here. I just got 2 new tires (BFG
> > AT 30 x 9.5) put on the back of my jeep. I kept the 2 old ones
> > (previously from the back) and put them on the front. also 30 x 9.5's.
> > even though there is some tread wear the tire guy said they should be
> > good for another 5-10,000 miles.
> >
> > In addition, when they went to do an alignment, they said I need new
> > ball joints.
> >
> > The problem now is that when I'm steering the jeep I feel like it is
> > wandering a little bit, and not taking corners well at all. feels like
> > the back end wants to slide out.
> >
> > So, my question is, is this a ball joint problem, alignment, or the
> > tires not being matched up or all of the above. What should I get done
> > first? I am on a budget, which is why I opted for only 2 tires, instead
> > of all 4.
> >
>
> Ball Joints first. It's a safety item. Also, you cannot properly align the
> front end with bad ball joints.
>
> Alignment second.
>
> Tires third. No point in putting on new tires with bad ball joints or out of
> alignment.

Re: 97 jeep wrangler mismatched tires causing steering problem??
 

Thanks Steve, makes sense. I'm also running at 25 PSI all around. Is
that a good pressure? I was trying to get more traction by lowering the
PSI.

Steve Foley wrote:
> "bspear78" <bspear78@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:1163604960.249333.190820@k70g2000cwa.googlegr oups.com...
> > Wondering if anyone could help me out here. I just got 2 new tires (BFG
> > AT 30 x 9.5) put on the back of my jeep. I kept the 2 old ones
> > (previously from the back) and put them on the front. also 30 x 9.5's.
> > even though there is some tread wear the tire guy said they should be
> > good for another 5-10,000 miles.
> >
> > In addition, when they went to do an alignment, they said I need new
> > ball joints.
> >
> > The problem now is that when I'm steering the jeep I feel like it is
> > wandering a little bit, and not taking corners well at all. feels like
> > the back end wants to slide out.
> >
> > So, my question is, is this a ball joint problem, alignment, or the
> > tires not being matched up or all of the above. What should I get done
> > first? I am on a budget, which is why I opted for only 2 tires, instead
> > of all 4.
> >
>
> Ball Joints first. It's a safety item. Also, you cannot properly align the
> front end with bad ball joints.
>
> Alignment second.
>
> Tires third. No point in putting on new tires with bad ball joints or out of
> alignment.

Re: 97 jeep wrangler mismatched tires causing steering problem??
 

On 15 Nov 2006 08:03:23 -0800, "bspear78" <bspear78@hotmail.com>
wrote:

>Thanks Steve, makes sense. I'm also running at 25 PSI all around. Is
>that a good pressure? I was trying to get more traction by lowering the
>PSI.
>

What is the recommended pressure? That's what you should run at.

If you run at lower presures on tarmac and hard surfaces you end up
with the tyres running hot. That destroys your rubber quicker than
anything.

Try this. Drop the pressure to 15psi, and look at the shape of your
tire. Get someone to drive it round slowly and watch what happens to
the rubber around the contact patch.

You get a standing wave in front of and at the rear of the contact
patch, where the rubber is displaced. As your speed picks up that
standing wall moves around the tyre - if you could see a freeze frame
shot at about 100mph (if you got that far) the tire would look almost
triangular.

All those truck treads that litter the highway are not always retreads
that have delaminated. They are often the result of trucks running
with tires at too low a pressure. They get heat build up, the rubber
devulcanises and off comes the tread - at least!

If you are real unlucky in a 4x4 it will wrap itself around your axle,
you will brake and over you go. I think Ford and Firestone might both
have some advice on running tires at a lower than recommended pressure
:-(

Drop your pressures in mud or soft sand, but do remember to get them
back to road pressurs before driving on asphalt or hard surfaces.

Ewan Scott

Re: 97 jeep wrangler mismatched tires causing steering problem??
 

On 15 Nov 2006 08:03:23 -0800, "bspear78" <bspear78@hotmail.com>
wrote:

>Thanks Steve, makes sense. I'm also running at 25 PSI all around. Is
>that a good pressure? I was trying to get more traction by lowering the
>PSI.
>

What is the recommended pressure? That's what you should run at.

If you run at lower presures on tarmac and hard surfaces you end up
with the tyres running hot. That destroys your rubber quicker than
anything.

Try this. Drop the pressure to 15psi, and look at the shape of your
tire. Get someone to drive it round slowly and watch what happens to
the rubber around the contact patch.

You get a standing wave in front of and at the rear of the contact
patch, where the rubber is displaced. As your speed picks up that
standing wall moves around the tyre - if you could see a freeze frame
shot at about 100mph (if you got that far) the tire would look almost
triangular.

All those truck treads that litter the highway are not always retreads
that have delaminated. They are often the result of trucks running
with tires at too low a pressure. They get heat build up, the rubber
devulcanises and off comes the tread - at least!

If you are real unlucky in a 4x4 it will wrap itself around your axle,
you will brake and over you go. I think Ford and Firestone might both
have some advice on running tires at a lower than recommended pressure
:-(

Drop your pressures in mud or soft sand, but do remember to get them
back to road pressurs before driving on asphalt or hard surfaces.

Ewan Scott

Re: 97 jeep wrangler mismatched tires causing steering problem??
 

On 15 Nov 2006 08:03:23 -0800, "bspear78" <bspear78@hotmail.com>
wrote:

>Thanks Steve, makes sense. I'm also running at 25 PSI all around. Is
>that a good pressure? I was trying to get more traction by lowering the
>PSI.
>

What is the recommended pressure? That's what you should run at.

If you run at lower presures on tarmac and hard surfaces you end up
with the tyres running hot. That destroys your rubber quicker than
anything.

Try this. Drop the pressure to 15psi, and look at the shape of your
tire. Get someone to drive it round slowly and watch what happens to
the rubber around the contact patch.

You get a standing wave in front of and at the rear of the contact
patch, where the rubber is displaced. As your speed picks up that
standing wall moves around the tyre - if you could see a freeze frame
shot at about 100mph (if you got that far) the tire would look almost
triangular.

All those truck treads that litter the highway are not always retreads
that have delaminated. They are often the result of trucks running
with tires at too low a pressure. They get heat build up, the rubber
devulcanises and off comes the tread - at least!

If you are real unlucky in a 4x4 it will wrap itself around your axle,
you will brake and over you go. I think Ford and Firestone might both
have some advice on running tires at a lower than recommended pressure
:-(

Drop your pressures in mud or soft sand, but do remember to get them
back to road pressurs before driving on asphalt or hard surfaces.

Ewan Scott

Re: 97 jeep wrangler mismatched tires causing steering problem??
 

Thing is too, that the steering was fine until I had the 2 new tires
put on, so I am a little confused. If it was the ball joints wouldn't
that have shown up awhile ago? Or would the new tires have compounded
the ball joint problem without the alignment?


bspear78 wrote:
> Thanks Steve, makes sense. I'm also running at 25 PSI all around. Is
> that a good pressure? I was trying to get more traction by lowering the
> PSI.
>
> Steve Foley wrote:
> > "bspear78" <bspear78@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> > news:1163604960.249333.190820@k70g2000cwa.googlegr oups.com...
> > > Wondering if anyone could help me out here. I just got 2 new tires (BFG
> > > AT 30 x 9.5) put on the back of my jeep. I kept the 2 old ones
> > > (previously from the back) and put them on the front. also 30 x 9.5's.
> > > even though there is some tread wear the tire guy said they should be
> > > good for another 5-10,000 miles.
> > >
> > > In addition, when they went to do an alignment, they said I need new
> > > ball joints.
> > >
> > > The problem now is that when I'm steering the jeep I feel like it is
> > > wandering a little bit, and not taking corners well at all. feels like
> > > the back end wants to slide out.
> > >
> > > So, my question is, is this a ball joint problem, alignment, or the
> > > tires not being matched up or all of the above. What should I get done
> > > first? I am on a budget, which is why I opted for only 2 tires, instead
> > > of all 4.
> > >
> >
> > Ball Joints first. It's a safety item. Also, you cannot properly align the
> > front end with bad ball joints.
> >
> > Alignment second.
> >
> > Tires third. No point in putting on new tires with bad ball joints or out of
> > alignment.

Re: 97 jeep wrangler mismatched tires causing steering problem??
 

Thing is too, that the steering was fine until I had the 2 new tires
put on, so I am a little confused. If it was the ball joints wouldn't
that have shown up awhile ago? Or would the new tires have compounded
the ball joint problem without the alignment?


bspear78 wrote:
> Thanks Steve, makes sense. I'm also running at 25 PSI all around. Is
> that a good pressure? I was trying to get more traction by lowering the
> PSI.
>
> Steve Foley wrote:
> > "bspear78" <bspear78@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> > news:1163604960.249333.190820@k70g2000cwa.googlegr oups.com...
> > > Wondering if anyone could help me out here. I just got 2 new tires (BFG
> > > AT 30 x 9.5) put on the back of my jeep. I kept the 2 old ones
> > > (previously from the back) and put them on the front. also 30 x 9.5's.
> > > even though there is some tread wear the tire guy said they should be
> > > good for another 5-10,000 miles.
> > >
> > > In addition, when they went to do an alignment, they said I need new
> > > ball joints.
> > >
> > > The problem now is that when I'm steering the jeep I feel like it is
> > > wandering a little bit, and not taking corners well at all. feels like
> > > the back end wants to slide out.
> > >
> > > So, my question is, is this a ball joint problem, alignment, or the
> > > tires not being matched up or all of the above. What should I get done
> > > first? I am on a budget, which is why I opted for only 2 tires, instead
> > > of all 4.
> > >
> >
> > Ball Joints first. It's a safety item. Also, you cannot properly align the
> > front end with bad ball joints.
> >
> > Alignment second.
> >
> > Tires third. No point in putting on new tires with bad ball joints or out of
> > alignment.

Re: 97 jeep wrangler mismatched tires causing steering problem??
 

Thing is too, that the steering was fine until I had the 2 new tires
put on, so I am a little confused. If it was the ball joints wouldn't
that have shown up awhile ago? Or would the new tires have compounded
the ball joint problem without the alignment?


bspear78 wrote:
> Thanks Steve, makes sense. I'm also running at 25 PSI all around. Is
> that a good pressure? I was trying to get more traction by lowering the
> PSI.
>
> Steve Foley wrote:
> > "bspear78" <bspear78@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> > news:1163604960.249333.190820@k70g2000cwa.googlegr oups.com...
> > > Wondering if anyone could help me out here. I just got 2 new tires (BFG
> > > AT 30 x 9.5) put on the back of my jeep. I kept the 2 old ones
> > > (previously from the back) and put them on the front. also 30 x 9.5's.
> > > even though there is some tread wear the tire guy said they should be
> > > good for another 5-10,000 miles.
> > >
> > > In addition, when they went to do an alignment, they said I need new
> > > ball joints.
> > >
> > > The problem now is that when I'm steering the jeep I feel like it is
> > > wandering a little bit, and not taking corners well at all. feels like
> > > the back end wants to slide out.
> > >
> > > So, my question is, is this a ball joint problem, alignment, or the
> > > tires not being matched up or all of the above. What should I get done
> > > first? I am on a budget, which is why I opted for only 2 tires, instead
> > > of all 4.
> > >
> >
> > Ball Joints first. It's a safety item. Also, you cannot properly align the
> > front end with bad ball joints.
> >
> > Alignment second.
> >
> > Tires third. No point in putting on new tires with bad ball joints or out of
> > alignment.

Re: 97 jeep wrangler mismatched tires causing steering problem??
 

bspear78 wrote:

> Wondering if anyone could help me out here. I just got 2 new tires (BFG
> AT 30 x 9.5) put on the back of my jeep.
> The problem now is that when I'm steering the jeep I feel like it is
> wandering a little bit, and not taking corners well at all. feels like
> the back end wants to slide out.

Running BFG's with 25 psi. in the rear will get you fishtailing pretty
quickly on pavement. You get what you pay for.

Do the ball joints first; you can't align anything unless everything is
within spec. Put the best tires you have on the rear axle for safety.
If you're on pavement, 30 psi. makes more sense to me.

Re: 97 jeep wrangler mismatched tires causing steering problem??
 

bspear78 wrote:

> Wondering if anyone could help me out here. I just got 2 new tires (BFG
> AT 30 x 9.5) put on the back of my jeep.
> The problem now is that when I'm steering the jeep I feel like it is
> wandering a little bit, and not taking corners well at all. feels like
> the back end wants to slide out.

Running BFG's with 25 psi. in the rear will get you fishtailing pretty
quickly on pavement. You get what you pay for.

Do the ball joints first; you can't align anything unless everything is
within spec. Put the best tires you have on the rear axle for safety.
If you're on pavement, 30 psi. makes more sense to me.

Re: 97 jeep wrangler mismatched tires causing steering problem??
 

bspear78 wrote:

> Wondering if anyone could help me out here. I just got 2 new tires (BFG
> AT 30 x 9.5) put on the back of my jeep.
> The problem now is that when I'm steering the jeep I feel like it is
> wandering a little bit, and not taking corners well at all. feels like
> the back end wants to slide out.

Running BFG's with 25 psi. in the rear will get you fishtailing pretty
quickly on pavement. You get what you pay for.

Do the ball joints first; you can't align anything unless everything is
within spec. Put the best tires you have on the rear axle for safety.
If you're on pavement, 30 psi. makes more sense to me.

Re: 97 jeep wrangler mismatched tires causing steering problem??
 

My advice is to air up the tires to the recommended pavement values, and if
you still have problems then jack up the vehicle by the front axle and see
how bad the ball joints are for yourself. Put a crowbar under the tire and
see how far you can move it.

Earle

"bspear78" <bspear78@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1163609744.995705.191980@f16g2000cwb.googlegr oups.com...
> Thing is too, that the steering was fine until I had the 2 new tires
> put on, so I am a little confused. If it was the ball joints wouldn't
> that have shown up awhile ago? Or would the new tires have compounded
> the ball joint problem without the alignment?
>
>
> bspear78 wrote:
> > Thanks Steve, makes sense. I'm also running at 25 PSI all around. Is
> > that a good pressure? I was trying to get more traction by lowering the
> > PSI.
> >
> > Steve Foley wrote:
> > > "bspear78" <bspear78@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> > > news:1163604960.249333.190820@k70g2000cwa.googlegr oups.com...
> > > > Wondering if anyone could help me out here. I just got 2 new tires
(BFG
> > > > AT 30 x 9.5) put on the back of my jeep. I kept the 2 old ones
> > > > (previously from the back) and put them on the front. also 30 x
9.5's.
> > > > even though there is some tread wear the tire guy said they should
be
> > > > good for another 5-10,000 miles.
> > > >
> > > > In addition, when they went to do an alignment, they said I need new
> > > > ball joints.
> > > >
> > > > The problem now is that when I'm steering the jeep I feel like it is
> > > > wandering a little bit, and not taking corners well at all. feels
like
> > > > the back end wants to slide out.
> > > >
> > > > So, my question is, is this a ball joint problem, alignment, or the
> > > > tires not being matched up or all of the above. What should I get
done
> > > > first? I am on a budget, which is why I opted for only 2 tires,
instead
> > > > of all 4.
> > > >
> > >
> > > Ball Joints first. It's a safety item. Also, you cannot properly align
the
> > > front end with bad ball joints.
> > >
> > > Alignment second.
> > >
> > > Tires third. No point in putting on new tires with bad ball joints or
out of
> > > alignment.
>



--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

Re: 97 jeep wrangler mismatched tires causing steering problem??
 

My advice is to air up the tires to the recommended pavement values, and if
you still have problems then jack up the vehicle by the front axle and see
how bad the ball joints are for yourself. Put a crowbar under the tire and
see how far you can move it.

Earle

"bspear78" <bspear78@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1163609744.995705.191980@f16g2000cwb.googlegr oups.com...
> Thing is too, that the steering was fine until I had the 2 new tires
> put on, so I am a little confused. If it was the ball joints wouldn't
> that have shown up awhile ago? Or would the new tires have compounded
> the ball joint problem without the alignment?
>
>
> bspear78 wrote:
> > Thanks Steve, makes sense. I'm also running at 25 PSI all around. Is
> > that a good pressure? I was trying to get more traction by lowering the
> > PSI.
> >
> > Steve Foley wrote:
> > > "bspear78" <bspear78@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> > > news:1163604960.249333.190820@k70g2000cwa.googlegr oups.com...
> > > > Wondering if anyone could help me out here. I just got 2 new tires
(BFG
> > > > AT 30 x 9.5) put on the back of my jeep. I kept the 2 old ones
> > > > (previously from the back) and put them on the front. also 30 x
9.5's.
> > > > even though there is some tread wear the tire guy said they should
be
> > > > good for another 5-10,000 miles.
> > > >
> > > > In addition, when they went to do an alignment, they said I need new
> > > > ball joints.
> > > >
> > > > The problem now is that when I'm steering the jeep I feel like it is
> > > > wandering a little bit, and not taking corners well at all. feels
like
> > > > the back end wants to slide out.
> > > >
> > > > So, my question is, is this a ball joint problem, alignment, or the
> > > > tires not being matched up or all of the above. What should I get
done
> > > > first? I am on a budget, which is why I opted for only 2 tires,
instead
> > > > of all 4.
> > > >
> > >
> > > Ball Joints first. It's a safety item. Also, you cannot properly align
the
> > > front end with bad ball joints.
> > >
> > > Alignment second.
> > >
> > > Tires third. No point in putting on new tires with bad ball joints or
out of
> > > alignment.
>



--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

Re: 97 jeep wrangler mismatched tires causing steering problem??
 

My advice is to air up the tires to the recommended pavement values, and if
you still have problems then jack up the vehicle by the front axle and see
how bad the ball joints are for yourself. Put a crowbar under the tire and
see how far you can move it.

Earle

"bspear78" <bspear78@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1163609744.995705.191980@f16g2000cwb.googlegr oups.com...
> Thing is too, that the steering was fine until I had the 2 new tires
> put on, so I am a little confused. If it was the ball joints wouldn't
> that have shown up awhile ago? Or would the new tires have compounded
> the ball joint problem without the alignment?
>
>
> bspear78 wrote:
> > Thanks Steve, makes sense. I'm also running at 25 PSI all around. Is
> > that a good pressure? I was trying to get more traction by lowering the
> > PSI.
> >
> > Steve Foley wrote:
> > > "bspear78" <bspear78@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> > > news:1163604960.249333.190820@k70g2000cwa.googlegr oups.com...
> > > > Wondering if anyone could help me out here. I just got 2 new tires
(BFG
> > > > AT 30 x 9.5) put on the back of my jeep. I kept the 2 old ones
> > > > (previously from the back) and put them on the front. also 30 x
9.5's.
> > > > even though there is some tread wear the tire guy said they should
be
> > > > good for another 5-10,000 miles.
> > > >
> > > > In addition, when they went to do an alignment, they said I need new
> > > > ball joints.
> > > >
> > > > The problem now is that when I'm steering the jeep I feel like it is
> > > > wandering a little bit, and not taking corners well at all. feels
like
> > > > the back end wants to slide out.
> > > >
> > > > So, my question is, is this a ball joint problem, alignment, or the
> > > > tires not being matched up or all of the above. What should I get
done
> > > > first? I am on a budget, which is why I opted for only 2 tires,
instead
> > > > of all 4.
> > > >
> > >
> > > Ball Joints first. It's a safety item. Also, you cannot properly align
the
> > > front end with bad ball joints.
> > >
> > > Alignment second.
> > >
> > > Tires third. No point in putting on new tires with bad ball joints or
out of
> > > alignment.
>



--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

Re: 97 jeep wrangler mismatched tires causing steering problem??
 

I find 25 is too low for my 33x9.5's. The sidewall is too tall for that
low of pressure so the tall skinnies are supposed to be run aired up.
Even off road I have 'never' needed to air down my tires. I always
figured if I can't make something due to traction loss, I would then try
them aired down. 7 years later and I still run them street hard at
about 30 psi and most everyone still tries to get where I am already at
taking photos of them trying to get to me. ;-)

To see the best footprint for 'your' tire and weight combo, you can take
chalk and run a bunch of chalk lines across the tread, then drive in a
straight line, stop and see how much chalk is left. The best footprint
should have about 1/4 to 1/2" showing on the edges or as some folks say,
just enough to slip a credit card in that much between the tire and
road.

If you are wondering if the tire mismatch is affecting the handling, you
can just rotate the good tires to the front and see if that makes any
difference.

You don't say if the brands are the same!!!!

If the brands are different, then your steering will be unsafe as well
as the vehicle is considered unsafe and unfit for the road. If you get
in an accident with off brands of tires on a 4x4, you can be charged
with driving an unsafe vehicle and at least up here in Canada be
'automatically' considered the vehicle at fault in an accident. I was
told this by the OPP and my insurance company. Insurance coverage would
be denied too.

If money is tight, start with the ball joints. Even one side at a time
will help.

If the ball joints weren't worn out, you can do your own alignment.
There is only a toe in adjustment on Jeeps so it can be done quite well
with a tape measure. I use the seam in the tire as my measuring point
and just compare the front seam to seam on the tires with the back
measurement seam to seam. You should have a little less than 1/4" in
the front measurement.

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view!
Jan/06 http://www.imagestation.com/album/pi...?id=2115147590
(More Off Road album links at bottom of the view page)

bspear78 wrote:
>
> Thanks Steve, makes sense. I'm also running at 25 PSI all around. Is
> that a good pressure? I was trying to get more traction by lowering the
> PSI.
>
> Steve Foley wrote:
> > "bspear78" <bspear78@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> > news:1163604960.249333.190820@k70g2000cwa.googlegr oups.com...
> > > Wondering if anyone could help me out here. I just got 2 new tires (BFG
> > > AT 30 x 9.5) put on the back of my jeep. I kept the 2 old ones
> > > (previously from the back) and put them on the front. also 30 x 9.5's.
> > > even though there is some tread wear the tire guy said they should be
> > > good for another 5-10,000 miles.
> > >
> > > In addition, when they went to do an alignment, they said I need new
> > > ball joints.
> > >
> > > The problem now is that when I'm steering the jeep I feel like it is
> > > wandering a little bit, and not taking corners well at all. feels like
> > > the back end wants to slide out.
> > >
> > > So, my question is, is this a ball joint problem, alignment, or the
> > > tires not being matched up or all of the above. What should I get done
> > > first? I am on a budget, which is why I opted for only 2 tires, instead
> > > of all 4.
> > >
> >
> > Ball Joints first. It's a safety item. Also, you cannot properly align the
> > front end with bad ball joints.
> >
> > Alignment second.
> >
> > Tires third. No point in putting on new tires with bad ball joints or out of
> > alignment.

Re: 97 jeep wrangler mismatched tires causing steering problem??
 

I find 25 is too low for my 33x9.5's. The sidewall is too tall for that
low of pressure so the tall skinnies are supposed to be run aired up.
Even off road I have 'never' needed to air down my tires. I always
figured if I can't make something due to traction loss, I would then try
them aired down. 7 years later and I still run them street hard at
about 30 psi and most everyone still tries to get where I am already at
taking photos of them trying to get to me. ;-)

To see the best footprint for 'your' tire and weight combo, you can take
chalk and run a bunch of chalk lines across the tread, then drive in a
straight line, stop and see how much chalk is left. The best footprint
should have about 1/4 to 1/2" showing on the edges or as some folks say,
just enough to slip a credit card in that much between the tire and
road.

If you are wondering if the tire mismatch is affecting the handling, you
can just rotate the good tires to the front and see if that makes any
difference.

You don't say if the brands are the same!!!!

If the brands are different, then your steering will be unsafe as well
as the vehicle is considered unsafe and unfit for the road. If you get
in an accident with off brands of tires on a 4x4, you can be charged
with driving an unsafe vehicle and at least up here in Canada be
'automatically' considered the vehicle at fault in an accident. I was
told this by the OPP and my insurance company. Insurance coverage would
be denied too.

If money is tight, start with the ball joints. Even one side at a time
will help.

If the ball joints weren't worn out, you can do your own alignment.
There is only a toe in adjustment on Jeeps so it can be done quite well
with a tape measure. I use the seam in the tire as my measuring point
and just compare the front seam to seam on the tires with the back
measurement seam to seam. You should have a little less than 1/4" in
the front measurement.

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view!
Jan/06 http://www.imagestation.com/album/pi...?id=2115147590
(More Off Road album links at bottom of the view page)

bspear78 wrote:
>
> Thanks Steve, makes sense. I'm also running at 25 PSI all around. Is
> that a good pressure? I was trying to get more traction by lowering the
> PSI.
>
> Steve Foley wrote:
> > "bspear78" <bspear78@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> > news:1163604960.249333.190820@k70g2000cwa.googlegr oups.com...
> > > Wondering if anyone could help me out here. I just got 2 new tires (BFG
> > > AT 30 x 9.5) put on the back of my jeep. I kept the 2 old ones
> > > (previously from the back) and put them on the front. also 30 x 9.5's.
> > > even though there is some tread wear the tire guy said they should be
> > > good for another 5-10,000 miles.
> > >
> > > In addition, when they went to do an alignment, they said I need new
> > > ball joints.
> > >
> > > The problem now is that when I'm steering the jeep I feel like it is
> > > wandering a little bit, and not taking corners well at all. feels like
> > > the back end wants to slide out.
> > >
> > > So, my question is, is this a ball joint problem, alignment, or the
> > > tires not being matched up or all of the above. What should I get done
> > > first? I am on a budget, which is why I opted for only 2 tires, instead
> > > of all 4.
> > >
> >
> > Ball Joints first. It's a safety item. Also, you cannot properly align the
> > front end with bad ball joints.
> >
> > Alignment second.
> >
> > Tires third. No point in putting on new tires with bad ball joints or out of
> > alignment.

Re: 97 jeep wrangler mismatched tires causing steering problem??
 

I find 25 is too low for my 33x9.5's. The sidewall is too tall for that
low of pressure so the tall skinnies are supposed to be run aired up.
Even off road I have 'never' needed to air down my tires. I always
figured if I can't make something due to traction loss, I would then try
them aired down. 7 years later and I still run them street hard at
about 30 psi and most everyone still tries to get where I am already at
taking photos of them trying to get to me. ;-)

To see the best footprint for 'your' tire and weight combo, you can take
chalk and run a bunch of chalk lines across the tread, then drive in a
straight line, stop and see how much chalk is left. The best footprint
should have about 1/4 to 1/2" showing on the edges or as some folks say,
just enough to slip a credit card in that much between the tire and
road.

If you are wondering if the tire mismatch is affecting the handling, you
can just rotate the good tires to the front and see if that makes any
difference.

You don't say if the brands are the same!!!!

If the brands are different, then your steering will be unsafe as well
as the vehicle is considered unsafe and unfit for the road. If you get
in an accident with off brands of tires on a 4x4, you can be charged
with driving an unsafe vehicle and at least up here in Canada be
'automatically' considered the vehicle at fault in an accident. I was
told this by the OPP and my insurance company. Insurance coverage would
be denied too.

If money is tight, start with the ball joints. Even one side at a time
will help.

If the ball joints weren't worn out, you can do your own alignment.
There is only a toe in adjustment on Jeeps so it can be done quite well
with a tape measure. I use the seam in the tire as my measuring point
and just compare the front seam to seam on the tires with the back
measurement seam to seam. You should have a little less than 1/4" in
the front measurement.

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view!
Jan/06 http://www.imagestation.com/album/pi...?id=2115147590
(More Off Road album links at bottom of the view page)

bspear78 wrote:
>
> Thanks Steve, makes sense. I'm also running at 25 PSI all around. Is
> that a good pressure? I was trying to get more traction by lowering the
> PSI.
>
> Steve Foley wrote:
> > "bspear78" <bspear78@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> > news:1163604960.249333.190820@k70g2000cwa.googlegr oups.com...
> > > Wondering if anyone could help me out here. I just got 2 new tires (BFG
> > > AT 30 x 9.5) put on the back of my jeep. I kept the 2 old ones
> > > (previously from the back) and put them on the front. also 30 x 9.5's.
> > > even though there is some tread wear the tire guy said they should be
> > > good for another 5-10,000 miles.
> > >
> > > In addition, when they went to do an alignment, they said I need new
> > > ball joints.
> > >
> > > The problem now is that when I'm steering the jeep I feel like it is
> > > wandering a little bit, and not taking corners well at all. feels like
> > > the back end wants to slide out.
> > >
> > > So, my question is, is this a ball joint problem, alignment, or the
> > > tires not being matched up or all of the above. What should I get done
> > > first? I am on a budget, which is why I opted for only 2 tires, instead
> > > of all 4.
> > >
> >
> > Ball Joints first. It's a safety item. Also, you cannot properly align the
> > front end with bad ball joints.
> >
> > Alignment second.
> >
> > Tires third. No point in putting on new tires with bad ball joints or out of
> > alignment.

Re: 97 jeep wrangler mismatched tires causing steering problem??
 

That might be why you feel like you are wandering in the rear around
corners. I would suggest a street pressure of about 29lbs. for a 30 x9.5 x
15 tire.

That is only 4psi more than you are using, but it might make a slight
difference. Also, check your gauge. If your guage is high, your tire
pressure is lower than you think.

Tom

"bspear78" <bspear78@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1163606603.870175.241300@m7g2000cwm.googlegro ups.com...
> Thanks Steve, makes sense. I'm also running at 25 PSI all around. Is
> that a good pressure? I was trying to get more traction by lowering the
> PSI.
>
> Steve Foley wrote:
> > "bspear78" <bspear78@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> > news:1163604960.249333.190820@k70g2000cwa.googlegr oups.com...
> > > Wondering if anyone could help me out here. I just got 2 new tires
(BFG
> > > AT 30 x 9.5) put on the back of my jeep. I kept the 2 old ones
> > > (previously from the back) and put them on the front. also 30 x 9.5's.
> > > even though there is some tread wear the tire guy said they should be
> > > good for another 5-10,000 miles.
> > >
> > > In addition, when they went to do an alignment, they said I need new
> > > ball joints.
> > >
> > > The problem now is that when I'm steering the jeep I feel like it is
> > > wandering a little bit, and not taking corners well at all. feels like
> > > the back end wants to slide out.
> > >
> > > So, my question is, is this a ball joint problem, alignment, or the
> > > tires not being matched up or all of the above. What should I get done
> > > first? I am on a budget, which is why I opted for only 2 tires,
instead
> > > of all 4.
> > >
> >
> > Ball Joints first. It's a safety item. Also, you cannot properly align
the
> > front end with bad ball joints.
> >
> > Alignment second.
> >
> > Tires third. No point in putting on new tires with bad ball joints or
out of
> > alignment.
>

Re: 97 jeep wrangler mismatched tires causing steering problem??
 

That might be why you feel like you are wandering in the rear around
corners. I would suggest a street pressure of about 29lbs. for a 30 x9.5 x
15 tire.

That is only 4psi more than you are using, but it might make a slight
difference. Also, check your gauge. If your guage is high, your tire
pressure is lower than you think.

Tom

"bspear78" <bspear78@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1163606603.870175.241300@m7g2000cwm.googlegro ups.com...
> Thanks Steve, makes sense. I'm also running at 25 PSI all around. Is
> that a good pressure? I was trying to get more traction by lowering the
> PSI.
>
> Steve Foley wrote:
> > "bspear78" <bspear78@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> > news:1163604960.249333.190820@k70g2000cwa.googlegr oups.com...
> > > Wondering if anyone could help me out here. I just got 2 new tires
(BFG
> > > AT 30 x 9.5) put on the back of my jeep. I kept the 2 old ones
> > > (previously from the back) and put them on the front. also 30 x 9.5's.
> > > even though there is some tread wear the tire guy said they should be
> > > good for another 5-10,000 miles.
> > >
> > > In addition, when they went to do an alignment, they said I need new
> > > ball joints.
> > >
> > > The problem now is that when I'm steering the jeep I feel like it is
> > > wandering a little bit, and not taking corners well at all. feels like
> > > the back end wants to slide out.
> > >
> > > So, my question is, is this a ball joint problem, alignment, or the
> > > tires not being matched up or all of the above. What should I get done
> > > first? I am on a budget, which is why I opted for only 2 tires,
instead
> > > of all 4.
> > >
> >
> > Ball Joints first. It's a safety item. Also, you cannot properly align
the
> > front end with bad ball joints.
> >
> > Alignment second.
> >
> > Tires third. No point in putting on new tires with bad ball joints or
out of
> > alignment.
>

Re: 97 jeep wrangler mismatched tires causing steering problem??
 

That might be why you feel like you are wandering in the rear around
corners. I would suggest a street pressure of about 29lbs. for a 30 x9.5 x
15 tire.

That is only 4psi more than you are using, but it might make a slight
difference. Also, check your gauge. If your guage is high, your tire
pressure is lower than you think.

Tom

"bspear78" <bspear78@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1163606603.870175.241300@m7g2000cwm.googlegro ups.com...
> Thanks Steve, makes sense. I'm also running at 25 PSI all around. Is
> that a good pressure? I was trying to get more traction by lowering the
> PSI.
>
> Steve Foley wrote:
> > "bspear78" <bspear78@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> > news:1163604960.249333.190820@k70g2000cwa.googlegr oups.com...
> > > Wondering if anyone could help me out here. I just got 2 new tires
(BFG
> > > AT 30 x 9.5) put on the back of my jeep. I kept the 2 old ones
> > > (previously from the back) and put them on the front. also 30 x 9.5's.
> > > even though there is some tread wear the tire guy said they should be
> > > good for another 5-10,000 miles.
> > >
> > > In addition, when they went to do an alignment, they said I need new
> > > ball joints.
> > >
> > > The problem now is that when I'm steering the jeep I feel like it is
> > > wandering a little bit, and not taking corners well at all. feels like
> > > the back end wants to slide out.
> > >
> > > So, my question is, is this a ball joint problem, alignment, or the
> > > tires not being matched up or all of the above. What should I get done
> > > first? I am on a budget, which is why I opted for only 2 tires,
instead
> > > of all 4.
> > >
> >
> > Ball Joints first. It's a safety item. Also, you cannot properly align
the
> > front end with bad ball joints.
> >
> > Alignment second.
> >
> > Tires third. No point in putting on new tires with bad ball joints or
out of
> > alignment.
>

Re: 97 jeep wrangler mismatched tires causing steering problem??
 

The factory door sticker on my '02 TJ, with original factory 30 x 9.5 x 15
Goodyear GSA Wrangler tires was 29 lbs.

Tom

"bspear78" <bspear78@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1163604960.249333.190820@k70g2000cwa.googlegr oups.com...
> Wondering if anyone could help me out here. I just got 2 new tires (BFG
> AT 30 x 9.5) put on the back of my jeep. I kept the 2 old ones
> (previously from the back) and put them on the front. also 30 x 9.5's.
> even though there is some tread wear the tire guy said they should be
> good for another 5-10,000 miles.
>
> In addition, when they went to do an alignment, they said I need new
> ball joints.
>
> The problem now is that when I'm steering the jeep I feel like it is
> wandering a little bit, and not taking corners well at all. feels like
> the back end wants to slide out.
>
> So, my question is, is this a ball joint problem, alignment, or the
> tires not being matched up or all of the above. What should I get done
> first? I am on a budget, which is why I opted for only 2 tires, instead
> of all 4.
>

Re: 97 jeep wrangler mismatched tires causing steering problem??
 

The factory door sticker on my '02 TJ, with original factory 30 x 9.5 x 15
Goodyear GSA Wrangler tires was 29 lbs.

Tom

"bspear78" <bspear78@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1163604960.249333.190820@k70g2000cwa.googlegr oups.com...
> Wondering if anyone could help me out here. I just got 2 new tires (BFG
> AT 30 x 9.5) put on the back of my jeep. I kept the 2 old ones
> (previously from the back) and put them on the front. also 30 x 9.5's.
> even though there is some tread wear the tire guy said they should be
> good for another 5-10,000 miles.
>
> In addition, when they went to do an alignment, they said I need new
> ball joints.
>
> The problem now is that when I'm steering the jeep I feel like it is
> wandering a little bit, and not taking corners well at all. feels like
> the back end wants to slide out.
>
> So, my question is, is this a ball joint problem, alignment, or the
> tires not being matched up or all of the above. What should I get done
> first? I am on a budget, which is why I opted for only 2 tires, instead
> of all 4.
>

Re: 97 jeep wrangler mismatched tires causing steering problem??
 

The factory door sticker on my '02 TJ, with original factory 30 x 9.5 x 15
Goodyear GSA Wrangler tires was 29 lbs.

Tom

"bspear78" <bspear78@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1163604960.249333.190820@k70g2000cwa.googlegr oups.com...
> Wondering if anyone could help me out here. I just got 2 new tires (BFG
> AT 30 x 9.5) put on the back of my jeep. I kept the 2 old ones
> (previously from the back) and put them on the front. also 30 x 9.5's.
> even though there is some tread wear the tire guy said they should be
> good for another 5-10,000 miles.
>
> In addition, when they went to do an alignment, they said I need new
> ball joints.
>
> The problem now is that when I'm steering the jeep I feel like it is
> wandering a little bit, and not taking corners well at all. feels like
> the back end wants to slide out.
>
> So, my question is, is this a ball joint problem, alignment, or the
> tires not being matched up or all of the above. What should I get done
> first? I am on a budget, which is why I opted for only 2 tires, instead
> of all 4.
>

Re: 97 jeep wrangler mismatched tires causing steering problem??
 

mabar wrote:

> That is only 4psi more than you are using, but it might make a slight
> difference.

Slight difference? HUGE difference. I run 30x9.5's on factory rims,
and run 32 psi on the street. The handling difference from the OEM spec
of 29 psi is astounding. Easier steering and better mileage as well,
while maintaining excellent traction in the rain. Big tires like this
generate a lot of rolling resistance and internal heat can be a problem,
even if you've invested in very high quality rubber.

When in doubt, air it up. If you're running decent quality tires to
begin with, traction will never be a problem.

Re: 97 jeep wrangler mismatched tires causing steering problem??
 

mabar wrote:

> That is only 4psi more than you are using, but it might make a slight
> difference.

Slight difference? HUGE difference. I run 30x9.5's on factory rims,
and run 32 psi on the street. The handling difference from the OEM spec
of 29 psi is astounding. Easier steering and better mileage as well,
while maintaining excellent traction in the rain. Big tires like this
generate a lot of rolling resistance and internal heat can be a problem,
even if you've invested in very high quality rubber.

When in doubt, air it up. If you're running decent quality tires to
begin with, traction will never be a problem.

Re: 97 jeep wrangler mismatched tires causing steering problem??
 

mabar wrote:

> That is only 4psi more than you are using, but it might make a slight
> difference.

Slight difference? HUGE difference. I run 30x9.5's on factory rims,
and run 32 psi on the street. The handling difference from the OEM spec
of 29 psi is astounding. Easier steering and better mileage as well,
while maintaining excellent traction in the rain. Big tires like this
generate a lot of rolling resistance and internal heat can be a problem,
even if you've invested in very high quality rubber.

When in doubt, air it up. If you're running decent quality tires to
begin with, traction will never be a problem.

Re: 97 jeep wrangler mismatched tires causing steering problem??
 

Thanks guys. Also, I am thinking that the "wandering" problem is the
mismatched tires. I had no problems with it when I had the old tires
on. I have BFG (new) on the back. and older tires on the front,
different brand. Would that affect handling? more than the ball
joints??? the thing is I wanted to leave the old tires on there cause
they had good tread left. I am thinking that if I get all BFG's the
steering will be ok.


Outatime wrote:
> mabar wrote:
>
> > That is only 4psi more than you are using, but it might make a slight
> > difference.
>
> Slight difference? HUGE difference. I run 30x9.5's on factory rims,
> and run 32 psi on the street. The handling difference from the OEM spec
> of 29 psi is astounding. Easier steering and better mileage as well,
> while maintaining excellent traction in the rain. Big tires like this
> generate a lot of rolling resistance and internal heat can be a problem,
> even if you've invested in very high quality rubber.
>
> When in doubt, air it up. If you're running decent quality tires to
> begin with, traction will never be a problem.

Re: 97 jeep wrangler mismatched tires causing steering problem??
 

Thanks guys. Also, I am thinking that the "wandering" problem is the
mismatched tires. I had no problems with it when I had the old tires
on. I have BFG (new) on the back. and older tires on the front,
different brand. Would that affect handling? more than the ball
joints??? the thing is I wanted to leave the old tires on there cause
they had good tread left. I am thinking that if I get all BFG's the
steering will be ok.


Outatime wrote:
> mabar wrote:
>
> > That is only 4psi more than you are using, but it might make a slight
> > difference.
>
> Slight difference? HUGE difference. I run 30x9.5's on factory rims,
> and run 32 psi on the street. The handling difference from the OEM spec
> of 29 psi is astounding. Easier steering and better mileage as well,
> while maintaining excellent traction in the rain. Big tires like this
> generate a lot of rolling resistance and internal heat can be a problem,
> even if you've invested in very high quality rubber.
>
> When in doubt, air it up. If you're running decent quality tires to
> begin with, traction will never be a problem.

Re: 97 jeep wrangler mismatched tires causing steering problem??
 

Thanks guys. Also, I am thinking that the "wandering" problem is the
mismatched tires. I had no problems with it when I had the old tires
on. I have BFG (new) on the back. and older tires on the front,
different brand. Would that affect handling? more than the ball
joints??? the thing is I wanted to leave the old tires on there cause
they had good tread left. I am thinking that if I get all BFG's the
steering will be ok.


Outatime wrote:
> mabar wrote:
>
> > That is only 4psi more than you are using, but it might make a slight
> > difference.
>
> Slight difference? HUGE difference. I run 30x9.5's on factory rims,
> and run 32 psi on the street. The handling difference from the OEM spec
> of 29 psi is astounding. Easier steering and better mileage as well,
> while maintaining excellent traction in the rain. Big tires like this
> generate a lot of rolling resistance and internal heat can be a problem,
> even if you've invested in very high quality rubber.
>
> When in doubt, air it up. If you're running decent quality tires to
> begin with, traction will never be a problem.

Re: 97 jeep wrangler mismatched tires causing steering problem??
 

On 15 Nov 2006 18:38:11 -0800, "bspear78" <bspear78@hotmail.com>
wrote:

>Thanks guys. Also, I am thinking that the "wandering" problem is the
>mismatched tires. I had no problems with it when I had the old tires
>on. I have BFG (new) on the back. and older tires on the front,
>different brand. Would that affect handling? more than the ball
>joints??? the thing is I wanted to leave the old tires on there cause
>they had good tread left. I am thinking that if I get all BFG's the
>steering will be ok.
>
>
Having different tires front and rear on its own should not affect
steering.

However, if you have been running your old set at low pressures they
will have been weakened by the heat build up over time. That may make
the sidewalls softer and as such more prone to distorion - especially
on cornering. With new, stiffer tyres on the rear that MAY throw up a
feeling of a steering problem as your rear end will feel firmer - if
you'll excuse the expression :-) - thus highlighting the differnce
between your old and new tires.

I always change all four at the same time and have done for the past
30 years on my 4x4s. Tyre rotation should ensure that they all wear
out at the same time.

Whether your ture wear differential as described above would show up
more than the ball joints I couldn't say. But... if your ball joints
are so sloppy that you can actually feel it when you are driving I'd
get them changed - ever seen what happens when one shears? I had it
happen off road at about 5mph. I wouldn't like to be in a vehicle if
on sheared at 50mph.

Ewan Scott

Re: 97 jeep wrangler mismatched tires causing steering problem??
 

On 15 Nov 2006 18:38:11 -0800, "bspear78" <bspear78@hotmail.com>
wrote:

>Thanks guys. Also, I am thinking that the "wandering" problem is the
>mismatched tires. I had no problems with it when I had the old tires
>on. I have BFG (new) on the back. and older tires on the front,
>different brand. Would that affect handling? more than the ball
>joints??? the thing is I wanted to leave the old tires on there cause
>they had good tread left. I am thinking that if I get all BFG's the
>steering will be ok.
>
>
Having different tires front and rear on its own should not affect
steering.

However, if you have been running your old set at low pressures they
will have been weakened by the heat build up over time. That may make
the sidewalls softer and as such more prone to distorion - especially
on cornering. With new, stiffer tyres on the rear that MAY throw up a
feeling of a steering problem as your rear end will feel firmer - if
you'll excuse the expression :-) - thus highlighting the differnce
between your old and new tires.

I always change all four at the same time and have done for the past
30 years on my 4x4s. Tyre rotation should ensure that they all wear
out at the same time.

Whether your ture wear differential as described above would show up
more than the ball joints I couldn't say. But... if your ball joints
are so sloppy that you can actually feel it when you are driving I'd
get them changed - ever seen what happens when one shears? I had it
happen off road at about 5mph. I wouldn't like to be in a vehicle if
on sheared at 50mph.

Ewan Scott

Re: 97 jeep wrangler mismatched tires causing steering problem??
 

On 15 Nov 2006 18:38:11 -0800, "bspear78" <bspear78@hotmail.com>
wrote:

>Thanks guys. Also, I am thinking that the "wandering" problem is the
>mismatched tires. I had no problems with it when I had the old tires
>on. I have BFG (new) on the back. and older tires on the front,
>different brand. Would that affect handling? more than the ball
>joints??? the thing is I wanted to leave the old tires on there cause
>they had good tread left. I am thinking that if I get all BFG's the
>steering will be ok.
>
>
Having different tires front and rear on its own should not affect
steering.

However, if you have been running your old set at low pressures they
will have been weakened by the heat build up over time. That may make
the sidewalls softer and as such more prone to distorion - especially
on cornering. With new, stiffer tyres on the rear that MAY throw up a
feeling of a steering problem as your rear end will feel firmer - if
you'll excuse the expression :-) - thus highlighting the differnce
between your old and new tires.

I always change all four at the same time and have done for the past
30 years on my 4x4s. Tyre rotation should ensure that they all wear
out at the same time.

Whether your ture wear differential as described above would show up
more than the ball joints I couldn't say. But... if your ball joints
are so sloppy that you can actually feel it when you are driving I'd
get them changed - ever seen what happens when one shears? I had it
happen off road at about 5mph. I wouldn't like to be in a vehicle if
on sheared at 50mph.

Ewan Scott

Re: 97 jeep wrangler mismatched tires causing steering problem??
 

There 'can' be such a radical difference between sidewall action on
different brands of tires that the vehicle is considered 'Unsafe' for
the road and should not be driven.

If the softer sidewalls are on the front, the vehicle can dive into the
corners causing 'oversteer' I think it is, which can flip a Wrangler
onto it's side or into 360 spins faster than you can blink. It can also
wander wander all over.

If the softer ones are on the back, the back will wander with the road
causing the steering to float around and possibly break the rear end
free during a turn causing a spin out before flipping over.

In either case you cannot expect an alignment to be very good if it even
helps a little which I doubt.

I mixed Michelins up front with Goodyears on the back once on a station
wagon due to fund limitations.....

The deterioration in handling and the wandering was insane. The rear
end spun out on the first highway off ramp I took 'at the posted speed'
or less! I re-evaluated my finances after I cleaned out my pants....

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view!
Jan/06 http://www.imagestation.com/album/pi...?id=2115147590
(More Off Road album links at bottom of the view page)

bspear78 wrote:
>
> Thanks guys. Also, I am thinking that the "wandering" problem is the
> mismatched tires. I had no problems with it when I had the old tires
> on. I have BFG (new) on the back. and older tires on the front,
> different brand. Would that affect handling? more than the ball
> joints??? the thing is I wanted to leave the old tires on there cause
> they had good tread left. I am thinking that if I get all BFG's the
> steering will be ok.
>
> Outatime wrote:
> > mabar wrote:
> >
> > > That is only 4psi more than you are using, but it might make a slight
> > > difference.
> >
> > Slight difference? HUGE difference. I run 30x9.5's on factory rims,
> > and run 32 psi on the street. The handling difference from the OEM spec
> > of 29 psi is astounding. Easier steering and better mileage as well,
> > while maintaining excellent traction in the rain. Big tires like this
> > generate a lot of rolling resistance and internal heat can be a problem,
> > even if you've invested in very high quality rubber.
> >
> > When in doubt, air it up. If you're running decent quality tires to
> > begin with, traction will never be a problem.

Re: 97 jeep wrangler mismatched tires causing steering problem??
 

There 'can' be such a radical difference between sidewall action on
different brands of tires that the vehicle is considered 'Unsafe' for
the road and should not be driven.

If the softer sidewalls are on the front, the vehicle can dive into the
corners causing 'oversteer' I think it is, which can flip a Wrangler
onto it's side or into 360 spins faster than you can blink. It can also
wander wander all over.

If the softer ones are on the back, the back will wander with the road
causing the steering to float around and possibly break the rear end
free during a turn causing a spin out before flipping over.

In either case you cannot expect an alignment to be very good if it even
helps a little which I doubt.

I mixed Michelins up front with Goodyears on the back once on a station
wagon due to fund limitations.....

The deterioration in handling and the wandering was insane. The rear
end spun out on the first highway off ramp I took 'at the posted speed'
or less! I re-evaluated my finances after I cleaned out my pants....

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view!
Jan/06 http://www.imagestation.com/album/pi...?id=2115147590
(More Off Road album links at bottom of the view page)

bspear78 wrote:
>
> Thanks guys. Also, I am thinking that the "wandering" problem is the
> mismatched tires. I had no problems with it when I had the old tires
> on. I have BFG (new) on the back. and older tires on the front,
> different brand. Would that affect handling? more than the ball
> joints??? the thing is I wanted to leave the old tires on there cause
> they had good tread left. I am thinking that if I get all BFG's the
> steering will be ok.
>
> Outatime wrote:
> > mabar wrote:
> >
> > > That is only 4psi more than you are using, but it might make a slight
> > > difference.
> >
> > Slight difference? HUGE difference. I run 30x9.5's on factory rims,
> > and run 32 psi on the street. The handling difference from the OEM spec
> > of 29 psi is astounding. Easier steering and better mileage as well,
> > while maintaining excellent traction in the rain. Big tires like this
> > generate a lot of rolling resistance and internal heat can be a problem,
> > even if you've invested in very high quality rubber.
> >
> > When in doubt, air it up. If you're running decent quality tires to
> > begin with, traction will never be a problem.

Re: 97 jeep wrangler mismatched tires causing steering problem??
 

There 'can' be such a radical difference between sidewall action on
different brands of tires that the vehicle is considered 'Unsafe' for
the road and should not be driven.

If the softer sidewalls are on the front, the vehicle can dive into the
corners causing 'oversteer' I think it is, which can flip a Wrangler
onto it's side or into 360 spins faster than you can blink. It can also
wander wander all over.

If the softer ones are on the back, the back will wander with the road
causing the steering to float around and possibly break the rear end
free during a turn causing a spin out before flipping over.

In either case you cannot expect an alignment to be very good if it even
helps a little which I doubt.

I mixed Michelins up front with Goodyears on the back once on a station
wagon due to fund limitations.....

The deterioration in handling and the wandering was insane. The rear
end spun out on the first highway off ramp I took 'at the posted speed'
or less! I re-evaluated my finances after I cleaned out my pants....

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
Canadian Off Road Trips Photos: Non members can still view!
Jan/06 http://www.imagestation.com/album/pi...?id=2115147590
(More Off Road album links at bottom of the view page)

bspear78 wrote:
>
> Thanks guys. Also, I am thinking that the "wandering" problem is the
> mismatched tires. I had no problems with it when I had the old tires
> on. I have BFG (new) on the back. and older tires on the front,
> different brand. Would that affect handling? more than the ball
> joints??? the thing is I wanted to leave the old tires on there cause
> they had good tread left. I am thinking that if I get all BFG's the
> steering will be ok.
>
> Outatime wrote:
> > mabar wrote:
> >
> > > That is only 4psi more than you are using, but it might make a slight
> > > difference.
> >
> > Slight difference? HUGE difference. I run 30x9.5's on factory rims,
> > and run 32 psi on the street. The handling difference from the OEM spec
> > of 29 psi is astounding. Easier steering and better mileage as well,
> > while maintaining excellent traction in the rain. Big tires like this
> > generate a lot of rolling resistance and internal heat can be a problem,
> > even if you've invested in very high quality rubber.
> >
> > When in doubt, air it up. If you're running decent quality tires to
> > begin with, traction will never be a problem.