Tyre run-out / flat spotting

[jeremy156]

I recently bought a set of used 17" genuine wheels for my 2004 LS430.  I decided to order Michelin Cross Climate 2 tyres, which I ordered online and had fitted locally.

Despite having had two of the wheels straightened (visibly perfectly round now), all four appear to have a tyre wobble when rotated.  Not a lot, perhaps 1-2mm, but this seems to be enough to feel while driving.  The second tyre shop I visited for a re-balance put the worst tyres on the back and expressed surprise that Michelin tyres would be like this.

I'm wondering whether buying mail-order tyres was a mistake.  They arrived loose, but could have been stacked in any way in a warehouse or on delivery lorries/van I guess.

Might this be damage before fitting that might work itself out when I put some miles and heat onto them?  I've read about temporary flat-spotting sorting itself out after a few miles... but these have been a couple of hundred now.  Am I being patient enough?  Alternatively is there something a specialist could "fix" about the tyres themselves?

Next stop for me will be a Hunter Road Force balance, to measure and accommodate the swollen bits.

[BigBoomer]

If they are mounted correctly and are still showing wobble, then I would contact the supplier first, then if no luck there contact Michelin directly.
Michelin are a premium brand and if those are defective or knock off tyres, they will want to know.
I've never had tyres that wobbled when new and only once on a worn tyre after the tyre sidewall got damaged by a stone.

[PCM]

Have you raised it with who you bought them from?

[jeremy156]

George, Piers, thank you for your replies.

I have contacted Camskill who supplied the tyres, hoping they'll respond with a suggestion.  Unless they argue it's a mounting issue, I'm hoping they might see it as a tyre fault.

[PCM]

Hmmm. I've bought from Camskill many times. Always been excellent... 

Hopefully others here will have some words of wisdom.

[jeremy156]

Indeed, always been good for me - and in dialogue with them now via email.

[steve2006]

What’s the production date of the tyres?

[jeremy156]

On 11/17/2021 at 1:55 PM, steve2006 said:

What’s the production date of the tyres?

Fresh as a daisy - 4021, mounted in week 46!

I've had a discussion with Camskill who insist that four bad Michelin tyres is unheard of and that it must be the wheels.  I'll revisit the wheel straightening, but I genuinely see no movement when they turn.

[PCM]

Did you make any progress on your wheel/tyre issue, Jeremy? 

 

[jeremy156]

On 12/18/2021 at 10:04 AM, PCM said:

Did you make any progress on your wheel/tyre issue, Jeremy? 

 

I went to the fitters and they re-balanced and swapped front to rear, after having re-checked the roundness of the wheels and concluded the tyres are bad.  I then found a place with a Hunter Roadforce balancing machine, where the system surprisingly didn't recommend any tyres be turned, however the balance was somehow better.  I'm wondering whether that's because they used a finger-plate instead of cone to mount the wheel to the balancer, thereby mimicing lug nuts rather than relying on the positioning of the center hole?  Anyway, the long and short of it is that the ride is now acceptable.  Not perfect, but I have to accept it'll be the best I can do on this car.  Such a shame, as I like almost everything about it.

[PCM]

Tricky as it is and a hassle, but ... if a third party questions the tyres ( and safety ? ) of the tyres, I'd be tempted to return them?

Which may of course not be entirely practical. I wonder if they think all the tyres are 'bad' and how they might have become so?

Best wishes.

 

[Mikaelse]

Not to forget that tire not round or excentric is a separate problem from imbalanced . The first is a geometric  shape error and the other is a center of gravity error. You can apply balance weights to remove the latter error but you can not change the shape by applying balance weights.  IF you see that the tire is out of round and can feel it while driving you should definitely complain if it has been professionally balanced . The tire is made in a high precision mould. It should be close to perfect round if done right.