Flat spotting ?
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 30,427
Likes: 1,609
From: Outside the Quick Stop N.J.
Flat spotting ?
Just drove the wifes 89 Vert to work tonight. The car had sat for maybe 10 days outside under a cover on asphalt. For the first 2 miles or so there was a pretty bad vibration, almost like an out of balance wheel. After a few miles at 50-60mph it went away, so I am guessing the tires did not like sitting in one spot. The tires are only a couple of years old with less then 10k on them. I can not think of anything else that would cause the vibration, so I guess I just have to drive it more. Can anyone give me any other ideas as to what would cause this ?
Race Director
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 10,691
Likes: 71
From: Phoenix Arizona
Just drove the wifes 89 Vert to work tonight. The car had sat for maybe 10 days outside under a cover on asphalt. For the first 2 miles or so there was a pretty bad vibration, almost like an out of balance wheel. After a few miles at 50-60mph it went away, so I am guessing the tires did not like sitting in one spot. The tires are only a couple of years old with less then 10k on them. I can not think of anything else that would cause the vibration, so I guess I just have to drive it more. Can anyone give me any other ideas as to what would cause this ?
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 30,427
Likes: 1,609
From: Outside the Quick Stop N.J.
So true about the old tires ! I pulled a Cadillac out of storage after 20 years and the tires were so bad that they stayed flat on the bottom even off the rims. The suspension is in good shape, alignment is spot on, maybe I will try to put a little more air in the tires and see if it helps.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 8,735
Likes: 412
From: WV
I was having the same problem with my tires getting a flat spot in the winter when I don't drive it as much...The solution is to get some old carpet , fold it over double and run your car up onto the carpet when you put it away......This was suggested to me by a friend and it has worked great for quite a few years....Give it a try.....
...WW
...WW
Last edited by WW7; Dec 5, 2013 at 07:42 AM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 6,528
Likes: 752
From: South Dakota
I had a car a few years ago that would flat spot bad. Even just overnight it would do it. It would also recover in just a couple miles.
Higher air pressure helped it some but not completely.
For winter storage, I picked up a junk set of rims with junk tires. Who cares if they flat spot. Even with the bad set on, it still lets me move it around if I need or want to.
Good luck.
Higher air pressure helped it some but not completely.
For winter storage, I picked up a junk set of rims with junk tires. Who cares if they flat spot. Even with the bad set on, it still lets me move it around if I need or want to.
Good luck.
Racer
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 250
Likes: 1
Wow, what type of winters are you guys dealing with?
5 years ago when I totally busted my left ankle & had it operated on, my stick shift 300ZX sat outside on asphalt from mid Jan to early April. Of course this was Nor Calif but the temps ranged from low 30s to low 70's. In that entire time I had a buddy come over & drive the car twice. No flatspots, no special preparation on the car. The battery even held up. The car & tires were fine after all that.
5 years ago when I totally busted my left ankle & had it operated on, my stick shift 300ZX sat outside on asphalt from mid Jan to early April. Of course this was Nor Calif but the temps ranged from low 30s to low 70's. In that entire time I had a buddy come over & drive the car twice. No flatspots, no special preparation on the car. The battery even held up. The car & tires were fine after all that.
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....Same here.
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 3,751
Likes: 275
From: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
If you are storing a car over winter around 40 psi is good, the lower the pressure the more tires conform to the shape of the concrete or tarmac it sits on. So you will have tires slightly out of round, i have had no issues with 38/40 psi tire pressure. I had the car of the road over six months, with no vibration when back on the road.
the best thing would be to raise your wheels of the ground and support the wishbones and rear lower control arms with even size blocks of wood, so the suspension is still holding the car up.
Otherwise you may have to wait a few days for the suspension height to settle if the springs have had no tension on them for six months or more.
All things to consider for those of you that put your vette's in hibernation over winter.
the best thing would be to raise your wheels of the ground and support the wishbones and rear lower control arms with even size blocks of wood, so the suspension is still holding the car up.
Otherwise you may have to wait a few days for the suspension height to settle if the springs have had no tension on them for six months or more.
All things to consider for those of you that put your vette's in hibernation over winter.