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Hey guys, recently picked up a 2012 GS M6, with 22k on it. This is my first c6 based corvette ive owned. My only real "concern" is it seems like the car is overly sensitive, and like to wander around on every crack in the road. Its got about 8k miles on some GY f1 run flats, I was assuming it was just the tires, but want sure if that's just the way these cars are.
Hey guys, recently picked up a 2012 GS M6, with 22k on it. This is my first c6 based corvette ive owned. My only real "concern" is it seems like the car is overly sensitive, and like to wander around on every crack in the road. Its got about 8k miles on some GY f1 run flats, I was assuming it was just the tires, but want sure if that's just the way these cars are.
You assumed correctly. The GY tires are really bad and cause what you are experiencing also known as "tramlining". Michelin's or Bridgestones will severely diminish what you are feeling if not eliminate the problem altogether. On my '13 GS I had the same problem until I went to Bridgestone RE-11's (non run flat) and the difference was night and day. But any quality tire should help you tremendously.
in addition to what Sky said, you may also be facing an adjustment period, if coming from a vehicle with heavier steering, such as a pickup. If that is the case, it will get better for you in short time, but maybe not to a degree you are happy with until you change out the tires.
When you get new tires, be sure and get an alignment. I had to get new fronts at about 13,000 miles and the insides of the front tires had thread showing. The outside had almost full tread. It was severely misaligned.
With wide tires you'll always get tramlining to some degree, but mine, and probably yours, was dangerous.
It's a common issue with wandering on the Goodyear Runflat tires. No other tire does that as much as GY for whatever reason. When I replaced my GY RF F1 Supercar tires, it was like night and day. I sacrificed 1/2 worn GY tires for new tires, and then I was never scared again to drive the car in any condition.
Not only are they the worse tire made for a C6., they are downright dangerous at 1/2 threadwear on any wet surface.
Ditch the tires, and all will be good
I purchased my 2012 GS with 7000 miles, and those stock GY made it wander all over the road.
Bought some non-run flats a month later and got a street alignment rather than the stock alignment, now it tracks perfectly straight and doesn't practically change lanes when you hit rough or bumpy roads.
Nice to know about the Goodyears. My 05 that I bought in September has 1 year old Firestone Run Flats and handles and steers beautifully for what thats worth to you. Even tread wear on all 4. 30 psi. Tires will make all the difference in the world with, a correct alignment.
Sounds like the guys here have been through the tire replacement situation and know what tires work with these cars. Imagine asking someone at TireDiscounters what tires are best for a C6. Tire specialists right here on this forum with real world experience to share.
I didn't mean that I was a specialist though... only that the Firestones work well on my car.
Sweet, makes me feel a lot better that it's not just me lol. I will head over to Americas tires and see what I can find! Thanks for the info fellas!
I would get a good alignment first. Find a shop that will align to pfadt specs EXACTLY...not close.
google pfadt c6 corvette alignment performance street.
I would get a good alignment first. Find a shop that will align to pfadt specs EXACTLY...not close.
google pfadt c6 corvette alignment performance street.
this information above is correct..................
attached is a copy of the alignment specifications for you to use.........
Yes, the tires can be a problem.
Looking at alignment, any toe-out will tend to make the car twitchy and wandering.
A very slight amount of toe-IN can make the car more stable. 0 toe is almost as good.
Any tire can be made extremely (too) stable with small changes in alignment. Any tire can be made very twitchy with small changes in alignment. The Z51 factory alignment with (0.1 degree) toe-in is very stable but the tires will wear more quickly. Caster will also affect the stability. Again, the factory Z51 setting of 8 degrees is what you want on the street.
This is what the front Michelin Super Sports look like after 24,000 miles and a camber setting of -1.6
New camber setting (on a new set of Michelin SS) is -1.1 and I can say the steering and handling is much improved. At -1.6 camber the GS was "twitchy" and reacted to every change in the road surface. Steering is more positive and smooth now.
This is what the front Michelin Super Sports look like after 24,000 miles and a camber setting of -1.6
...
New camber setting (on a new set of Michelin SS) is -1.1 and I can say the steering and handling is much improved. At -1.6 camber the GS was "twitchy" and reacted to every change in the road surface. Steering is more positive and smooth now.
Too much negative camber can indeed do that, but it's "easier" to trash the inner edges of your tires with toe-out .
Most of the cars I've seen with worn inner edges, where we were able to learn what the alignment settings had been, were victims of either toe-out or toe-out combined with a lot of negative camber. By itself, negative camber is less detrimental than most folks think.
Last edited by Gearhead Jim; 12-27-2016 at 01:01 PM.
Too much negative camber puts more of the weight of the vehicle on the inside tread area. But, the tire still rolls in a straight line if the toe is correctly set. That is why it is less damaging to a tire than incorrect toe.
Excessive toe out, by comparison, causes the surface of the tire to scrub away as it is rolling. If you can picture in your mind your right front tire pointing slightly to the right as the car is driven straight ahead, you will understand how that will scrub the inside tread of that tire.
That is the way I always understood it.
Last edited by buckmeister2; 12-27-2016 at 04:08 PM.
12-26-2016, 06:56 PM
Overly sensitive steering?
this information above is correct..................
Any tire can be made extremely (too) stable with small changes in alignment. Any tire can be made very twitchy with small changes in alignment. The Z51 factory alignment with (0.1 degree) toe-in is very stable but the tires will wear more quickly. Caster will also affect the stability. Again, the factory Z51 setting of 8 degrees is what you want on the street.
