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Tires rotated, now feels like driving w/ brakes applied


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Italgrl
User

Mar 18, 2014, 7:53 PM

Post #1 of 11 (2575 views)
Tires rotated, now feels like driving w/ brakes applied Sign In

2009 Corolla automatic
70k miles

Suddenly lots of road noise. Tires have 20k miles on them, all four the same tire, bought at same time. No obvious wear or spots. Still good tread.

Had the tires rotated and an oil change. Road noise now very obviously in the front tires, so I will replace them soon.

Here's my problem - After having the tires rotated, the steering is very tight and it feels like I am driving with the brakes on or in low gear. Also, if I take foot off the gas, car slows noticeably and differently than it used to.

What's going on? Did the shop do something wrong when they rotated the tires?


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
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Mar 19, 2014, 2:26 AM

Post #2 of 11 (2550 views)
Re: Tires rotated, now feels like driving w/ brakes applied Sign In

This is because you waited too long to rotate. FWD cars tend to get cupping in the rear tires if left there too long. When they are moved to the front, the extra weight brings out the noise. They will eventually correct themselves if left there.



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(This post was edited by Hammer Time on Mar 19, 2014, 2:27 AM)


Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
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Mar 19, 2014, 4:16 AM

Post #3 of 11 (2545 views)
Re: Tires rotated, now feels like driving w/ brakes applied Sign In

Ditto with HT. To add a question, are the tires and wheels the size the car is supposed to have? Even if right take a keen eye to see some flaws in tire wear that can cause some very dramatic changes if left unrotated too long and they were. If by chance these are directional tires (should be marked with at least an arrow on tire) and crossed even more likely for adverse problems,


T



Italgrl
User

Mar 19, 2014, 8:22 AM

Post #4 of 11 (2532 views)
Re: Tires rotated, now feels like driving w/ brakes applied Sign In

Are you saying that the road noise or the steering/driving w/ brakes on feeling is the result of waiting too long to rotate the tires? I am not asking about the road noise. I plan to replace the tires even though the tire shop said the tires were fine. They said no cupping, no bald spots and more than 80% tread left.

I am concerned about the tight steering and the feeling of driving with the brakes applied.

Is that caused by bad tires? I have been driving for 35 years and never experienced that because of bad tires.


Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Tom Greenleaf profile image

Mar 19, 2014, 8:46 AM

Post #5 of 11 (2529 views)
Re: Tires rotated, now feels like driving w/ brakes applied Sign In

Could be other things like directional tires which means the pattern is designed to roll forward for best behavior. IMO choosing that for a Corolla would be a mistake. That idea is frequently to channel water away from traction areas fast rather than ride on it if only rain or other reasons also.


Tire feathering will or can make a car feel terrible even if not extreme sometimes. This would be extreme for the purpose of showing you.........



That tire isn't worn out legally at all but the leading edge will wear first and grab the road first and feels like a fight with the car when put to rotate the opposite direction which sometimes will wear into over time or not.


Some you don't see but can feel it just lightly rubbing your hand over those you feel the sharper edge one way and smoother to move your hand the other. Weight of car will really notice that.


Other bull is way over tightening a wheel could cause an issue as well as debris from unseen behind rotor and even some drums to hub area fall down from just taking a wheel off making it all wrong you could even see the wobble of them right away and car would feel like crap if so.


Sudden tread separation unseen would not be so likely as other reasons IMO. Some of the issues I just mentioned can happen even if everything is done properly especially debris falling behind and in between hubs and rotors or drums just wrong. If so that needs those parts removed to clear out debris or if rust deal with it so it fits flush again. When instant like you said those are things any place that does this even if just tires should be aware of and not just blow you off,


T



Italgrl
User

Mar 19, 2014, 12:00 PM

Post #6 of 11 (2519 views)
Re: Tires rotated, now feels like driving w/ brakes applied Sign In

Well, I am going to buy new tires and see if that fixes the dragging and steering issues.


Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
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Mar 19, 2014, 12:10 PM

Post #7 of 11 (2518 views)
Re: Tires rotated, now feels like driving w/ brakes applied Sign In

Not so fast. It wasn't doing this till exactly when rotated and a chance not just the tires as you said appeared 80% by looks anyway.


This could be something non tire at all or happened when they were moved. Ask the shop to find out what the heck is causing it and if tires so be it but I doubt you know that for sure yet. Heck, rotate them differently if you know how they were done either fronts to back or criss-crossed and see if that alone changes it and so on.


I'm not blaming the place that rotated tires but anyone who does it has had something happen from doing it frequently with a person coming right back instantly asking what happened..........


T



Italgrl
User

Mar 19, 2014, 2:08 PM

Post #8 of 11 (2511 views)
Re: Tires rotated, now feels like driving w/ brakes applied Sign In

Yes, this happened exactly when I had the tires rotated. I noticed it on the drive home. I haven't been back to the shop yet as I was hoping to get some insight so I could deal with the shop more effectively.

Car was driving normally even with the road noise. I had the tires rotated and an oil change. When I left the shop the steering was very tight and the car drives like I'm in a low gear or the emergency brake is on.


Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Tom Greenleaf profile image

Mar 19, 2014, 2:13 PM

Post #9 of 11 (2509 views)
Re: Tires rotated, now feels like driving w/ brakes applied Sign In

Something went wrong. Go right back or tow it if you don't trust it to behave. Forget the web for this as you just had it worked on and now this you should have turned around right then to find out what the heck happened.


I tend to think something more than just tires are the problem. They can be noisy and feel funky when overdue for rotation but you seem to have some more going on than just that,


T



lowred81
User

Mar 19, 2014, 7:53 PM

Post #10 of 11 (2498 views)
Re: Tires rotated, now feels like driving w/ brakes applied Sign In

I agree. Sounds like its not a tire issue. Tires all have different qualities. Some are louder than others when brand new. Depends on the composite of the rubber that the tire is made of. Has this set of tires been somewhat noisy ever since you got them new? Could just be noisier now because they are now in the front. Or they are directionals and installed on the rim incorrectly or were rotated incorrectly. Directionals can only be rotated from front to back on the same side and vice versa. Cannot be criss crossed or moved to the other side. That could be the noise issue. The feeling like its in a low gear or something could be like mentioned debris hanging up in the hub or rotor/pad or possibly the parking brake cable (long shot here) got bumped or something while rotating the tires and is actually engaged a little. Just some quick thoughts.


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Mar 22, 2014, 10:11 AM

Post #11 of 11 (2466 views)
Re: Tires rotated, now feels like driving w/ brakes applied Sign In

The noise is the tires. Fix that before looking for anything else.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.







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