Ok so here's the story, I recently pulled my snow tires out and mounted the stock IX wheels w/ Advans.... now to my dismay ever since I installed them, when driving on the highway I noticed the car would steer in one direction and when I tried to recorrect it felt as though I had to give it some effort... as if a phantom ghost was driving my car and I was trying to regain control. This was most notable when braking sharply but recently not as much.... I don't think I overtorqued my lugnuts....the wheels were torqued to about 75 ft/lbs, I've done some searching and haven't found anything related other than some warped rotors but I've only had 2000 miles on the car and I don't abuse the brakes.... so what else could be causing this? Also I don't think it's the alignment; the car goes perfectly straight w/o anything, the steering jerks happen at random intervals, at first I thought it was the strong winds pushing my car back and forth but its definately weird.... I don't think the wheels are out of balance since I haven't touched them since they were demounted in place of the snow tires... I forgot to mention I'm stock; haven't changed any suspension stuff yet...

 

alignment? my bad...could it be ur hydroplaning or anything? the evo does have sensitive steering

 

I was driving to Wrentham, MA today.... about 55 degrees clear skies, I guess I'll have this thing checked when I let the dealer do my first oil change

 

yeah i mean 2000 miles...i would deff get that checked...could be dangerous if your not expecting it

 

The Advans are directional tires make sure they are facing the right way.

 

You know what? I mounted them w/o noticing the directions this may be the key to all this weird jerking! I'll have to check it out tommrow morning once the sun comes up...

*UPDATE* I just checked with a flashlight and indeed 2 of the wheels are in the wrong direction!!!

I guess this will serve a purpose and a reminder to always check the direction of rotation when putting your wheels/tires on!!!!!!

Thanks for your input guys!

 

EVO's pull in strange ways anyway make sure it wasn't just the tires following the road surface.

 

Also...going from snow tires to near R-compound tires...you'll probably notice a lot of tramlining...if you don't like tramlining go get some milder tires...

 

Along with what jasil said. Due to the siffness of the chassis, suspension, and tight steering. If there is any uneveness in the road the steering wheel will turn in the direction that it is forced to. It isn't some phantom steering wheel jerk. It is just mainly due to the suspesion not "giving" like a normal car on uneven surfaces(i.e. roads that have heavy traffic that become rutted). Now when I say rutted. I don't mean that the road is torn up. But, more like a worn in pattern from where the wheels from everyones car is hitting the pavement. So something has to give. And it ends up being the wheels are forced in a certain direction(whatever direction the gradation is). So in the end your steering wheel will move. Happens to me all the time.

 

The Evo is also extra-sensitive to alignments. I brought it back 3 times for crappy alignments at the dealer before I said **** it and paid $150 to have it done professionally. Factory-spec tolerance is not enough, you have to have it dead perfect. my settings of 2.5-ish camber up front, 2.5 in the rear, and 0.185" toe-out all around are great but I wouldn't recommend any toe-out at all or maybe even toe-in up front if you are worried about tramlining. It's not a car in which you can drive with one hand and be sure you won't be jerked off the road by unseen grooves. Get used to driving with both hands or just always run all-seasons with some toe-in...your choice...

 

double check tire pressures too.

 

Ok I switched the two tires that were pointing in the wrong rotational direction and that solved the problem.

 

haahaa, that happened to me b4 too.