Question:

Yep,  sounds like the same problem I’m experiencing and I need to head back to the Michelin dealer BTW, I put Toyo Open Country tires on my Explorer and have really had no problems.  They are quite, smooth, have good tread pattern for dry (very sticky), wet (no problems in rain), and snow (I ski and have not had traction problems at all).  I stayed with the stock 235 size, but next round I’m going up to 16×7 wheels and putting a bigger tire on to fill out that enormous wheel well. Michael

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Hey Michael > Cross rotating indicated the problem was in the tire and not the alignment > (something I knew all along). It can be the balance or a problem with the > belt orientation in the tire, I believe. I knew this because I had the same > problem with the original Firestone ATXs when I bought the vehicle. The > truck pulled despite the dealership’s insistence that the alignment was > fine. After I rotated the tires, the pull went away. Years later, when I > rotated back to the original positions, the pull was back. Moral: Never > assume the problem is the alignment. In fact, expect for the initial check > when I bought it, my 1992 Explorer has never been aligned, and the tire wear > patterns of the recently-replaced Firestones were fine. > Regards, > Tony Giorgianni > I bought Michelin Pilots for my wifes Altima and they ALSO pull to the > right.  AFter cross rotating as you did, the pull went away.  Hmmm. > What’s > up with that?  I haven’t been back to the dealer yet as they’re quite a > distance away. > Michael > > Hello All > > Just thought I’d post an update, which may be instructive. As I > indicated > in > > my earlier post, my new Michelin AT’s (1992 XLT – 59,000) are excellent > but > > for the > > right-hand pull while driving. > > As expected, the tire dealer wanted me to come in for an alignment. So I > > X-rotated the tires and, as I anticipated, the pull went away. I brought > the > > vehicle in and he rebalanced all four at no additional charge. I asked > them > > to rotate them to the original position (though I forgot to chalk them > to > > make sure he did). > > Of course, the installer did not honor my request to torque the lug > nuts – > > 100 ft lbs. (I caught him, so he stopped to get a torque stick.) I > checked > > to torque afterwards, and the lugs turned at between 60-80 ft lbs. So it > > goes to show you – check them yourself. > > Much happier with the Michelins over the Dunlop Rovers, which were way > too > > noisy. Sorry to say I don’t notice much of an improvement over the > original > > Firestone ATXs, however. About as noisy. The ride may be slightly > better, > > but it’s hard to tell. As I indicated earlier, they are fine in snow. > I’m > > running 26-28 lbs. > > Regards, > > Tony Giorgianni

Response:

Hey Michael Cross rotating indicated the problem was in the tire and not the alignment (something I knew all along). It can be the balance or a problem with the belt orientation in the tire, I believe. I knew this because I had the same problem with the original Firestone ATXs when I bought the vehicle. The truck pulled despite the dealership’s insistence that the alignment was fine. After I rotated the tires, the pull went away. Years later, when I rotated back to the original positions, the pull was back. Moral: Never assume the problem is the alignment. In fact, expect for the initial check when I bought it, my 1992 Explorer has never been aligned, and the tire wear patterns of the recently-replaced Firestones were fine. Regards, Tony Giorgianni – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> I bought Michelin Pilots for my wifes Altima and they ALSO pull to the > right.  AFter cross rotating as you did, the pull went away.  Hmmm. What’s > up with that?  I haven’t been back to the dealer yet as they’re quite a > distance away. > Michael > Hello All > Just thought I’d post an update, which may be instructive. As I indicated > in > my earlier post, my new Michelin AT’s (1992 XLT – 59,000) are excellent > but > for the > right-hand pull while driving. > As expected, the tire dealer wanted me to come in for an alignment. So I > X-rotated the tires and, as I anticipated, the pull went away. I brought > the > vehicle in and he rebalanced all four at no additional charge. I asked > them > to rotate them to the original position (though I forgot to chalk them to > make sure he did). > Of course, the installer did not honor my request to torque the lug nuts – > 100 ft lbs. (I caught him, so he stopped to get a torque stick.) I checked > to torque afterwards, and the lugs turned at between 60-80 ft lbs. So it > goes to show you – check them yourself. > Much happier with the Michelins over the Dunlop Rovers, which were way too > noisy. Sorry to say I don’t notice much of an improvement over the > original > Firestone ATXs, however. About as noisy. The ride may be slightly better, > but it’s hard to tell. As I indicated earlier, they are fine in snow. I’m > running 26-28 lbs. > Regards, > Tony Giorgianni

Response:

I bought Michelin Pilots for my wifes Altima and they ALSO pull to the right.  AFter cross rotating as you did, the pull went away.  Hmmm.  What’s up with that?  I haven’t been back to the dealer yet as they’re quite a distance away. Michael

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Hello All > Just thought I’d post an update, which may be instructive. As I indicated in > my earlier post, my new Michelin AT’s (1992 XLT – 59,000) are excellent but > for the > right-hand pull while driving. > As expected, the tire dealer wanted me to come in for an alignment. So I > X-rotated the tires and, as I anticipated, the pull went away. I brought the > vehicle in and he rebalanced all four at no additional charge. I asked them > to rotate them to the original position (though I forgot to chalk them to > make sure he did). > Of course, the installer did not honor my request to torque the lug nuts – > 100 ft lbs. (I caught him, so he stopped to get a torque stick.) I checked > to torque afterwards, and the lugs turned at between 60-80 ft lbs. So it > goes to show you – check them yourself. > Much happier with the Michelins over the Dunlop Rovers, which were way too > noisy. Sorry to say I don’t notice much of an improvement over the original > Firestone ATXs, however. About as noisy. The ride may be slightly better, > but it’s hard to tell. As I indicated earlier, they are fine in snow. I’m > running 26-28 lbs. > Regards, > Tony Giorgianni

Response: