New Tire Radial Pull vs. Newly Discovered Alignment Issue?

[dcplus14]

Hey everyone, wish this wasn't going to be my first post but it is. I did some searching and found a lot of good info on alignment here, but could not find something specific to my issue.

I dropped my 2007 A4 B7 FWD 2.0T at Discount Tires Saturday to get some Continental ExtremeDW's installed (17"). Initially, they installed the DWS's, which I did not order, but were quick to admit error and replaced with the DW's that I ordered.

Preface: was running Continental ContiPro Contact's. Seemed like perfect alignment. No pull left or right on streets on freeway, treadwear was down to 3/32's around and pretty even.

After I picked up the car, there was a major pull to the right (instant). I can hold the steering wheel at what looks even/straight and there is no pull. I release the wheel it pulls to the right, both on freeway and street. We were late to an event because they installed the wrong tires, that I couldn't bring in the car until the end of the day.

I told them the issue, and they said they would rotate the Front tires left to right. They did so, and it was the end of the day for their shop so we took off and drove around a bit. Car still pulled to the right. Since they were closed by then, and not open Sunday, I took it in this morning. Let them know something is up with these new tires. They decided they would then rotate the Rears, left to right.

Ok, same issue, car is pulling the right still. At this point I wasn't so sure it was the tires, but maybe the alignment. Definitely concerned they did something to the alignment as this was never an issue before.

Brought the car into an alignment shop (not an Audi dealer). They ran the alignment check first, and notice some Toe issues:




I gave them the OK to do the alignment, and here is the outcome:




Wow..looks great...or so I thought. They drove it around and said they saw no pull. (This is my gf's car and she lives/works 100 miles from me, she came to visit for the weekend. Well it was time for her to get to work)

I follow her to the freeway, notice her car pulling. We are on the phone, travelling the same road and take hands off the wheel at the same time. Her car pulls way to the right, mine doesn't. *sigh*

So I called up an Audi Performance Shop nearby to try to get an unbiased opinion, PUREMS out of San Diego, they did good work for us before. They think it's likely an alignment problem. I called up another Discount tire, one closer to where my gf works/lives. They would be willing to rotate one side front to rear/rear to front. If that fails, try the other side. I am nowhere near my tools right now and can't do the rotations myself, so I really am relying on these guys, which sucks.

What are your thoughts? Alignment? Bad tires?

Thanks for reading!

[Charles.waite]

I highly doubt its the tires. The rotations are pretty pointless. I would take it back to the shop that did the alignment and tell them it still pulls and have them do it again.

[dcplus14]

The only reason I am thinking it was the tires is that this was never an issue before we had the new ones installed.

I will check at a different alignment shop as I feel these guys didn't do anything to fix it.

[KraZ4Riding]

My experience with the conti dws is similar. Went from stock Pirelli p6 with no alignment problems. Had it aligned at Audi with new tires from discount, but it pulled right. Did some left right swapping as you did and even had it aligned again at local performance shop. Alignment is all to spec no problems.

On a truly flat road the car does track straight, but basically no roads are really flat. Car still pulls with the cant of the road left or right. With old tires it would never do that.

In hindsight I would have swapped the tires at discount while still under 30 days for a different brand. I think it is the asymmetric design of the tread lends itself to tracking with the road too much. Great in snow, but they don't like to go straight. My advice don't wait too long get a different tire while you still can if you find it annoying to have to keep the car on track more than before.

[dcplus14]

UPDATE: Well, we took the car into a different Discount Tires and demanded they replaced the tires after two alignment shops now said the tires. WIN...kinda...well here is the fail. They gave us two options if we wanted new tires put on this morning. Continental Extreme DWS or pay a delta of $34 to put on some Michelin Primacy's. However I looked up the size info from the Primacy's, and it was the suggested sizing, which I am not sure why they would even try to install them.

So we went with the DWS and well still pulls the right. After searching many other forums, BMW/Audi/Lexus etc..with users having this tire, it seems like a good percentage all complain about the same exact pull. This discount tire said to us before the install if it still pulls after the new tires, it's not their fault and won't replace them.

I can try and go to another Discount Tires, and this time just get another brand...or just deal with it. Oh well.

[KraZ4Riding]

Pretty similar to my experience. I have gotten used to it. I do run a little higher pressure and find that helps. Run about 37 on 17 inch 235/45 stockers.

[cheemn]

Hmm never experienced such an issue. I have the 235/45/17 conti DWS. I keep my pressure at the 35 psi. Also have stock suspension etc etc.

[Charles.waite]

I've got 235/45 17 Conti DWS and dont have any pulling issues. What's the sidewall rating on yours?

[sircastic]

Are you sure you're not feeling the crown of the road? When it pulls to the right are you in the right lane? Does it go away or to the left when you're in the left lane?


Based on your alignment specs, even the ones prior to having the alignment done (your slight toe out should have compensated for the thrust angle) I wouldn't expect a pull ... maybe a slight drift off the old specs. I'm a licensed mechanic with a lot of dealership alignment and NVH experience.

Generally a radial tire pull with either go away when the tires are switched from side to side or it will pull the other way. I have seen radial pulls in batches of tires. Do you know the manufacturing date off the tires that were replaced verses the ones on there now? I'm very picky when it comes to tires and I'm not a fan of Continentals, or lesser tires, because of their construction. Upgrading to the Michelins wouldn't have been a bad idea.

[dcplus14]

I am not sure I can call it radial pull anymore. However, with the previous tires, Continental ContiPro Contacts, there was absolutely no pull/drift to the right after releasing the wheel, on both streets and freeway. In my current car, 5th gen Camaro, I have no pull either on the same exact street following my gf in her Audi.

So now that we installed both the DW and DWS, and both pull to the right, I am thinking it could just be that type of tire moreso than anything else.

As for the manufacturing dates, where could I find that on the tire? I still have one of the old tires leftover (had great tread since it was a replacement). The Michelins would have been nice, but were not the suggested spec off of their site and DiscountTires site.

[Audibot]

I remember something about the Audis' alighments require some loosening of the subframe bolts because of the multilink arrangement creates some kind of imaginary steering arm(?). But if that's the case, not sure if they would have done that, and you would get the same problem repeatedly.

I swapped out wheels and tires and that would be a huge reason my car pulls to the left... and my options shrank a bit because I no longer have stock size, and all the place aligns to is stock 17" settings. Luckily I know a guy who knows a guy...

[80sGuy]

Hey everyone, wish this wasn't going to be my first post but it is. I did some searching and found a lot of good info on alignment here, but could not find something specific to my issue.

I dropped my 2007 A4 B7 FWD 2.0T at Discount Tires Saturday to get some Continental ExtremeDW's installed (17"). Initially, they installed the DWS's, which I did not order, but were quick to admit error and replaced with the DW's that I ordered.

Preface: was running Continental ContiPro Contact's. Seemed like perfect alignment. No pull left or right on streets on freeway, treadwear was down to 3/32's around and pretty even.

After I picked up the car, there was a major pull to the right (instant). I can hold the steering wheel at what looks even/straight and there is no pull. I release the wheel it pulls to the right, both on freeway and street. We were late to an event because they installed the wrong tires, that I couldn't bring in the car until the end of the day.

I told them the issue, and they said they would rotate the Front tires left to right. They did so, and it was the end of the day for their shop so we took off and drove around a bit. Car still pulled to the right. Since they were closed by then, and not open Sunday, I took it in this morning. Let them know something is up with these new tires. They decided they would then rotate the Rears, left to right.

Ok, same issue, car is pulling the right still. At this point I wasn't so sure it was the tires, but maybe the alignment. Definitely concerned they did something to the alignment as this was never an issue before.....


....What are your thoughts? Alignment? Bad tires?

Thanks for reading!

While the DWS' are nice (other than its mushy soft sidewalls) it is a KNOWN FACT that they pull hard, particular to the right! I had them on my car for almost two months along with an alignment done, but couldn't stand the constant wandering and veering to the right. America's Tires were nice enough to swap them out. I went back to the OEM ContiPro Contacts....straight as an arrow afterwards and better steering response. Do a search in here and you'll also find a handful of complaints about the pull. Here's my post to one of the threads back in Oct. 2011.
http://www.audizine.com/forum/showth...=1#post6975566