I hit a deep pot hole at night going about 20 MPH with my right front tire.

It hit mostly on the inside part of the tire.

It ruptured the run flat side wall on the engine side with a 1/2 inch crack in the tires side.

It also bent the rim somewhat.

I've since replaced the rim, and tire.

It pulls ever so slightly to the left and at bascially any speed. from 20mph to 120+mph. Which i've confirmed on several roads, highways, different travelling directions with same wind speed/direction.

I took it in to check the alignment with one of the new hunter laser alignment machine front and back.

It was right on the money with factory specs in all cases.

My tires are about 15 - 20 percent worn in the front before the incident, and I replaced the right front tire with a used identical goodyear runflat, with virtually identical tread depth.

Could it be that since the used tire has been run on another car, that it is causing the slight pull to the left? The wear pattern across the used replacement tire looks even.

What else could possible be the cause of this is my alignment is right on the money? And it didnt pull before the pot hole incident?

Could something have gotten damaged, bent in the suspension etc, and it still be possible to be in perfect alignement, yet still pull to the left slightly?

thanks for any insight.





[Modified by kewlbrz, 2:48 PM 12/11/2002]

 

It's not likely that you could bend something and have all four wheels perfectly aligned. It's more likely that the replacement tire has a little more tread than the other side or is worn slightly differently across the tread. Sorry for the problem. I hate when I hit a pothole. :(

 

thanks. all signs seem to point to it being the used runflat from another car even tho the tread depth is the same.

Also I wanted to add, that I have checked the air and both have identical psi also.

 

These Run flats are a pain...
Here is a thought... The tire you put on your right side may have spent the first part of it's life as a left tire...Therefore wearing to the specs of the left side of the car..

 

You may have a 'bad' runflat (I know - that's redundant!) :jester

Swap sides on the fronts and see if it pulls the other way?

I had this happen on my Suburban. Tires 'looked' fine, but I had a pull. Alignment was dead-on. I swapped sides and it pulled the other way. Tire guy said this happens when the cords get loose or seperate.



[Modified by SDVette, 9:28 PM 12/11/2002]

 

Aren;t those tires unidirrectional? They can't (or shouldn't) be swapped from side to side?

 

They are Unidirectional..however they can be swapped from the Rim and installed on the other side.. ;)

 

You might have whats known as a "radial pull". The fix on other cars is to rotate the tire to the rear where the Pull won't affect steering.
On our cars its a different story.
I would give it some break-in time and see if it improves.. If not, you might want to claim it as a tire defect and see if they will give you another.
Good luck.
mike

 

Just for a short ride to perform a test.. I don't recommend leaving it that way!

 

:iagree: :thumbs: