Hi, Am new to the Crossfire and have a question. I have noticed that travelling along roads (generally motorways/freeways), the car sometimes seems to feel as though it is experiencing high cross winds and wanders about. It's as though it is what I call 'tram-lining' i.e. the wheels follow lines in the road.
never experienced this before in other cars, any ideas ?
Mick
'06 Aero Blue Coupe
Ubermapped

 

Try replacing the steering stabilizer shock absorber.

 

I felt that from when my car was new. It seems that the wider tires causes that. I felt it more with the Michelin PS2 tires than I do with my Hankook tires.

Click on this, where some have discussed this issue. https://www.crossfireforum.org/forum...king-help.html

 

ya what he said , and don't go cheap , and new tires will help to,

 

steering stabilizer....it is common for these cars.... cheap fix

 

I think I detect an echo ......
( but happy you agree )

 

the more the guy hears it, the more he will believe our advise...... some don't listen the first time.....

 

Good point.

 

Thanks for the replies and advice, looks like I have 3 possible causes:
1 Tyres
2 Steering damper
3 Short wheel base/road surface - comes with the Crossfire territory !


Previous owner put new tyres on in July, done less than 1,000 miles. They are Yokohama Advan Sports. Would want to be confident that any new tyres don't have the same tendency to 'tram line', any advice on known good tyres ?
Steering damper, had a look at the repair manual and it looks a very simple job to change but would want to confirm that this is the problem. any advice on clear signs it has failed ? Does it operate on compression and re-bound ? I note that there isn't an M-B part number for this item ? (Chrysler 0509791AA)


Mick

 

Just priced up a new steering damper and it was only £23 ($36) for a quality Bilstein product, with free delivery, seemed silly not to buy one !
At least I can discount the damper as the culprit cheaply.


Mick

 

Yep, all of the above. Trammeling is the correct term and short wheel-base ,wide tyers are the culprits. Maintaining Tyer pressure and replacing worn steering stabilizers are the cheap and easy fix.

I am on my third stabilizer @ 85,000 miles and when I repaint and refresh it this spring I will install a new one just because they are cheap and easy to do.

 

MB stabilizer part # - 1244630432A

 

Fitted the new stabilizer ( took 5 minutes!). Original looked new after I gave it a wipe over, seemed to operate correctlly. New one hasn't made any difference!
So, it's either the tyres or SWB with wide tyres.
As I said in earlier post, my tyres are new and unless someone can recommend tyres that don't or resist tram-lining, I'll live with the issue.
Mick
06' Aero Blue
Ubermapped

 

check tire pressure, but it is hard to believe the stabilizer didn't help. Try running up to the max on pressure per tire recommendation....

 

Doc, My handbook says tyre pressures are on the label stuck to the driver's door surround. My label says 32psi Front and 33 Rear, no min or max ? My tyre pressures are spot on (using good quality mechanical gauge).
Not sure what you mean by 'hard to believe that new stabiliser didn't fix the problem ?'
My car has only covered 20k miles and the stabiliser I removed looked like new and exercising it showed it to operate exactly as the new one.


Mick

 

The next thing would be alignment.

 

That pressure is about when my tire pressure sensors trip the light on my dash.
My tires are rates for 50lbs.
I run 45 lbs.

 

Your TMPS sensors are broken.( everyone's are) Running in the high 40's ( depending on Tyer) will lead to humping and premature wear in the middle, as well as poor cornering.


I run my Tyers at 31 front, and 33 rear. pretty close to the manufacturers standards


You can fix your TMPS for $$$$$$ Or just disable it like I did. There is a nice DIY for this https://www.crossfireforum.org/forum...ng-system.html

 

Low profile tires run higher pressure.
On my 3rd set of tires and have not had a single problem with center wear.
Just running pressure as reccomended per tire manufacturer.
Running low pressure will wear out the sides and give excessive tire roll on cornering.

 

I replaced a perfectly good looking stabilizer at 18k...and fixed the wondering. Tire pressure is recommended on the tire itself, ignore the door recommendation. I have run mine at 40 psi and the wear is perfect. Run low profiles with less pressure and you will wonder. stiff side walls on the low profiles require more pressure....but if you are running 40 series or higher, then you can drop pressure. The old days of 32 psi are gone with low profiles... you can run it, but it won't be the firm ride the tire requires. The only other possibility are the bushings themselves being bad. Or something loose in the steering. There isn't anything else left. The stabilizer I bought was larger than the factory one. Good luck...just trying to help, so take it for what it is worth....