New tyres, now car is pulling when driving above 50

Anitalouisa

A little clueless when it comes to cars! Had two rear tyres replaced on my Ford KA at Kwik-Fit, plus balancing and filled with nitrogen. (I think!)

Now though, my car is pulling like i;m being buffered by the wind at speed. I usually use the car to commute in London so it was a few weeks before I noticed. Could it be the tracking or something worse?

Any help appreciated!

marleyboy

It sounds like the balancing is out, I would go back to the garage and mention it, there should be no problem with them putting it back on the ramp and re-balancing the wheels for you, its a pretty quick job.

SailorSam

I don't think the new tyres will be the problem, when a car pulls it's usually something wrong at the front. I agree with marleyboy the first think to check is the balancing.

meinexpert

The car needs aligning. Also filling tyres with nitrogen is not a good idea, as the nitrogen reacts with the rubber and the tyres then lose pressure.

skivenov

Check your wheel bolts are tight and your tyre pressures. If you're not sure how to do this, most tyre places will do this, and probably show you how for either a small fee or even just being asked nicely.

Nitrogen filling is pretty much pointless (unless you're racing), and defiantely not worth spending extra money for. Air does exactly the same job, and is free because it's more plentiful

Anitalouisa

Thanks for all your replies. With regards to the nitrogen, they did it without asking which I was a bit miffed about, but hey ho.

To change it back to air, do they have to do that or can it be done diy style?

I think my first port of call will be Kwik-Fit again then. Thanks again!

GlynD

This sounds like a tracking issue which wouldn't have been noticeable with the old tyres as they'd worn into a shape to suit it. Take the car back to Kwik Fit and tell them what the issue is and they'll be able to realign the car in no time at all. It doesn't sound like a balance issue to me as you haven't described any vibration but a clue to a tracking problem is that sometimes the steering wheel is slightly off centre when driving in a straight line.

Anitalouisa

Many thanks!

mikey72

Keep the nitrogen, It's fine, and air is 80% nitrogen anyway. I wouldn't have bothered in the first place, but while it's in there leave it. If they replaced the back tyres, it's very unlikely to have affected the tracking, or anything at the front. It's more likely one tyre is fittted wrongly, or distorted, and is causing the car to pull to one side at the back, and you're having to compensate by turing the wheels slightly at the front. So the car is crabbing slightly down the road. Check if they are directional tyres, or if they need to be orientated with an outside face, (It'll say on the sidewall). If that is correct, the next test is to swop the back tyres side to side. Ask Kwik Fit to look, if you can't see anything obvious.

GolfBravo

Check the runout stripes on your new tyres (the red or blue lines).

They are there for a reason but unfortunately some tyre shops don't have a clue - ideally they should be in the middle of the tyre width. If they are to either side it indicates that the tyre will pull to that particular side.

So check that first.

It could also be the front wheel alignment.

Also check the tyre pressures - some tyre shops don't even bother to inflate the tyres to their correct pressure, they just use whatever preset pressure they have.

marlot

meinexpert wrote: »

The car needs aligning. Also filling tyres with nitrogen is not a good idea, as the nitrogen reacts with the rubber and the tyres then lose pressure.

Air is 80% Nitrogen!