Hi ALL!

My '97 Legacy GT Wagon has a set of GoodYear TripleTreads with only 28 K miles on them. I bought them 2 1/2 years ago. I have done the rotation thing. When I did it last time (that's BAlance and rotate) I moved the rear tires up front, I got a vibration through the steering wheel, felt much like out of balance feel. You could feel on the tires up front, slight bit of cupping! We moved the tires back around, most vibration is gone, you can sort of feel it coming from the rear. I don't think I rear need rear shocks...I did the jump on the rear bumper thing, it didn't bounce around like a basketball! Anyone else have this problem in a Wagon? Could it be caused by alaignment? Mine seems to be fine! What to do?

 

Many thanks, SubeeTed

http://www.partsamerica.com/Maintenance/MaintenanceTireProblem.aspx

See especially the section "Diagonal scuffing and cupping".

 

Also, any signs of torque bind?

Some where along the line, you must have had a tire or two out of balance, and ran it that way for a while to cause the cupping. It is just so easy to do. I have btdt with previous cars. Once a tire is cupped, about all you can do is put it on the rear of the car, where it's continuing bouncing won't be as noticable. Contrary to logic, it will never wear itself smooth into a perfect round shape again.

 

I doubt that alignment or bad shocks caused your problem, unless your shocks are so bad that they are about as effective as old fashion fly sprayers. Bad alignment would show itself by wearing out one side of a tire faster then the rest of the tire, but won't cause cupping. However, I don't read that you are saying that.

ON a 1997 i would suspect tired struts also.

 

nipper